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Summary Of Passing By Nella Larsen

1086 Words5 Pages

Around 1920s, passing was a big deal because many people that had a chance to not be recognized as a black person would love to pass for another race. Nella Larsen's novel, Passing, is about two women who reunite from many years and one character, Irene, doesn't want to accept the other character, Clare, back into her life. They both are fair skin woman who can pass and Clare does exactly that. The purpose of the novel is to showcase the racial aspect of passing but after analyzing the book, I realize that not only is race being passed in the book but sexuality is also being passed in the book. "Since the term "passing" carries the connotation of being accepted for something one is not, the title of the novel serves as a metaphor for a wide …show more content…

Clare's letter is the first introduction that shows the audience sexual tension between her and Irene. The letter read, “For I am lonely, so lonely . . . cannot help longing to be with you again, as I have never longed for anything before; and I have wanted many things in my life . . . You can't know how in this pale life of mine I am all the time seeing the bright pictures of that other that I once thought I was glad to be free of......It's like an ache, a pain that never ceases...." When I first read this, the question I wrote down is, "the relationship between Irene and Clare." Puzzled by the relationship, I decided to do some research to analyze their …show more content…

I sometimes wish he did. It’s South America that attracts him.” (Larsen) Larsen uses Brian's sexual passing as a racial passing as well. It seems to show that Brian might go to Brazil because it will be more suitable and comfortable for him due to his race. But the question that Irene constantly thinks of is, “is Brian going over to Brazil because of his sexual desires and he feels as if he will be accepted since Brazil is known for their reputation of sexual freedom. Brian's runaway to Brazil will provide an alternate vision of an Afro-centric sphere in which a man does not need to provide for a woman and where men may love each other

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