After class, I thought about Irene’s character and her “role” in society. Irene is portrayed as an African American woman who can pass when needed. In her case, when she met with Clare and her husband, she was passing. I feel like she contradicts herself. She felt that Clare was being humiliated and insulted by her husband who is obviously racist, but in all actuality it is an insult to Irene as well. She also stated in the first section that we read that she didn’t understand how Clare could sit there and just laugh and not saying anything to her husband. I feel like Irene is putting herself in the same position by passing and that if she felt it was an insult she should have stuck up for the race. I can understand the fear she felt because he was white and racist, but I don’t feel she should put the blame on other people for doing exactly what she is doing.
I think Irene says it perfectly, “Its funny about “passing.” We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it. We shy away from it with an odd kind of revulsion, but we protect it.” (pg.82) She was stern about the idea of passing when Clare asked her the first time they met at the hotel, but she does use her color as a way to fit into society. She seems to have a sense of anger towards Clare for the way she lives her life, which I don’t feel should necessarily be the case because Irene does the same thing. Irene is proud of her race and fights for African Americans, but there are times where she acts inferior because she can pass as white, which is why I feel she should not look down on Clare for the way she is living. Clare is happy with her life and seems to feel like passing is the only way to be successful and have respect.
6 comments:
You bring up an interesting point that I haven't thought of. Irene does contradict herself. I think Irene should have stuck up for her race also. I think it would have been an interesting part of the novel, but maybe it will happen in part 3. I agree with your post and I think Irene needs to either decide to pass all the time or not pass at all and really be proud of who she is and her face, she does everything else for her race, why not stand up for her face all the time.
I think that Irene is definately a complex character. I think that quote truly did sum it up well. It's very contradicting. Youre right that Irene was just as bad as Clare in that meeting with Clare's husband. I didn't think about it that way but I think youre absolutely right.
I agree that Irene continually contradicts herself, especially by putting herself in situations that only make her upset. Irene shouldn’t judge Clare for the way she lives her life because Irene does the same thing. Although Irene passes only when it is necessary or convenient for her, while Clare hides her race because of her husband. It makes sense that Irene didn't stand up to Clare's husband because she is afraid of what will happen to Clare and her daughter. At the same time, I think she is too hard on Clare and doesn’t look at her situation from the other side.
I agree that irene should not blame other people for what she does herself. Irene definitly diapproves of the way that clare is passing and then thinks its ok for herself to pass her way is ok to do it. She is contridicting herself.She definitly should not look down on clare for passing. i think that irene is a little jealous of clare not because she has everything but that she has a more fullfilling life eventhough it is "fake". Thats why she doesnt want her to do it the way she does.
Yes i believe Irene is hypocrtical as well. She is jealous of Clare because Clare is so pretty. On the other hand Irene has the better husband... but than she is jealous of Clare once again because she thinks she can take her husband away from her. Irene is kind of a mess and if i was her i would have stayed away from Clare and not given in to her intriguing ways.
Irene passes some of the time as Claire does.. She just isnt as pretty and i guess not as into the white things to do as much as Clare is.
I dont know if I would go as far as saying that Irene should of stuck up for her race. The idea of passing is to blend into a race that is not oppressed and has more freedom. I dont feel it is right that the society of the time has a structure that makes it so people have to do this to survive, but sometimes it is the only choice. I dont feel that passing is forfeiting your race or culture, as long as you are still embrace it internally.
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