Passing - Clare's fate

Nella Larsen’s novel “Passing”, which was published in 1929, can be classified as later work of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance is defined as remarkable phase of black american writing centred in Harlem from 1920 until about 1935. Beginning as a series of literary discussions this African-American cultural movement, in which emerged a great output of creative activity among African-Americans in literature, became known as "The New Negro Movement" and later as the Harlem Renaissance. This literary movement involved a social revolt against racism and centered the culture of African-Americans. The movement was triggered by the growing migration of blacks from the South to northern cities like New York, Chicago and Washington D.C. between 1919 and 1926 and by the appearance of radical black intellectuals (e.g. Locke, M.Garvey, J.W. Johnston, W.E.B. du Bois) who encouraged their folks not only to accept but to celebrate their African heritage. More African-American writers were published during this period than ever before.

- “…nothing sacrificial in Clare Kendry’s idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire. She was selfish, and cold, and hard. And yet she had, too, a strange capacity of transforming warmth and passion…” (172)

- “To count as nothing the annoyances, the bitterness, or the suffering of others, that was Clare.” (212)

- It was that smile that maddened Irene”. (271)

Great parts of Clare’s behaviour and thoughts that are revealed to the reader during the story show us that she is trapped in a tremendous cognitive conflict that foreshadows inescapably her tragic end. On the one hand she longs for her African-American heritage and wants to identify herself with her roots, on the other she wants to maintain her identity as a white woman because of the assumed privileges and due to the fact that she does not want to loose her daughter. She lives with an approach-approach conflict which is, naturally, not compatible.

Some topics in this essay:
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