Book Reports /
(trouble finding evidence) - Passing by Nella Larsen [8]
OK so I wrote my essay tell me what you think.
Thnx so much for your help - my final draft. Due tomorrow, wednesday
For many years in American history racism has been a problem. During the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s black literature in America flourished and was at its peak. Nella Larsen was one of the African American women who wrote during this time period. In the compelling novel, Passing by Nella Larsen, Irene Redfield a black women passing for white, Is responsible for the death of Clare Kendry another black women passing for white. This is because Clare Kendry's continuous presence causes Irene Redfield to have homicidal thoughts and eventually act on them.
Since the beginning of the book, Irene Redfield was not happy about re acquainting with Clare Kendry. We see this very early in the book when Irene Redfield receives a letter from Clare Kendry stating that she was going to go and visit her. Irene does not reply to this letter and later on in the book Clare points this out to her. As Clare and Irene spend more time together, Irene starts to have build up a lot of hate and anger towards Clare. Just the thought of Clare seemed to make her angry let alone actually being around her. "She was thankful for the continued absence of Clare"( Larsen, 77). Clare was not there so she felt peaceful. It can be inferred that Clare was burden in her life. Irene strongly hated Clare hated and sure enough would stop at nothing to get rid of her.
In the book, Clare passed as white for her life. Her husband Jack Bellew was a very big racist, and not even he knew that Clare was half black. Irene knows that if Jack were to find out that Clare was half black after being married for over a ten years that Jack would kill her. Clared states, "John Bellew would discover, not that his wife had a touch of tar-brush-...Only that. It would be enough to rid her forever of Clare Kendry," (Larsen 78) Irene has a great desperation to get rid of Clare that she even thinks about telling her husband that she is black.
As Irene's Characters unravels its self and show its true colors we start to see her have some homicidal thoughts about Clare. "If Clare should die! Then-- Oh, it was vile! to think, yes, to wish that!...But the thought stayed with her. She could not get rid of it." (Larsen pg. 81). It is obvious that she no longer wants Clare gone, she wants Clare dead. Irene has these strong feelings of hatred towards Clare and it is going to cause her to have a break down and that is what will eventually evolve in to the death of Clare Kendry. Irene could not get rid of the thought of Clare dying. " Only that. It would be enough to rid her forever of Clare Kendry," (Larsen 78). it is almost as if she was in love with the idea of being rid of her forever.
Irene may have also pre meditated the death of Clare , Irene opens the window that Clare falls out of. "Irene laughed a little, then said: It seems dreadfully warm in here. Mind if I open this windows" (Larsen pg. 89). Before she asked if she could open the windows Irene was very quiet and sober as stated by Felise. She may have been already think about how she was going kill Clare that night.
When Jack Bellow came in to the apartment he was furious. With that note Clare smiled at Irene that made here very angry, ferocious actually. "it was that smile that maddened Irene. She ran across the room, her terror tinged with ferocity, and laid a hand on Clare's bare arm" (90-91). Clare ferociously place her hand on Clare's bare arm, That is enough to through her off balance from the thin shoes she was wearing. Brian says, "yes isn't it? but keep to the walk with those foolish thin shoes." (Larsen pg. 88). The thin shoes and the ferocious touch on her arm was a enough to throw Clare off her balance and out the window.
What transpired after Irene placed her arm ferociously on Clare's bare arm, Irene never let herself to remember clearly . "What happened next, Irene Redfield never afterwards allowed herself to remember" (Larsen. pg. 91) If she would not allow herself to remember the moment it was because what she did was too horrific and wanted to erase it from her mind . Also Irene felt no remorse for what she had done. " Irene wasn't sorry. she was amazed, incredulous almost" (Larsen p. 91). But the most important of all Irene states that she killed Clare Kendry implicitly "It was an accident, terrible accident," (Larsen p. 91). This is irrefutable evidence that Irene Redfield killed Clare Kendry. Accident or not Irene is responsible for the terrible ending of Clare's life.
Irene Redfield killed Clare Kendry because she was always there and pestering her. Race is powerful thing in this book, whereas all the events that occurred happened because people were passing for another race.. Passing, a subject that comes up many times in the book, for another race is a disgrace to your own race. This is because it is impossible to proud of your own race and still try to be like another. This is why Clare and Irene are both guilty of disgracing their race. Even these two figures pass for different reasons, in the end it is still hiding your other half. This book is very ambiguous and everything in the book including this argument can be argued two ways. The message that book is portraying because of this is that life is ambiguous and that things can be seen from different perspectives.
