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Written in the late 1920's, this is truly a powerful piece of writing. Even after all these years, it remains an important work, delving into the uncomfortable critique of modern race relations. Nella Larsen holds a significant place in history as the first African-American woman to receive a Guggenheim fellowship. Although her body of work may not be extensive in terms of quantity, what she produced offered fascinating insights into the difficult lives that people of mixed race had to endure.
This short novel is an uneasy read, filled with quite painful moments. It examines the lives of two very different young, black women in Harlem. Irene Redfield is part of the elite. She is accomplished, reasonably wealthy, and sophisticated, yet lives in a cultural enclave. On the other hand, Clare Kendry is just as isolated, but worryingly from her own race. Like a few others, Kendry is 'passing' for caucasian. Her husband makes jokes about her skin tone, completely unaware that she is classified as non-white.
This is not only a story about the gap between private and public selves but also about racial identity. What I found particularly thought-provoking was the subtle exploration of beauty standards, both from within and on the outside. It seems that these standards are just as deeply ingrained now as they were nearly one hundred years ago. Even today, there is a constant stream of controversies involving black celebrities having their skin lightened for magazine covers and interviews. For example, does buying into black idols perpetuate the idea that women have to conform to a white woman's standards of beauty to gain the spotlight?
However, absolutism has no place in Larsen's novel. There is much sympathy for Clare, even though she is involved in events that harm and insult other black women. She has a desire to be part of a social group that is still far above the one she was born into. She still wants to associate with her real kind, and through letters, this leads her to rekindle a friendship with Irene (or Rene), who is entirely uncomfortable with the idea.
Obviously, America has made significant progress since this book was written, but it still has a long way to go (having a racist leader doesn't help). This could easily be happening in the world today. Certainly, we all face plenty of pressures at some point in our lives, but non-whites always seem to bear the brunt of it. To be honest, although Larsen raises a serious topic here, the story as a whole left me a bit underwhelmed. The narrative structure didn't give me the impression of being anything extraordinary. I was more interested in the circumstances of both women than in how Larsen told the story. It did, however, have a shocking finale that I didn't expect, but ultimately, it shouldn't have surprised me, as the events leading up to it were never on the happy side. It may be a major work on race, but it just lacks that extra something to be truly memorable. A solid 3/5.
This short novel is an uneasy read, filled with quite painful moments. It examines the lives of two very different young, black women in Harlem. Irene Redfield is part of the elite. She is accomplished, reasonably wealthy, and sophisticated, yet lives in a cultural enclave. On the other hand, Clare Kendry is just as isolated, but worryingly from her own race. Like a few others, Kendry is 'passing' for caucasian. Her husband makes jokes about her skin tone, completely unaware that she is classified as non-white.
This is not only a story about the gap between private and public selves but also about racial identity. What I found particularly thought-provoking was the subtle exploration of beauty standards, both from within and on the outside. It seems that these standards are just as deeply ingrained now as they were nearly one hundred years ago. Even today, there is a constant stream of controversies involving black celebrities having their skin lightened for magazine covers and interviews. For example, does buying into black idols perpetuate the idea that women have to conform to a white woman's standards of beauty to gain the spotlight?
However, absolutism has no place in Larsen's novel. There is much sympathy for Clare, even though she is involved in events that harm and insult other black women. She has a desire to be part of a social group that is still far above the one she was born into. She still wants to associate with her real kind, and through letters, this leads her to rekindle a friendship with Irene (or Rene), who is entirely uncomfortable with the idea.
Obviously, America has made significant progress since this book was written, but it still has a long way to go (having a racist leader doesn't help). This could easily be happening in the world today. Certainly, we all face plenty of pressures at some point in our lives, but non-whites always seem to bear the brunt of it. To be honest, although Larsen raises a serious topic here, the story as a whole left me a bit underwhelmed. The narrative structure didn't give me the impression of being anything extraordinary. I was more interested in the circumstances of both women than in how Larsen told the story. It did, however, have a shocking finale that I didn't expect, but ultimately, it shouldn't have surprised me, as the events leading up to it were never on the happy side. It may be a major work on race, but it just lacks that extra something to be truly memorable. A solid 3/5.
