English 347

Comparative Paper #1
Sierra Wegener
February 6, 2017
Identity forms as a Fluid Concept
Identity is not a fixed structure but has developed as a liquid form. This is demonstrated

throughout Nella Larsens Passing using Claire and Irene as prime examples showing identity

changes based on the social situations. Toni Morisons Racititaf conjointly exposes this theory

through Twila and Roberta again establishing that identity isnt just influenced by race or class

but by the individuals and the social circumstances surrounding them. Creating an identity and

maintaining that view of ones self can be a complex and tricky concept. This exemplifies the

points that identity is a fluid notion. Diving into this identity with the characters that Larsen and

Morison have crated allows the audience to recognize each individual has their own sense of

identity and how much society has affected it.

Throughout Passing, it is obvious to the audience that Larsen created Irene and Clare

similar but at the same time opposites to each other. Many possibilities have been thrown out

there, questioning why this has been done a certain way. In addition and support to my theory,

Clare and Irene establish the idea that identity changes through many encounters these two

characters have. Irene, our narrator, changes throughout the story. She shows us that race and

class are not the only way of identifying oneself. Clare has become someone who cares for

everyone but her. She is a mother, wife, and friend above all. This makes the audience believe

that she is less than human before we are given more information.

Irene, who was struggling with a flood or feelings, resentment, answer, and

contempt, was however, still able to answer as cooly as if she had not that sense of not
belonging to and of despising the company in which she found herself drinking ice tea

from tall amber class on that hot August afternoon. (Larsen, 26.) This quotation shows

us that Irene is more than just a supportive being to everyone else. She has these deep

emotions. These emotions are something that are very familiar to a read who has been

through life. This is part of our identity of feeling like we want to belong but have never

really been treated that way.

Going forward, Irene learns more about herself and that is how identity changes

and is fluid structure. Eventually Irene learns that she has a voice and it would eventually

be verbalized. This is demonstrated when Clares husband, John Bellew, meets Irene.

And mingled with her disbelief and resentment was another feeling, a question. Why

hadnt she spoken that day? Why in the face of Bellews ignorant hate and aversion, had

she concealed her own origin? (Larsen, 38.) This statement allows the audience to see

deeper into Irenes mind. Irene doesnt exactly like hiding her race. This gives us the

assumptions that it is this way because she struggles with who she is. Irene had to come

to terms with who she is and whether her race has pull on the decision of her identity.

Throughout Passing, the audience is shown this journey that Irene struggles

through. Even though she struggles with her identity, she eventually finds where she

wishes to be. Irene struggles with her racial identity.

Sitting alone in the quiet living-room in the pleasant fire-light, Irene Redfield

wished, for the first time in her life, that she had not been born a Negro. For the

first time she suffered and rebelled because she was unable to disregard the

burden of race. It was, she cried silently, enough to suffer as a women, an

 individual, on ones own account, without having to suffer for the race as well.

(Larsen, 78.)

Irene struggles with her racial identity but this demonstrates to the audience that

since her views on her race and her identity change based on her feelings towards herself.

Just like any identity struggle, Irene has a difficult time figuring out who she is but in the

end she finds her identity for now. She belonged in this land of rising towers. She was

an American. She grew from this soil, and she would not be uprooted. Not even because

of Clare Kendry, or a hundred of Clare Kendrys. (Larsen, 87.) Irene turned from

someone who admired Clare to someone who refused to give in to her. In this statement,

Irene has established who she is and who she is not okay. It continues to show us that

identity changes overtime and its not a fixed structure. Clare, is almost the opposite of

Irene in the sense of trying to discover ones identity.

Fitting in, is what passing is really like. Larsen states, Its funny about passing.

We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we

rather admire it. (Larsen, 42.) After pretending something for so long, it morphs into part

of an identity and that is what happens to Clare. Everything we receive about Clare was

through Irenes perception so it was biased. Clares ability to pass was never a question

though; it came off so smooth and natural.

It seemed to Irene that Clare had snapped her teeth down on the word and then

flung it from her. And for another flying second she had the suspicion of Clares

ability for a quality of feeling that was to her strange, and even repugnant.

