Loss Of Identity In Nella Larsen's Passing

In the novel Passing Nella Larsen states, “Pain, fear, and grief were things that left their mark on people. Even love, that exquisite torturing emotion, left its subtle traces on the countenance”. Nella Larsen's novel "Passing" is about falsely claiming to be someone you're not. It is all about creating the appearance that everything is in order while everything is falling apart. In this novel, passing refers to a person's ability to be classified as one thing, usually a clique, while belonging to another. Passing is typically used to obtain acceptance from groups other than one's own. Larsen believes that hiding behind a façade of lies is dangerous, and she demonstrates how living an inauthentic life can lead to unhappiness and even death.

As Clare states, “It’s such a frightfully easy thing to do. If one’s the type, all that’s needed is a little nerve.” (Larsen 48). Her attempt at passing leads to tragedy when she is ultimately discovered and ostracized by both the white and black communities. Taking Clare's situation into account, we can see that living inauthentically is dangerous because it puts one at risk of losing one's identity. Living an inauthentic life can be dangerous, and while it can be done to gain benefits, as African American women passing as white to gain benefits, it often has dire consequences. Nella Larsen's exploration of passing in Passing shows that living an inauthentic life can come with great risks, and can lead to a human tragedy. The consequences of living an inauthentic life are not only felt by Irene and Clare, but by those around them as well. As Irene and Clare are passing as white, they are causing confusion and chaos in the lives of their families and friends. Irene’s husband, Brian, is unaware of her racial identity and is perplexed by her behavior. Clare’s husband, Jack, is also in the dark about her racial identity, and his racism is further perpetuated by her passing.Through their struggles with identity and passing, Larsen shows that inauthenticity can lead to a life of isolation, insecurity, and

This is particularly true in the 21st century, as the country continues to grapple with institutionalized racism and its lasting effects. In her article, “The Day I Passed for White,” Kelly McWilliams speaks to the personal, emotional experience of being a light-skinned Black woman and unintentionally passing for white. She writes, “people who looked like me passed in order to survive in a racist land” (McWilliams). But they paid a high price for that devil's bargain. They lost touch with their Black communities and abandoned the strong legacy which has helped us survive as a people. McWilliams speaks to the grief, shame, and trauma of passing as a form of survival, but she also calls on readers to recognize the reality of institutionalized racism and to understand the dangers that Black people continue to face. McWilliams argues that her experience of passing is a reflection of a larger, systemic problem. She writes, “Passing might be a sin, but when the terror is so old and so strong, isn’t it an understandable one?” (McWilliams). This quote implies that there is a reasonable time to pass as white, she recounts the one time she did intentionally pass for white, and the grief and shame it stirred up. McWilliams asserts that passing can be an understandable sin in a world that still poses a variety of dangers to Black people. She