An Analysis Of Nella Larsen's Passing

The opposition argues that passing is not justified because people who had passed as white do not have a happy life because most of their history ends in tragedies. As in the case of Clare Kendry in the novel Passing by Nella Larsen, Clare pass as White and lived and unhappy and lonely life. Clare married a racist but wealthy White me. In part one of the novel Clare suggested to her husband John Bellew that she has a percentage of black and John Bellew’s reaction was totally racist against it, he said, ‘”Oh, no, Nigg” he declared, “nothing like that with me. I know you're no nigger, so it's all right. You can get as black as you please as far as I'm concerned, since I know you're no nigger. I draw the line at that. …show more content…
In the article title The Tragic Mulatto Myth by Dr. David Pilgrim states, “In Nella Larsen's novel Passing (1929), Clare, a mulatto passing for white, often is drawn to blacks in Harlem. Her bigoted white husband finds her there. Her problems were solved when she falls to her death from a sixth story window” suggesting that Clare’s life was unhappy that she had to die to solve her problems. People who pass as white are susceptible to live an unhappy life and harm those around them. As in the case of Peola and her mom Delilah Johnston who died of disappointment when Peola decided to pass as white in the novel Imitation of Life by Fannie Hurst. This novel was about two single mother Bea Pullman and Delilah Jonston who raised their daughters, Jessie and Peola together but Peola and Delilah are black and Peola had white skin. Peola decided to pass as white breaking her mother’s heart killing her of disappointment and sacrificing the opportunity to become mother just to make sure that she can be happy without any problem, “I’m not ashamed, there are millions to populate the world besides me. There is no shame in being sterilized in the name of the happiness of other. He knows, without knowing why, that I can’t have children. I want my

Show More

Related Documents: An Analysis Of Nella Larsen's Passing

Essay about Black People and Conditions Decoding Essentialism