Character Analysis Of Clare Kendry In Larsen's Passing

Throughout the book reader can see her struggle to make sense of her life and her marriage. In the few stories like “Piano Player”, and ‘Winter Concert” she is not much mentioned by Strout. But as we go through the book, it revels something new about her. Olive Kitteridge’s life gives reader a glimpse of the bitter realities. Olive life is never easy, and nothing flows except of difficulties. Her character is shaped by everyone in this novel. By her son, by the people around her, and most importantly by herself. She was the school teacher of 7th grade in the town name Crosby, Maine. And wife of a pharmacist name Hennery, who is more likeable in the town than Olive. She is not very polite person; according to one of her coworker “Olive had

An outsider is someone who is not accepted or is isolated from society. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in the 1930’s, where society considered many people as outsiders. During this period, many people were racist, sexist and prejudice towards disabled people. This is shown with several characters in the novel including Crooks, Curly’s wife and Candy who are all considered as outsiders in this novel, since they each had something that the society at that time were prejudice towards.

the novel Passing, Nella Larsen explores the consequences and disadvantages of two African Americans living in a segregated society. The reconnection between Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry illustrates two different paths in regards to how they portray themselves in their own community. Larsen displays Clare Kendry as a light – skinned women who tolerates her husband’s racial comments in order to live in a higher society. Clare’s decision to secretly hide her racial background because of the desire of wanting to be accepted by individuals of an upper social class greatly affects Irene. Clare’s determination of overcoming racial barriers by passing as a white individual is similar to the Rhinelander/Jones case. In 1924 the son of the wealthiest families in New York married the daughter of a taxicab driver. However, Leonard Rhinelander appealed to have is marriage annulled due to “believing his wife to be white when he married her” (135). Rhinelander suspected Alice Jones was hiding her racial background by passing as a white individual. As the trial progressed it was concluded that that Rhinelander had an understanding of her racial background before marriage was an option between the two. The Rhinelander/Jones case demonstrates how Clare Kendry decided to pass as a white individual in order to obtain wealth and social status by marrying a white male. The three criticism texts chosen demonstrates how racial passing between Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry contributes to social status.

     In Nella Larsen’s Passing, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry show us a great deal about race and sexuality in the 1920s. Both are extremely light-skinned women of African-American descent. However similar they appear to be, their views on race, a very controversial issue at the time, differ significantly. Clare chooses to use her physical appearance as an advantage in America’s racist and sexist society, leaving behind everything that connects her to her African-American identity. She presents herself as an object of sexual desire, flaunting herself to gain attention. Irene is practically the opposite, deciding that she wants to remain with the label of being black. She is subtle with her

Irene is in an all but loveless marriage with a husband who seems to be asexual at best and apathetic at worst. Her judgement is clouded by her own blind envy of the supposed life of Clare Kendry. Irene convinces herself after being absorbed into the whirlwind of Clare Kendy’s life that she is inferior to the white black-girl. She then convinces herself that her husband is having an affair with Clare, and that everyone knows about it so she must pretend not to know. This is all the culmination on a psychotic break that Irene has that ends with the unclear death of Mrs.Kendry (Larsen,113-114). Irene can be safely assumed to have pushed Clare out of the window due to a bizarre coloration envy that developed from Irene, the woman who passed as a form of getting a control high, and Clare, the girl who passed as a form of escapism and

Some skeptics such as Audre Lorde: may, argue that the focus of Larsen’s novella focused primarily on the juxtaposition of race and sexual identity of Black feminism in the early twentieth century. However, Larsen makes use of unstable identities that can been seen through the passage via Brian Redfield and John Bellew. The husbands’ envelope the extent of male privilege and contrarily shows their means of working against it. By exploring these men, it offers a more critical view to understanding Clare and Irene

The character that’s made an outsider is Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is an outsider because of his skin colour, and was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. But him being black was the main reason as to why he was the outsider.

Although Irene feels that there is "nothing sacrificial in Clare's idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire," it is apparent that Clare's desire to return to her African American race is honest, even if the motives seem rather one-sided (Larsen 144). Irene considers Clare to be "selfish, cold and hard" (Larsen 144). Irene also feels that Clare does not have "even in the slightest artistic or sociological interest in the race that some members of other races displayed…[She] cared nothing of the race, she only belonged to it" (Larsen 182). This may be true, but it does not diminish Clare's own pain at having to deny her African American heritage, and her desire to return to it. Irene represents a portion of society who feel that people who pass must have a morally acceptable reason to return to their African American roots such as a desire to rebel against a white society that has forced them into the role of a white person. Just because Clare feels "no permanent allegiance to either the black or white worlds or any of the classic anguish of the tragic mulatto" does not mean that she is not a tragic mulatto (Washington 48). In her own way, "Clare Kendry belongs with that group of tragic mulattos…emerg[ing] as an individual, not as a stereotype" (Davis 98). Because she wants to return to her own race on her own terms illustrates her individuality in the face of the