(Larsen, 51.)
 Clare continuously demonstrated the ability of almost having no emotion, or at

least not sharing it. The fact that Clare came from the same class and race as Irene shows

us that identity doesnt just stay fixed based on your background. It is also shown that it

doesnt matter that they are both passing because they have very differing attitudes

towards all aspects of life. Clare has always had a masked personality, not revealing her

real individuality to anyone who knew her.

Clares ivory face was what it always was, beautiful and caressing. Or maybe

today a little masked. Unrevealing. Unaltered and undisturbed by any emotion within or

without. (Larsen, pg 73.) Clare shows us that individuality and identity can be hidden

behind everything, behind a mask. She is constantly hiding a mask but by her breaking

that mask and exposing herself, it shows us that one can never truly hid their identity

from everyone, including themselves.

Throughout the novel, there are several references to identity and the individuals

both, Clare and Irene, learn several things about themselves internally. Their identities

show us that identity can change and that no two people are identical. These two

characters had so much in common but so far apart.

Connecting this to Toni Morrisons Racitatif, allows the audience to compare and

analyze how identity can be explored and mixed between the lines when whites and

blacks would interact. The main characters, Twila and Roberta, become close friends

while they spent their time in an interracial orphanage. It becomes apparent to the

audience that one of them is white and the other one is black. So for the moment it

didnt matter that we looked like salt and pepper standing there and thats what the other

kids called us sometimes. (Morrison, 2254.) Morrison doesnt ever tell us which girl is
which race but this demonstrates that race doesnt play as large of a deciding factor in a

persons identity as it may seem. Morrison allows the audience to guess or assume which

is which race. When the mothers come to visit, the audience is given more of a glimpse of

how their identities can be blended.

Twilas mother appears to be an embarrassment to her. To the audience, it may

seem like Twila may be the black race, because of the preconceived perceptions of white

compared to blacks.

I saw Mary right away. She had on those green slacks I hated and hated even

more now because didnt she know we were going chapel? And the fur jacket

with the pocket linings so ripped she had to pull to get her hands out of them. But

her face was pretty- like always, she smiled and waved like she was the little girl-

not me. (Morrison, 2256.)

But its not just Twilas mother that gives us this preconceived idea of which side

of race the daughters fall on. Robertas mother has exemplifies what we would consider

the stereotypical white women. Robertas mom looked down at me and then looked

down at Mary. She didnt say anything, just grabbed Roberta with her Bible-free hand

and stepped out of line, walking quickly to the rear of it. (Morrison, 2256.) Robertas

mother with her Bible, makes the reader assume that she may be the upstanding Christian

white women. One more example from Racitatif, demonstrates Morrison using our

assumptions against us, by not being clear with what race each character is.

We were supposed to have lunch in the teachers lounge, but Mary didnt bring

anything, so we picked fur and cellophane off the mashed jelly beans and ate
 them. I could have killed her. I sneaked a look at Roberta. Her mother had brought

chicken legs and ham sandwiches and oranges and a whole box of chocolate-

covered grahams. (Morrison, 2257.)

Through these examples, it wants us to believe that maybe Twila and her mother

are black because of how she dresses, her profession as a dancer, and how she has the

lack of providing for her daughter. But, we have learned that neither race or class chooses

how someone identifies themselves. Identity has become a separate idea from other

physical parts.

Morrison connects these ideas that identity comes from within, not from what you

look like to Laresens ideas that identity is something more and that it is ever changing.

The characters in Passing remain detached and isolated from their race and gender, even

though they try desperately to sustain identities appointed to them by society. Clare, by

overtly passing from black to white across the color line, attempts to remain white when

in her husbands company, and Irene, by covertly passing from heterosexuality to

homosexuality, attempts to remain straight when in superior Clares company. Both,

eventually, fail; Clare falls to her death, and Irene destroys the one person she desires

most. Thus, Larsen shows that passing, while useful to some in order to gain momentary

coherence, ultimately restricts a persons individuality. Larsen demonstrates that you

cant truly hide your identity from yourself and anyone around you. It compromises who

the person is an individual. These two pieces demonstrate that identity is not a fixed

concept but it changes throughout life.