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Melinda W
Ms. Olson
English 114B
25 March 2015
Race is an Illusion
Race. There is a lot that could be said about it. Some people argue whether it is real or
not. Even scientists studied and researched the question of if it is biologically real. While
reading Passing by Nella Larsen, it gives doubts to race being real or not. The novel introduces
the character, Clare. Clare is mixed but passes as white. This lead to the discussion of how race
can be real considering people were able and still are able to pass from one race to another.
Though race is not biologically real, in Passing, Clares desire to return to the black community
and regain her black identity illustrates the cultural significance of race; through Clare the novel
shows that race is culturally based.
Passing explores the psychological and social costs of racial passing on two women,
Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. Irene does not pass as white until occasions occur when it is
convenient. Clare passes entirely as white; she married a white man and achieved a domestic,
white life. Clares passing and subsequent decision to reenter parts of the black experience
through her friendship with Irene disrupts Irenes life and brings tragic consequences for both
women. Passing took place in the 1920s and opens with Irene having tea at the top of the
Drayton Hotel and meets Clare. At first, Irene is simply fascinated with the womans beauty and
is curious as to why the woman keeps staring at her. Her first thought is that the woman might
suspect that she is passing. Before long, the bold Clare makes her identity known. They have not
seen each other since childhood. Clare invites Irene over for tea; Irene is reluctant but decides to

go. Irene and Clare meet. Clare tells Irene of her plan to spend time with black people, to become
reacquainted with the black experience. Against her better judgment, Irene agrees to help Clare
in her plan. The novel next showcases a number of parties, racial uplift meetings, and dinners
that the two women attend in Harlem.
It is safe to assume that the novel Passing talks about the activity of passing. According
to the article Skin, race and space: the clash of bodily schemas in Frantz Fanons Black Skins,
White Masks and Nella Larsens Passing by Steve Pile, passing, as commonly understood,
involves people who are legally defined as black fraudulently adopting white identities and
inhabiting spaces marked out for white people. People have crossed a sort of color line and
created a new racial identity for themselves. In order for passing to be possible, one must make
certain assumptions: space has to be segregated and bounded, and these boundaries cannot be
secure; they have to be easily broken. According to Deauthenticating Community: The Passing
Intrusion of Clare Kendry in Nella Larsen's Passing by Josh Toth, Clare's passing state is a
response to, or effect of, society's compulsion to organize itself according to certain absolute and
fixed categories, or communities, of being. Clare had to pass because it was the only way to
keep her safe. Race can affect the way someone is treated.
Since Passing comprises the theme of race, it leads to the discussion of what race actually
is. Race has many definitions to it. It can be everything or nothing to someone. According to
Race, the Power of Illusion by Larry Adelman, race is defined as a social concept in which a
group of people shares similar yet distinct physical and emotional characteristics. Race does not
have not genetic basis. Not one characteristic, trait, or gene distinguishes all members of one race
from another. Human subspecies do not exist. Unlike animals, modern humans have not been
around long enough to isolate and evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface

differences, humans are the most similar of all species. Skin color is only skin deep. With this
being said, most traits are inherited independently of one another. The skin color genes have
nothing to do with hair texture, blood type, intelligence, musical talent, or athletic ability. What
is classified as race in this modern era is culturally based.
Race is defined from more of a cultural standpoint, so it leads to the discussion of how it
is more cultural. In Passing, Irene and Hugh have an interesting discussion about how to tell if
someone is passing or not. Irene mentioned how certain details can expose someones race. She
talks about a white woman trying to pass as black. Irene said it took her about five visits to know
the womans true race. She mentioned how she could not tell from her appearance or language,
but more of a gut instinct that this woman did not know anything about black culture. According
to Irene, its easy for a Negro to pass for white. But I dont think it would be so simple for a
white person to pass for coloured. (Larsen 78) Irene grew up in a black community and
learned the ways of black culture. This introduces the idea of race being more culturally real than
biologically.
Humans created such history on the Earth; however, race is actually a modern idea. The
idea of people being separated by a certain category is entirely new. According to Race, the
Power of Illusion by Larry Adelman, race and freedom were born together. When the United
States was founded, equality was a new idea; however, the economy was based largely on
slavery. The concept of race helped explain why some people could be denied the rights and
freedoms that others took for granted. Race used to justify social inequalities as natural. As the
idea of race evolved, it justified the extermination of Native Americans, exclusion of Asian
immigrants, and stealing Mexican lands. These racial practices were actually institutionalized
within government and society. My parents came from Syria when they were in their teenage

