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Lecture Notes: Week 4, Lecture 2 - "Passing" by Nella Larsen
Jun 23, 2024
Lecture Notes: Week 4, Lecture 2 - "Passing" by Nella Larsen
Introduction
Course:
Humanities 202
Lecture Focus:
The novella "Passing" by Nella Larsen, published in the late 1920s
Context:
Halfway through the summer session
Discussion Reference:
Opening excerpt from Countee Cullen's poem "Heritage"
Themes and Connections
Connection to "Heritage"
Discussion Point:
Internal divisions within African-American identity
Comparison:
Contrasts between Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes regarding racial identity and connections
Divided Identity in "Passing"
Main Characters:
Irene and Claire
Core Struggle:
Both characters wrestle with their racial identity and what it means to be African-American versus white
Key Scene: Page 190
Conversation:
Ted asks his father Brian why lynching occurs; Irene tries to distance herself from racial problems
Significance:
Highlights Irene's desire for normalcy by avoiding racial discussions, reflecting internal conflict
Irene's Ambivalence towards Claire
Mixed Feelings:
Irene feels both attraction and repulsion towards Claire due to Claire's ability to "pass" as white
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