Irene’s Internal Struggle Against Clare and Passing
In her ingenious novel, Passing, Nella Larsen challenges the concept of racial integrity through her two female characters, Irene and Clare. Both women are familiar with the act of passing, however they differ in how they utilize it. Irene identifies as black and places her safety over the opportunity to utilize her light skinned privilege whereas Clare’s desire to exploit the benefits of passing as white overcomes her need for security. Because of their opposing standpoints on passing, Irene finds herself constantly at odds with Clare while simultaneously empathizing with her craving for acceptance. This internal conflict that Irene faces comes to a head in the final moments of the novel. The ambiguous ending of Larsen’s novel reflects the uncertainty of Irene’s feelings towards Clare, and by extension, passing, as seen through the constant juxtaposition of Irene’s relief and grief at Clare’s death.
At the beginning of the closing passage, Irene is possessed by the notion that “she couldn’t have Clare Kendry cast aside by Bellew. She couldn’t have her free” (Larsen 91). This realization perfectly surmises the ambiguity of Irene’s feelings towards Clare; the conflict of whether to protect her or get rid of her…show more content… Irene strives for understanding and clarity whereas Clare is content living in ambiguity. Their dispositions switch entirely at the end. Clare finds herself in a moment of clarity at the party when she realizes where she belongs right before her death; in the aftermath of Clare falling out of the window, Irene is left to hover in uncertainty as her mind battles for how to process what has just occurred. Irene’s internal conflict that has continuously built throughout the novel shows how far she has strayed from her integrity and her morals since Clare has entered her
