In this paper, I will examine the theme of racial passing in African American narratives more closely by defining the term ‘passing’ more explicitly, and by giving a brief overview of the historical circumstances that led light-skinned African Americans to pass as white. Subsequently, I will focus on how racial passing is represented in literature written by African American authors. Therefore, I chose two novels that are commonly considered to be quintessential texts dealing with the phenomenon of racial passing, namely James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man and Nella Larsen’s Passing. I will argue that the process of racial passing is an ongoing one, proceeding in three stages ...
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Historical Background
3 A Comparison of Passing in J.W. Johnson’s The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man and Nella Larsen’s Passing
3.1 Passing in James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man
3.2. Passing in Nella Larsen’s Passing
4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the theme of racial passing in African American literature, focusing on the internal and external struggles associated with identity formation and the social costs of crossing the color line. The author argues that passing is an ongoing, three-stage process that, while initially serving as a survival strategy to overcome social and economic obstacles, ultimately results in a persistent internal struggle for identity and alienation from one's own heritage.
- Historical overview of the "color line" and the Jim Crow era.
- Comparative analysis of James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man and Nella Larsen's Passing.
- The role of "one-drop rule" and physical appearance in the ability to pass.
- Psychological impact of living a "double life" and the resulting loss of individual identity.
- Symbolism of music and relocation as means of navigating dual identities.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Passing in James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man
James Weldon Johnson’s fictional autobiography The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man, first published anonymously in 1912, is about a nameless protagonist who reflects upon his struggle for identity as a mixed-race man, and the circumstances which led him to his decision to pass as white. Although the narrator, at the beginning of the first chapter, does not name the “great secret of [his] life” (5) by its name, the adjective ‘ex-colored’ in the novel’s title alludes to a ‘colored’ man giving up his life as ‘colored’ by becoming ‘ex-colored’ and, thus, escaping from categorization. However, Bennet mentions that the term “‘ex-colo[]red’ is simply another form of ‘colored’” (1996: 16) and during this period of racial categorization based on binaries, simply implied ‘white’, which is a color again. The fact that the term ‘white’ is not used, though, could mirror that the protagonist still has not completely arrived in the white society since he is still experiencing a common feeling of passers, which is nostalgia. The protagonist points out that “it is a curious study to [him] to analyze the motives which prompt [him] to do it” (5) and that he is aware of the fact that he is “playing with fire” (ibd.) but hopes to “find a sort of savage” (ibd.) in writing, and seeks relief from his “vague feeling of unsatisfaction, of regret, of almost remorse” (ibd.) by turning the events, that for him were highly tragic, “into a practical joke on society” (ibd.). The passage already indicates that the narrative is focused on the motives leading to the decision to pass as white, and thus “represents a perfect formal answer to the theme of passing” (Sollors 1997: 264) but it also shows that the protagonist does not seem happy at all about his decision when looking back at his life.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the phenomenon of racial passing and outlines the research objective, which focuses on the three-stage process of passing as depicted in two quintessential African American novels.
2 Historical Background: This section details the historical context of the antebellum period and the Jim Crow era, highlighting how the "one-drop rule" and widespread segregation necessitated passing as a survival strategy.
3 A Comparison of Passing in J.W. Johnson’s The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man and Nella Larsen’s Passing: This chapter conducts a detailed comparative study of the two novels, examining how their protagonists grapple with identity, social mobility, and the internal consequences of renouncing their black heritage.
3.1 Passing in James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man: This subsection analyzes the nameless protagonist's journey, his struggle with double-consciousness, and his eventual decision to permanently pass as white after witnessing a traumatic lynching.
3.2. Passing in Nella Larsen’s Passing: This subsection focuses on the complex relationship between Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield, analyzing how their different choices regarding their racial identities shape their lives and lead to a tragic outcome.
4 Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the analysis, concluding that passing is a complex and often painful compromise that inevitably results in the loss of individual identity and a lifelong internal conflict between dual heritages.
Keywords
Racial Passing, African American Literature, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, Nella Larsen, Color Line, Identity Struggle, Double-Consciousness, Jim Crow, One-Drop Rule, Social Mobility, Assimilation, Racial Ambivalence, Narrative Strategy, Great Migration, Cultural Alienation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The work explores the phenomenon of "racial passing" in African American literature, analyzing the motivations, risks, and long-term psychological impacts on individuals who choose to live as white while being of African descent.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The main themes include racial identity, the historical significance of the "color line," the social and economic pressures of the Jim Crow era, and the personal struggle of reconciling dual heritages.
What is the central research question?
The paper investigates how racial passing serves as a strategy to overcome social and economic obstacles in the short term, while simultaneously evaluating why this choice leads to a permanent, internal struggle for identity in the long run.
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a literary-analytical approach, conducting a comparative study of two key novels, James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man and Nella Larsen's Passing, supported by historical and critical secondary literature.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body provides a historical contextualization of passing, followed by an in-depth thematic analysis of the two selected novels, focusing on the character arcs, the role of naming, and the psychological impact of the protagonists' decisions.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Racial Passing, African American Literature, Identity Struggle, Double-Consciousness, Social Mobility, and Cultural Alienation.
How does the protagonist in J.W. Johnson's novel represent the transition to passing?
He represents a transition from a position of artistic freedom to one of "white mask" adoption, triggered primarily by a traumatic encounter with racial violence (a lynching), which compels him to suppress his black roots for survival.
How does Nella Larsen's Passing differ in its focus on the passing experience?
Unlike Johnson’s work, which emphasizes the external circumstances leading to the decision to pass, Larsen’s Passing concentrates more on the interpersonal dynamics and the psychological toll the double life takes on the passing individual and their social environment.
What role do the concepts of "social death" and "ambivalence" play in these stories?
Both concepts highlight the tragic nature of passing; "social death" refers to the loss of one's original community and cultural identity, while "ambivalence" characterizes the constant, unresolved tension between the individual's desire for safety and their repressed longing for their heritage.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding the finality of passing?
The author concludes that passing is never truly a final, successful escape, as the internal struggle between the two "souls" or heritages persists throughout the passer's life, preventing them from ever feeling whole or truly accepted by themselves.
- Quote paper
- Julia C. Hartenbach (Author), 2016, The Theme of Racial Passing in African American Literature. A Strategy to Overcome Obstacles and Gain Social Acceptance?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/442958
