Paradox in "Passing"

Dear Nella Larsen,
    I found Irene’s conflict between her loyalty to her race and loyalty to herself very fascinating. After suspecting Clare of having an affair with Irene’s husband Brian, Irene considers revealing Clare’s true race to her husband. Yet she hesitates to do so because she feels it would betray her race. She felt “not so much resentment as a dull despair because she could not change herself in this respect, could not separate individuals from race” (227). To me, this quotation highlights a paradox that still plays out in America. This story as a whole emphasizes the arbitrariness of racial categories, yet Irene’s struggle in this moment shows how central race is to one’s identity. I think Irene’s inner conflict shows how people will never be able to escape their racial identities despite the seemingly arbitrary nature of race.

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