Whiteness And Racial Identity: A Narrative Analysis

Whiteness, though it may seem like just a color or lack thereof of one’s skin, is a very complex social construct of which people have a variety of different understandings. People discuss and argue the many aspects that go in to whiteness as well as the consequences, both positive and negative, of it. There is no cohesive, completely accurate definition of whiteness as a concept, only a variety of theories that connect or relate in some way to provide a deeper understanding of whiteness and racial identity. Within only two texts, Passing and Appropriate by Nella Larsen and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins respectively, multiple theories of whiteness are explored through character’s daily lives, habits, beliefs, and interactions with one another. …show more content…
Visual cues to one’s racial identity is what provides the power of hiding to those individuals. Without the determined visual properties of a racial identity, there would be no ability for light skinned and white individuals to closet their problems. In order for the Lafayette family to be successful in their lives and not worry about their underlying problems constantly, they rely on their whiteness to shield them. Their light skin makes their white identity apparent to everyone around them and therefore they are able to float by with a lack of transparency to the world around them. While each of the texts explores different situations regarding racial identity and ‘passing’, both have very similar situations and theories of whiteness. In Passing, Irene decided to hide behind her light skin when meeting Bellew for the first time in order to protect herself as well as Clare. Although the Lafayette family in Appropriate does not actively chose to use their whiteness as a mask, both situations have the same outcome. Perceived visual attributes of a race play a huge role in how an individual is identified, treated and conditioned; Both texts demonstrate this through their character’s interactions and