HISTORY 2042. Nella Larsen, Quicksand and Passing

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Nella Larsen, Quicksand, and Passing
Harlem Renaissance was a significant period in the history of American literature. African American writers proved that their publications were relevant during the historical period despite their notable differences from their white counterparts. Passing is a novel that Neila Larsen, the author, set in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City during the 1920s. The storyline centers on a reunion of Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry as two childhood friends who seemed fascinated with each other’s lives. The title is one of the primary elements of the novel that illustrates the exploration of race. Larsen had a mixed racial heritage that possibly influenced her research of societal ethnic relations during the 1920s. Neila Larsen weaves a story of considerable depth to illustrate racial identity and the shift in racial perspectives for security purposes.
Passing novel is one of the tragic stories of a beautiful light-skinned mulatto. The light-skinned mulatto has a mixed heritage, thus making it hard for her to identify a place with either African Americans or the whites. The author avers the tragic consequences of one of the characters, Clare Kendry, following her passing for whites. According to Larsen, Clare socializes with the blacks for excitement purposes as opposed to racial solidarity, which is contrary to the expectations of society (54). Notably, Larsen’s novel is an ideal example of the existent gender and racial norms in the United States. The struggle of Irene and Clare with their identification as the main characters is essential for readers in understanding the ethnic relations in the United States.
Whiteness is one of the prevailing themes in Larsen’s novel. The characters struggle against gender and racial norms of “whiteness” in the United States. Besides, they confront with the normative characteristics of white culture. For instance, Clare is a member of a mixed-race who chooses to identify herself with the white culture. Besides, Irene identifies herself as an African American and decides to pass after realizing the need for blending into the white culture. Since society has positive stereotypes towards “white” identity, the characters in the novel struggle to become “white.” Arguably, whites enjoy the privilege of security over members of other minority races.
Clare is one of the characters who grew up with her white aunts. However, they treated her as a servant, which had an impact on Clare&rsquo...