Insecurity In Irene's Passing

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In society, rules are created to control the population, but however, they are created to achieve a controlled society, and hence don’t prioritize the members of the society. In “Passing”, which happens in the 1920s, rules are everpresent, especially with the issue of race, as can be observed with Clare and Irene’s relationship to the act of “passing”. After Irene’s encounter with Jack Bellew as she was shopping with Felise Freeland, that latter said she suspected Irene had been passing, to which Irene answered, “I don’t believe I’ve ever gone native in my life except for the sake of convenience, restaurants, theatre tickets, and things like that.” (79) By stating what Irene believes to be a simple fact, it is understood that a black person …show more content…
Was it just a word? If not, then was it only by the sacrifice of other things, happiness, love, or some wild ecstasy that she had never known, that it could be obtained? And did too much striving, too much faith in safety and permanence, unfit one for these other things?” (86). Irene’s new insecurity over what she had always believed in shows how following all the rules to achieve security in all aspects of her life do not give her what individuals need, such as healthy relationships or general happiness in their lives. Sticking to the rules and discarding hers and Brian’s wishes proved to be disastrous for her: “But because, so she insisted, the bond of flesh and spirit between them was so strong, she knew, had always known, that [Brian’s] dissatisfaction had continued, as had his dislike and disgust fro his profession and his country.” (43). To keep her family secure, Irene had to sacrifice her relationship with her husband. Clare and Irene both have very different opinions about the rules in the society, and by following them, Irene is the one who ends up with a broken family and a disrespected
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