The new historicism of Nella Larsen's 'passage' narratives can be used to provide insights into and explain a period in which American society was segregated along racial lines. Growing up in the white suburb of Chicago, Larsen was fascinated by the mixed racial dynamics that became the main theme of this novel. Her novel Passing focuses on the two main light-skinned female characters, one of them, a woman named Clare who is presumably married to a white man but maintains her African-American cultural ties while the other woman, Irene, who she lives in Harlem and is married to an African-American man. The events in the novel took place in New York society in the 1920s, demonstrating the challenges that gender was building during that time as women were powerless against men and race. In Passing Nella Larsen uses themes, symbolism, allegory and similes to illustrate the difficulties that Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry were facing due to "passing". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Since Larsen was the only notable black individual in his household, the author uses the theme of race and ethnicity to describe the emerging delineations of concepts such as gender, race as well as the inextricable connection between being black or white. Clare is described as motivated to rejoin the African American community which is separated from the white community. She suffers from racial disorientation as an African American woman passing herself off as white and secondarily as a participant in the white community trying to connect with her roots. Furthermore, the writer reveals the impossibility of self-invention that was common in American society, where ambiguity and nuance were seen as a significant threat to the social order. Thus, Larsen's Passing demonstrates an indictment of consumer culture and its consequences on personal integrity. Irene and Clare's lives reveal their desire for transformation and how far these characters are willing to go to get what they want. Nella Larsen's Passing was influenced by the theme of privilege and prosperity, as well as the forms of social segregation that those women encountered in the 1920s. . During this period, American minorities were often subjected to racial discrimination and segregation. Clare's "death" helps her escape a sad family and enter the world of comfort and privilege she used to admire from afar. The writer reflects on a social decision in all respects that of Clare, an African American, who stopped considering herself a black person and "passed" as white. Equally important, Larsen's literature paints a true picture of the world he lived in and the cultural transformations that occurred in American society immediately after World War I. Irene and other main characters focus on the theme of marriage to indicate the different roles of men. and women play in their homes. The novel pays considerable attention to the different marital dynamics that occur within the Bellew and Redfield families. All the main characters and even minor ones such as Irene, Chiara, Ugo, Gertrude and Felise's marriage seem to provide a source of collaboration and security. However, there are tensions and conflicts between Irene and Clare regarding the looming affairs Brain has with Clare. This consequently leads to the topic of deception. This theme expresses some of the challenges women face while raising their children and when men are the breadwinners. Through symbolism, the writer uses Chiara ascharacter to portray the racial disorientation she experienced as a child. This indicates that Larsen could never be white like her sister and mother nor could she be black like Irene or other African American characters. Larsen's ideas about racial segregation existing in 1920s American society find foundation in Passing Through Historicism approaches and then uses "passing" as symbolism to show people who are unrecognizable or who were perceived as rootless like Larsen. “Passing,” or having African American individuals pose as white, became a choice for some African Americans. The writer describes “passing” as an opportunity for people of color to escape the injustices and oppression that life in the 1920s could present. Furthermore, “passing” as white not only protected African Americans from racial segregation, but also afforded them opportunities to which normal white society was entitled. This indicates that during slavery this could also mean freedom for some African Americans. For example, even after the abolition of slavery, racial segregation was evident in the Southern states in public places such as train stations. Because Larsen's Nuclear family was all white, they lived primarily in white neighborhoods where his family faced racial discrimination because of him. At the beginning of the story, the writer uses allegory when Clare uses the biblical story of Noah's son Ham to remind her of the suffering she endured at the hands of her relatives. Clare states that people were not sure if the good Lord intended that Ham's sons and daughters should sweat because of Ham's behavior towards his father, Noah. She remembers her aunts telling her the story that Noah later cursed Ham and his sons forever (Larsen 17). Since Larsen grew up as an African American child in a white family, the hostility her family was facing due to her race pushed her parents to enroll her in African American University. Not to mention, when Larsen tried to visit and connect with her family later, they all refused to recognize her perhaps because they were ashamed of her. Therefore, this biblical story is an analogy of the misfortunes and alienation that African Americans encountered in the 1920s. Through her book character as Clare, Larsen observes herself in the different anti-African-American version of Ham and as an outcast from the necessary African-American community. Through Irene's challenging life; the writer is also seen as part of the black community or the “dark sons of Ham”. (78)" indicating the identity conflict that individuals who had no specific roots were encountering at the time. Larsen also uses the simile to demonstrate her work-life experiences as a nurse. Racial segregation was also rampant because black public services Americans, like hospitals, were all in deplorable conditions. Brian's conversation with Irene highlights this condition through an unpleasant simile. Brian illustrates how he is always busy as a cat with fleas trying to raise a sick brother, which it is never an easy task. Furthermore, how much she hates her patients walking up dirty steps, dirty hospital rooms and dark corridors in black community hospitals, this shows Larsen's desire to get rid of her "fleas",. which is used to compare the challenges she encountered while working as a nurse This shows some of the racial discrimination later adopted in some of the southern states that required segregation in places like., 45(2), 226-243.