In the following, I would like to give a brief abstract of my thesis. Chiefly, I want to explore three major novels of the Harlem Renaissance - Nella Larsen’s Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929) as well as Jessie Fauset’s Plum Bun (1929). As all of them deal with racial passing, this issue will be the topic of the first part in order to provide an insight into the matter. The main focus will be on black-to-white passing, which is primarily a cultural phenomenon of the United States. After a definition of the term with the help of several basic typologies, I would like to proceed to concomitants like secrecy, the question of guilt and the white people’s view on passing. Subsequently, the passer ought to be the focus of closer examination, followed by an exploration of laws and folk beliefs evolving around the mulatto as the typical passing figure. After this theoretical embedding, I will take a closer look at passing in literature including an analysis of the emergence of the phenomenon as a literary genre. Additionally, the passing figure in literature, the “tragic mulatto”, is to be investigated. Concluding, a chapter on other forms of passing shall be added for the sake of completeness.
In the second part, these theoretical cognitions are supposed to be employed to find an approach to the novels that are going to be examined with regard to the matters that evolve around passing, i.e. the secrecy involved, the return home and the tragic death of the heroine. Juda Bennett’s list of similarities among passing novels is supposed to provide a framework here. Afterwards, other forms of passing depicted in the novels will come to the fore including an examination of racism in connection with sexism.
Table of Contents
Foreword / Abstract
1. The Phenomenon of ‘Racial Passing’
1.1 The Passer
1.2 Laws and Beliefs
2. Passing in Literature
2.1 The ‘Tragic Mulatto’
2.2 The Octoroon
3. Other Forms of Passing
4. The Novels
4.1 Racial Passing in the Novels
4.1.1 Chiaroscuro
4.1.2 Polemics
4.1.3 The Return Home
4.1.4 Secrecy
4.1.5 The Death of the Heroine
4.2 Passing for What?
4.2.1 Helga’s Passing for an Identity
4.2.2 Sexual Passing
4.2.3 Are PB, Q and P Conventional Passing Stories?
Afterword
Bibliography
Research Goals and Themes
This thesis explores the phenomenon of racial passing within three major novels of the Harlem Renaissance: Nella Larsen’s Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929), and Jessie Fauset’s Plum Bun (1929). The primary research aim is to analyze how these authors utilize the passing narrative to address complex themes of identity, social stratification, and the emotional costs of self-denial in the American context.
- The theoretical definition and typology of racial passing.
- The literary evolution and conventions of the "tragic mulatto" and "octoroon" figures.
- The intersection of racial passing with class, gender, and sexual identity.
- A comparative analysis of narrative techniques like chiaroscuro and polemics in the novels.
- The role of the "return home" and the thematic significance of the heroine's fate.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. The Passer
Naturally, a black person who wanted to pass for white needed to have a complexion light enough to appear as dark European, e.g. as an Italian, a Spanish, or a Gypsy. Occasionally, the potential passer was even pale and blonde so that the laws that deemed him/her black seem more ludicrous than ever as they insisted on declaring someone ‘black’ who is so very obvious ‘white’. This is, for example, the case with Passing’s Clare Kendry who has “ivory skin” and “pale gold hair” (Larsen, p.19).
The right hair texture was the second prerequisite that a passer needed as straight or wavy hair as opposed to frizzy hair would not raise suspicion. Thirdly, thin lips and a high-bridged nose were crucial to the successful undertaking of passing as Negroid features like a flat nose or thick lips gave away the heritage no matter how light-complexioned one was (van Thompson, p.3). In addition to looks, language and manners also played an important role as the use of Standard English positioned one closer to whiteness whereas slang and black dialect suggested the belonging to the minority as did misconduct.
The imitation of whites in speech, behavior, and garment was necessary for fruitful passing. Van Thompson speaks of ‘mimicry’ in this context, which he traces back to the binary of “field nigger” and “house nigger” in the times of slavery (p.15). The latter was usually a mulatto as they were regarded as superior to the full-blooded Negro and hence preferably seen inside the house, and since they oftentimes initialized this stereotype, they began to take pride in their heritage and imitated the manners of the white master. Apart from their appearance that supported passing, such a position also allowed them to obtain appropriate manners and other skills that helped them pass later, which I think is an interesting point because obviously, the proper phenotype did not guarantee successful passing and adequate language and behavior was certainly an asset.
Summary of Chapters
1. The Phenomenon of ‘Racial Passing’: Defines the concept of passing beyond racial boundaries and examines historical and sociological estimations of people who crossed the color line.
2. Passing in Literature: Analyzes the emergence of the passing genre, the "tragic mulatto" stereotype, and the literary functions of the "octoroon" figure in abolitionist and post-Civil War fiction.
3. Other Forms of Passing: Explores non-racial forms of passing, including reverse passing (white-to-black) by musicians and experimentalists, as well as gender and sexual passing.
4. The Novels: Serves as the main analytical section, comparing Nella Larsen’s and Jessie Fauset’s novels through frameworks like chiaroscuro, polemics, the return home, secrecy, and the death of the heroine.
Keywords
Racial Passing, Harlem Renaissance, Tragic Mulatto, Identity, Nella Larsen, Jessie Fauset, Quicksand, Passing, Plum Bun, Miscegenation, One-drop-rule, Race-reading, Homosexuality, Double consciousness, Gender passing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this thesis?
The thesis examines the phenomenon of racial passing in early 20th-century African American literature, specifically focusing on how three key novels of the Harlem Renaissance navigate the social and psychological implications of crossing the color line.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the construction of racial identity, the literary trope of the tragic mulatto, the intersection of race with class and sexuality, and the tension between individual agency and systemic societal constraints.
What is the core research question?
The work investigates how characters in these novels negotiate their identities while passing, and how authors like Larsen and Fauset challenge or reinforce the conventional literary portrayals of mixed-race individuals.
Which methodology is employed for this research?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, utilizing established critical frameworks such as Juda Bennett’s "Passing Figure" model to interpret narrative elements like chiaroscuro and character arcs across the selected texts.
What is covered in the analysis of the novels?
The analysis deconstructs specific plot devices, such as the "return home," the necessity of secrecy, the impact of "race-reading" on character interactions, and the symbolic significance of the heroine's tragic death or return to the black community.
What key concepts define the terminology used in this study?
The work emphasizes the distinction between voluntary and involuntary passing, the historical context of the "one-drop rule," and the evolving literary representation of the "tragic mulatto" from a figure of sympathy to one of psychological complexity.
How does the author characterize Helga Crane’s journey in Quicksand?
The author identifies Helga’s movement not as traditional racial passing, but as a "labyrinthine search for home," where she attempts to shed various masks and personas to find an essential self, ultimately failing due to societal and internal pressures.
In what way does the thesis address the homosexual subtext in Larsen’s Passing?
The study argues that Larsen uses racial passing as a narrative "mask" to discuss "dangerous" subjects like female sexuality and homoerotic desire, particularly through the relationship between Irene and Clare.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "solution" to passing?
The author concludes that neither Larsen nor Fauset offer an easy remedy; rather, they present the tragic or complex fates of their protagonists as evidence that the binary racial system of the time allowed for no truly satisfied identity for the mixed-race individual.
- Quote paper
- Sandra Radtke (Author), 2006, Racial Passing: A Comparative Reading of Jessie Fauset’s "Plum Bun" and Nella Larsen’s "Passing" and "Quicksand", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75941