Throughout the second part of Passing by Nella Larsen, the reasons for each of the women passing seem to be revealed. Also, these chapters awaken many questions like “Why didn’t Clare stand up for herself?”, “Why didn’t Clare come clean?”, and “If Clare wants to rejoin the community, would she leave John?”. These questions start to arise in the beginning of part two, when John mentions that “They always come back. I’ve seen it happen time and time again.” (pg. 55). This contributes to the idea that Clare might feel regret for passing permanently for so long, and leaves the reader wondering why she didn’t come clean if she wants to rejoin the black community.

Clare states, “I’ve often wondered why more colored girls … never ‘passed’ over. It’s such a frightfully easy thing to do. If one’s the type, all that’s needed is a little nerve.” (25). Much like the earlier statement from Irene, blacks have an easier time to pass in white society because that kind of society is always pressured on blacks. White society is like a template on how to live a decent life and many people of color tend to follow it. With a As for Irene, despite her passing color she chooses not to. And in a moment of weakness Irene “was caught between two allegiances, different, yet the same.” (98) the realization of her skin finally struck her, that Irene had twoness. She easily identifies with both, but rather she is tired of the burden of being black. She can receive criticism from both parties and it dwells on her. In any case, she struggles between two worlds of black and white, much like Henry Park in Native Speaker, who struggles between the Korean and American world.

Throughout the book it was shown that Clare envied Irene. She wanted her lifestyle, she reminisced off old situations from their past Clare tried to say that they were just alike and the same.throughout the book clare continued to try to convince herself that they had so much in common . Clare commented on everything in irene's life and tried to be like her . As well as when she harassed Irene with a letter. She also envied her because she would keep showing up at Irene's house without invitation which showed her urge to have everything Irene has. For instance , on page 74 it says , “ there was a slight crash , on the floor at her feet lay the shattered cup. Dark stains dotted the bright rug. Spread. The chatter stopped . Went on . Before her , Zulena gathered up the white fragments”. Here it's saying , that Clare was a master manipulator and Clare tried to manipulate Brian and Irene into her Trap of telling them what they want to hear . She thought this would work on Brian so he would leave Irene for her , and she would no longer have to envy all that Irene has she would know be all that Irene was .which shows Larsen's literary method of Characterization

He tells the readers that he has been left behind, forgotten and abandoned to the point where he feels like he must announce his presence to the world and wishes others would acknowledge him. The friends Clare did have most likely didn’t care much for him being institutionalized, therefore causing him to speak of his friends in such a pessimistic manner. He then states that there was no one to help to ease his pain in the third and fourth lines of the first stanza: “I am the self-consumer of my woes, they rise and vanish in oblivious host,” he makes reference to his insanity in the phrase “oblivious host” which hints that he is usually unaware of the happenings occurring about him because of his mental health.

I got few points corrected. I have a list of questions for you. Sorry if the questions are repetitive. I tried to retain as much information as I can when you reviewed it with me. I am really pulling my hair out with Martin. Only because it is being budgeted. I don’t know, what is your advice? I know for sure I already went over the budget hours. If I won’t get in trouble, I’ll continued doing what I’m doing and keep asking questions until I get everything right. or is this a Linda Everst’s question?

Paul’s time with Elizabeth and Rick is much different than the time he has with Flan and Ouisa. What happens between Elizabeth and Rick is far more different than what happens between Flan and Ouisa. Paul uses “John Flanders Kittredge” as his dad instead of using Poiter (84). Paul does this in order to avoid benefiting the poor. Adding on to that, it would have been reasonable if Paul said that his father is Poiter because it would get Elizabeth and Rick’s attention since they want to become an actor. They would have also asked Paul to give them tips and tricks as what it is being an actor. He obviously does this to the Kittredges and the reason why he does not say Poiter is his Father is not because Elizabeth and Rick would have suspected

From Clare’s recalls of her past life, her grandmother had a large influence on how Clare reacted and treated different situations. Her grandmother had a very strong relationship with Clare making if easy for her to have a large influence. She was able to always see the good in people and tried to help Clare to do the same. She was generous to the most unfortunate people. Her grandmother loves Clare wholeheartedly and this is shown when she frequently refers to Clear as “Clare-bear” (pg.41). This endearing term pleases Clare and makes her feel like she belongs here. Her grandmother influenced Clare’s choice to help her in the soup kitchen and as readers, we can see that maybe Clare has been perceived wrongly. To her grandmother, she was just