There are many factors that cause relationships to form. Whether it be love, hate, envy or indignation they all draw people together either in helpful or detrimental ways. Feelings and emotions are the driving force of why humans connect. Some of the emotions or driving factors that may seem like opposites, actually are eerily similar. For example, love and hate are both very strong emotions or feelings one could have for another person, yet they have some of the same characteristics. When one loves another they always think about that other person, they always talk about that other person, they pay that person so much attention. When one hates another person, they do the exact same thing, maybe in a different context, but the fact is they
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Their relationship is quickly revealed within the first two pages of the book when Larsen writes, “bringing them to a clear, sharp remembrance, in which even now, after two years, humiliation, resentment, and rage were mingled”. (Larsen 1082) This first mention about their relationship clearly shows that it is not a very happy relationship between the two of them. This quotes also hints that they had a past together and at one point, something happened that cause Irene to have these strong feelings towards Clare. This is just the start of the portrayal of envy from the side of Irene in this story. Irene also become extremely mad and envious of Clare during the Re-encounter because Clare’s avowed yearning for “[her] own people” (1104). Another thing that makes Irene really envious is that “Clare not only wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well.” (1104) She always wants to go out and be white, but when shes around black people she wants to embrace it. This is because Clare can pick and choose what parts of her life can interact with black people. She has a great life, but she also chooses to be selfish and make the lives of others around her worse. When it is convenient for her she wants to be black, but when it is not “Clare cared nothing for the race. She only belonged to it”. (1105) So again Clare has …show more content…
In the reading, one can see that Irene has a weak spot for Clare and may even be in love with Clare, but at the same time Irene is extremely envious of Clare’s ability to pass as a white woman. Irene is also envious that Clare can choose the life she wants to live, if she doesn’t feel like being black she can pass as a white woman, so she can exploit both sides of herself. The characterization of the envious relationship that Irene has with Clare ends up pushing them both over the edge, one figuratively and the other, unfortunately,
Their relationship is quickly revealed within the first two pages of the book when Larsen writes, “bringing them to a clear, sharp remembrance, in which even now, after two years, humiliation, resentment, and rage were mingled”. (Larsen 1082) This first mention about their relationship clearly shows that it is not a very happy relationship between the two of them. This quotes also hints that they had a past together and at one point, something happened that cause Irene to have these strong feelings towards Clare. This is just the start of the portrayal of envy from the side of Irene in this story. Irene also become extremely mad and envious of Clare during the Re-encounter because Clare’s avowed yearning for “[her] own people” (1104). Another thing that makes Irene really envious is that “Clare not only wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well.” (1104) She always wants to go out and be white, but when shes around black people she wants to embrace it. This is because Clare can pick and choose what parts of her life can interact with black people. She has a great life, but she also chooses to be selfish and make the lives of others around her worse. When it is convenient for her she wants to be black, but when it is not “Clare cared nothing for the race. She only belonged to it”. (1105) So again Clare has …show more content…
In the reading, one can see that Irene has a weak spot for Clare and may even be in love with Clare, but at the same time Irene is extremely envious of Clare’s ability to pass as a white woman. Irene is also envious that Clare can choose the life she wants to live, if she doesn’t feel like being black she can pass as a white woman, so she can exploit both sides of herself. The characterization of the envious relationship that Irene has with Clare ends up pushing them both over the edge, one figuratively and the other, unfortunately,