Throughout the Harlem Renaissance, Nella Larson wrote intermittent narratives that emulated portions of her life, such as Passing; these narratives emulate her desire for access to wealth, middle-class comfort, and white privileges. Larsen herself, scuffles with identity after her Negro father from the Virgin Islands dies at her age of two, and her Danish mother marries a man of her race and nationality. At the age of five, Larsen attends a small private school whose pupils were mostly German and Scandinavian. Labeling herself as a mulatto¬¬, a daughter of an interracial family she does not identify a specific connection with her West Indian relatives. Passing protagonists, Irene Redfield, and Clare Kendry also struggle with racial and sexual
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Clare Kendry, a white complected woman with golden hair, as Irene describes her is born to a black and white family. Clare ditches her mulatto description and crosses the line using her beauty to correspond to white society. Her ambition is greatness and high society establishment; she marries John Bellew, who she calls “Jack” deriving the meaning of money. John Bellew is a racist white man who hates blacks, “ you got me wrong there, nothing like that at all. I don’t dislike [blacks]. I hate [blacks]” (Larsen 29). Clare lives a nightmare with John who is always calling her “Nig”; she tolerates him for the money and social class placement he offers. Clare doesn’t hate her life; she is a “free women”, in the terms that her husband is always on business trips, and she can do whatever and go wherever she pleases. Clare lives a risky life trying to dissemble; she explains that she doesn’t want to have any more children because they could be born dark complected, “I’ll [n]ever have any. I’m afraid. I nearly died of terror the whole nine months before Margery was born for fear that she might be dark” (Larsen 26). Clare grasps an interest for Harlem despite “passing” to white …show more content…
Clare marries a businessman who is always traveling, and her fear of having a dark child clarifies the situation. On the other hand, Irene sexless marriage is due to sleeping in different beds (with her husband, Brian). But also,“[Brian believes sex] is a grand joke, the greatest in the world” (Larsen 42). With the absence of sex in their marriages “Larsen can flirt… with the idea of a lesbian relationship between them” (McDowell 370). Irene passes for heterosexual while loving Clare because she doesn’t want to lose her morality. Irene Redfield begins to have feelings for Clare Kendry when they reunite at the Drayton. Irene sees indubitably the day she receives Clare’s letter, “significantly, the novel’s opening image is an envelope (a metaphoric vagina) which Irene hesitates to open” (McDowell 374). She sees a world of danger; the world that might over through her middle-class morality, worrying about “appearance, social respectability, and safety” (McDowell 374), therefore, rejecting Clare. Irene’s feelings for Clare aggrandize at Clare’s tea party. Where “Irene Redfield [tries] to understand the look [on] Clare’s face as she said goodbye[,] something that she could find no name” (Larsen 33). Furthermore, this feelings overgrow in Irene’s bedroom. As Irene feelings awaken, Irene feels a threat to her security, middle-class morality, and her middle-class standing. Therefore, Imagining a romance
Clare Kendry, a white complected woman with golden hair, as Irene describes her is born to a black and white family. Clare ditches her mulatto description and crosses the line using her beauty to correspond to white society. Her ambition is greatness and high society establishment; she marries John Bellew, who she calls “Jack” deriving the meaning of money. John Bellew is a racist white man who hates blacks, “ you got me wrong there, nothing like that at all. I don’t dislike [blacks]. I hate [blacks]” (Larsen 29). Clare lives a nightmare with John who is always calling her “Nig”; she tolerates him for the money and social class placement he offers. Clare doesn’t hate her life; she is a “free women”, in the terms that her husband is always on business trips, and she can do whatever and go wherever she pleases. Clare lives a risky life trying to dissemble; she explains that she doesn’t want to have any more children because they could be born dark complected, “I’ll [n]ever have any. I’m afraid. I nearly died of terror the whole nine months before Margery was born for fear that she might be dark” (Larsen 26). Clare grasps an interest for Harlem despite “passing” to white …show more content…
Clare marries a businessman who is always traveling, and her fear of having a dark child clarifies the situation. On the other hand, Irene sexless marriage is due to sleeping in different beds (with her husband, Brian). But also,“[Brian believes sex] is a grand joke, the greatest in the world” (Larsen 42). With the absence of sex in their marriages “Larsen can flirt… with the idea of a lesbian relationship between them” (McDowell 370). Irene passes for heterosexual while loving Clare because she doesn’t want to lose her morality. Irene Redfield begins to have feelings for Clare Kendry when they reunite at the Drayton. Irene sees indubitably the day she receives Clare’s letter, “significantly, the novel’s opening image is an envelope (a metaphoric vagina) which Irene hesitates to open” (McDowell 374). She sees a world of danger; the world that might over through her middle-class morality, worrying about “appearance, social respectability, and safety” (McDowell 374), therefore, rejecting Clare. Irene’s feelings for Clare aggrandize at Clare’s tea party. Where “Irene Redfield [tries] to understand the look [on] Clare’s face as she said goodbye[,] something that she could find no name” (Larsen 33). Furthermore, this feelings overgrow in Irene’s bedroom. As Irene feelings awaken, Irene feels a threat to her security, middle-class morality, and her middle-class standing. Therefore, Imagining a romance