Is it aggravating for me to search for my identity? I want to know where I belong, and find a place where I can call home. I was born into a biracial family who didn't want anything to do with me. I went into the world with the feeling of "trial and error" trying to figure out who I am, find my purpose and fit somewhere. If I will ever accomplish my goal and find happiness, I do not really know because I am ridicule for the color of my skin.
Similar, Helga felt this way going into the world. The protagonist Helga in "Quicksand" by Nella Larsen represents the struggle encountered by many blacks during the early 1900s. Blacks were considered second class citizens. Helga being a biracial child opens doors to rejection by both Blacks and Whites. Helga quest for selfhood is similar to African American search for equality in American in the early 1900s. Nella Larsen brilliantly creates Helga's character to utter many blacks ambivalence regarding racial identity, class, and gender roles. Booker T. Washington, W.E.B Dubois, and Marcus Garvey played role in African America such for equality/identity. They each had significantly different ideas of how many blacks can overcome racial discrimination. .
Examine Helga's life using the text we were able to trace that Helga search for identity is blacks search for identity. .
Helga had no place to call home, as many African America around that times period did not have any place to call home. Dubious argues opinion was that "African Americans must speak out constantly against discrimination" in order for it to be resolved.".
