According to our conclusion about how Clare died it tell us the theme of this novel fix into the category of racism and betrayal. In the novel, racism was portrayed through Clare and Irene of how they both passed as white woman on the outside but on the inside they are still African American. So no matter what, if people know their black background they would still be discriminated. As a light skinned black woman, although Clare accomplished with her passing as white woman, she was careful not to expose any of her black background or all of her effort would be for nothing. She married a white man named John; who was racist, but her husband didn’t know she was African American. As for Irene, she thinks that by passing as a white woman, she …show more content…
With Clare inserting herself into Irene’s daily life, Irene start to realizes her husband was changing. Immediately Irene jumps into conclusion that Clare and Brian are having an affair behind Irene’s back. With the continuation of Irene’s anger, it lead her to pushed Clare out of the window to her death in the end of the novel. The betrayal of Clare began at the dance party. Clare was dancing with Brian and after the party, Brian sent Irene; his own wife home first instead of Clare. In a marriage life, if the husband is alone with another woman at night, most likely there will be cheating. Another scene that shows Clare’s betrayal is on page 1137 “ She felt a something in the air, something that had been between those two and would be again. It was like a live thing pressing against her. In quick glance she saw Clare clinging to Brian’s other arm”. This is like a big evidence that proves Clare and Brian are having an affair because if Clare was loyal to Irene, she would have stay far from Irene’s husband. Also Clinging to someone else husband is like crossing the boundary someone relationship. Irene has every right to be mad. After sawing that Irene did not smile much and look depressed. From