Passing

Passing Literary Elements

Genre

Realistic social and psychological fiction

Setting and Context

Chicago and New York during the early decades of the 20th century

Narrator and Point of View

Third-person narration, dealing almost exclusively with the perspective and memories of Irene Redfield, a prosperous and educated woman of African-American descent.

Tone and Mood

Tense and retrospective. Irene spends large portions the novel reflecting on her relationship with Clare Kendry, a black woman who is deceptively "passing" as white. Throughout, Irene expresses discomfort with Clare's plot and with Clare's vexed relationship with the black community.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist: Irene Redfield; Antagonists: Clare Kendry (temporarily) and John Bellew (temporarily)

Major Conflict

The most dramatic conflict in the narrative centers on Clare's attempts to reenter African-American life, despite her marriage to a white bigot. Clare's efforts are linked to ongoing problems involving Irene's tense state of mind and Irene's unsettled marriage.

Climax

The climax occurs at the Freelands' party; John Bellew's arrival and Clare's fall from a window represent the points of highest drama in the text.

Foreshadowing

- Clare's loose, youthful ways and her liaison with a man at the Drayton foreshadow other romantic misadventures, such as her possible affair with Brian.

- Irene's musings about what would happen if Clare were to die foreshadow the end of the novel, which in fact revolves around Clare's death.

Understatement

N/A

Allusions

- The story of Noah, Ham, and Noah's other children (Bible)

- References to popular black entertainers (Josephine Baker, Ethel Waters)

Imagery

- Strong and consistent attention to weather and climate

- Precise description of physical features (eyes, skin, hair)

- Attention to distinct physical objects (Clare's letters, women's clothing)

Paradox

- Clare wants to return to exactly the community that she once shunned (African-American society).

- Clare is accepted by all members of Irene's household except for Clare's first contact, Irene herself.

Parallelism

N/A

Metonymy and Synecdoche

- Clare's case could be a representative instance of a broader trend of "passing," since (as Hugh and Irene admit) determining true ethnicity can be difficult.

Personification

N/A