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The Characterization Of Irene Redfield In Passing By Nella Larsen

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As one of the two main characters, Irene Redfield is the childhood friend of Clare Kendry, the wife of Brian Redfield – a sufficient black doctor in Harlem, and mother of two sons – Brian, Jr., and Ted. In Nella Larsen’s novel, “Passing”, the perimeters & dimensions of Irene Redfield’s personality are explored - through vivid descriptions and close attention to detail in the current time of the plot. To further describe Irene Redfield’s characterization, the first specific trait that pertains is her self-dignified vehement towards elements present in her life. An example of this trait is shown when: Irene insinuated Clare “cared nothing for the race - only belonging to it” months after the situation involving John saying the “n-word” [p. 1105] …show more content…

The next specific trait towards her characterization is the vague aura of allurement surrounding her presence. An example of this trait occurs when she engages in a conversation with Hugh Wentworth, about Clare during the NWL performance – as he finished the final stanza of a nursery rhyme, “Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief” [p.1118] she was saying to herself. This quote specifically demonstrated her ability to attract the presence of others in coincidental timing, due to the basis of the conversation pertaining from Clare to a discussion about passing. A final supportive example of this trait is displayed when Clare grabbed Irene’s hand at the 2nd re-encounter, with “Irene ... had a sudden inexplicable onrush of affectionate feeling. Reaching out, she grasped Clare's two hands” [p.1112] encompassing power that highlighted her attractive appeal. Furthermore, this prompted the speculation of Irene and Clare having an intimate, mutual attraction. In conclusion, these two specific traits encapsulate the perimeters of Irene Redfield, a compelling character that is cognizant of the balance between intuition and introspection in her reality, possessive of qualities to a desirable presence, and a heightened sense of obligation towards her

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Throughout the book, Irene starts to grow a hatred for Clare and her passing, so she says, “No, Clare Kendry cared nothing for the race. She only belonged to it.” (52) This quote shows how Irene really feels about Clare passing. She thinks Clare doesn't care about her race at all, but Clare likely thinks otherwise.

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During the twentieth century, many African American’s found themselves trying to obtain a place in society by often passing as white. Many desire to escape the stenotypes created by this dominated society at any cost. However with this spectacle of passing many blacks faced conflicts and risks the consequences of being caught. Nella Larsen’s Passing (1929) describes the life of two light skinned women who sometimes “pass” in their society in order to gain social opportunities. These characters struggle with their identities, an uncertainty of belongings to a particular race.

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Ca’ren Franklin Dr. Vargas 30 April 2024 While exploring the complex ideas and motifs woven throughout my artistic endeavor, a remarkable resemblance emerges between Nella Larsen's groundbreaking book Passing and the symbolic meaning embedded in Erzulie's Skirt. Both are important platforms for investigating identity, exploring dualism in dimensions, and scrutinizing the standards that are currently in place in society. In her novel Passing, Nella Larsen masterfully explores racist occurrences and the intricacies of racial identity in early 20th-century America. Within this rich tapestry, one such instance is when Irene Redfield, who has a fair complexion, encounters discrimination in her native community because of her choice to identify as African American. Her

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Through the experiences of their characters and themselves, these authors demonstrate the emotional and psychological toll that passing as white can take on individuals. Passing as white, which is the act of hiding one's racial identity in order to escape discrimination, can lead to a loss of one's true identity and a disconnection from one's sense of self. This is illustrated in Larsen's novel through the characters of Irene and Clare, who both choose to pass as white but ultimately realize the limitations and drawbacks of this decision. Similarly, in McWilliams' and Lusasik's personal accounts, it is shown that passing as white can lead to alienation, disconnection, and emotional turmoil. Furthermore, these works also highlight the societal pressure and discrimination that individuals of color face, which can lead them to make the decision to pass as white.

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Nella Larsen’s Passing is a novella about the past experiences of African American women ‘passing’ as whites for equal opportunities. Larsen presents the day to day issues African American women face during their ‘passing’ journey through her characters of Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. During the reading process, we progressively realize ‘passing’ in Harlem, New York during the 1920’s becomes difficult for both of these women physically and mentally as different kinds of challenges approach ahead. Although Larsen decides the novella to be told in a third person narrative, different thoughts and messages of Irene and Clare communicate broken ideas for the reader, causing the interpretation of the novella to vary from different perspectives.

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