years. At that time, America was not as socially accepting of immigrants. My parents faced
racism on a daily basis. They were constantly called terrorists, and they were called ignorant for
not being able to speak English well. They were insulted based on a factor that is not even
biologically real.
Identity, passing, and space intertwine. Josh Toth states a good point is his article
"Deauthenticating Community: The Passing Intrusion Of Clare Kendry In Nella Larsen's
"Passing." He said, Obviously,then,tosayIamwhiteorIamamanistosaythatIhavean
essentiallinktobothacommunityofwhitesandacommunityofmales.Peopleconnect
differentaspectsofthemselvestocertaingroupsthatsocietyhascreated.Characterswhorefuse
toidentifythemselveswiththecommunitiestheirancestorsassignthemshowsdenialoftheir
originsandcommunalstability.Theychallengethepossibilityofcommunalwholeness.Clare
passesbecausethesecategoriesareimpracticalandillusory;theyallowadenialtopossibilityof
fixedidentities.Racecannolongerbeconsideredrealifpassingcanbeeasilyperformed.
Although Passings time setting was in the 1920s the ideas back then are still common.
People passed so no one could identify their race. The same activity occurs today. Even though
race is not scientifically real, most people still take it into consideration when socializing with
certain people. According to Race, the Power of Illusion by Larry Adelman, race is not
biological, but racism is still real. Race is still an extremely powerful idea that gives people
access to different opportunities and resources. Our government and society have given and
created advantages to being white. This affects everyone, whether someone is aware of it or not.
However, colorblindness will not end racism. Pretending race does not exist is not the same as
creating equality. Race is more than stereotypes and individual prejudice. To combat racism, this
society has to identify social policies that advantage some groups and accept that everyone

should have the same opportunity as everyone else. I look white; I am very pale, so I do not look
Arabic. My parents see this as a good thing; they tell me pretend to be white, so I will not get the
same insults and threats they received when they were my age. In a way they support passing
like how some people did in Passing. They do not tell me to pretend to be white because they are
ashamed of our culture; they are more worried of what could happen to me if I broadcast my
racial background. We are in the year 2015, and my parents are still worried about their children
receiving insults about our race and culture.
Race is enormously talked about it. There are so many discussions and arguments that
could take place about it. It can be seen as an important trait of an individual or merely another
characteristic. It can be seen as a reason to treat them a certain way, or it can give no reason for
why someone is treated a certain way. Race, also, is argued over if it is biologically real or more
of a societal idea. Passing shows race in more of a cultural light considering how Clare is able to
pass as white. Clare wanting to return to her black community shows the cultural significance of
race. Although race is not biologically real, it caused much controversy in the past and is still
causing controversy today. Society has come a long way from the days of slavery, but in 2015,
discrimination and inequality still occur in our generation in modern ways. Although race is not
biologically real, its existence is undeniable.

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Works Cited
Adelman, Larry. "Race, the Power of Illusion." PBS. PBS, Apr.-May 2003. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
Larsen, Nella. Passing. New York: Penguin, 1997. Print.
Pile, Steve. "Skin, Race And Space: The Clash Of Bodily Schemas In Frantz FanonS Black
Skins, White Masks And Nella LarsenS Passing." Cultural Geographies 18.1 (2011):
25-41. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Toth, Josh. "Deauthenticating Community: The Passing Intrusion Of Clare Kendry In Nella
Larsen's "Passing.." Melus 33.1 (2008): 55-73. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Mar.
2015.
Header Picture:
Different Ethnicities. Digital image. The Question of Race. Nagasawafamily,
n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.