Clare gets a horrible, unexpected ending as she is pushed out of a window by one of the characters.
Irene was jealous
of Clare and this made the readers feel that Clare did not care about Irene's feelings because she was suspected of getting close to Irene's husband.
Is Irene attracted to Clare?
In a Freudian sense, Irene has submitted her sexual identity to her double, as
Clare is the presumed sexual partner of Brian
. Additionally, this could account for Irene's own implied sexual interest in Clare as a projection of her own sexuality.
How does Irene feel about Clare?
Irene is working very hard to maintain herself as a respectable person and to feel as if she is in charge of her life, so she sees
Clare as spoiled and childish
; as she spends more time with Clare, her irritation increases.
Why does Irene push Clare?
Irene definitely has a motive to kill Clare
, but so does John Bellew, who is very racist and who has not realized until that moment that his wife is African American. Clare might also have thrown herself out of the window in desperation, as she knows that her life, as she has lived it, is now over.
Why is Irene jealous of Clare?
However, while Irene consciously attributes this jealousy to her protectiveness over Brian, plenty of evidence suggests that Irene may be
jealous because of her desire for Clare rather than her love for Brian
.
How are Clare and Irene similar in passing?
The greatest similarities between the two women are their frustrated ability to live authentic lives and their envy of the other for apparently being more forthright. While it is Clare who passes for white in the novel,
Irene is also passing for someone that she is not
.
Who killed Clare in passing?
Clare Kendry's death was not a suicide; the one person who had constant and progressive reason for the murder Clare was her supposed friend,
Irene Redfield
. One of the main suspects in the death of Clare Kendry is her longtime childhood friend, Irene Redfield.
Is Brian Redfield black?
Brian Redfield – Brian is
Irene's darker-skinned, African-American husband
, who “can't exactly pass.” Brian is a respected physician.
Why is the ending of passing ambiguous?
The ambiguity is actually greater than a simply dichotomy.
Clare's death might have been an accident
. Irene greatly values self-restraint in herself and does not likely disrupting the status quo. Her reactions to whatever occurred, both the blocked memories and lack of regret, are consistent with her personality.
Who is Brian in passing?
Brian is
a doctor in New York City and Irene's husband
. Brian is a reserved man who longs to move to Brazil from the United States to escape the country's dangerous racism.
Where does Irene live in passing?
Irene is an uptight, intelligent, well-to-do woman from Chicago who lives in
Harlem
with her husband Brian and sons Ted and Junior. Irene cares deeply about her family life and values security above all else. Irene's light skin allows her to pass as white when she is alone.
Who is passing Zulena?
At one point, Ted asks his father why people hate black people, sparking a fight between Irene and Brian. The housekeeper at Irene's father's house in Chicago. Liza answers the phones and helps around the house. Zulena and Sadie are
Irene's servants/housekeepers at her home in New York
City.
What does passing mean in the context of the story?
The word “passing” has a deeper meaning in the context of the novel of the same name by Nella Larson than it does superficially. Literally,
passing means to go by
. The term can be used in a variety of ways but implies mobility and transition, which relates to its figurative meaning.
Why did Brian Redfield want to go to Brazil?
Brian's desire to relocate to Brazil reveals his
desire to escape the American color line
and Irene's desire to remain in the U.S. is a testament to how she values “security” as the “most important and desired thing in life” (Larsen 76).
What do Irene and Brian call their son?
Theodore “Ted” Redfield
is the son of Irene and Brian Redfield.
What does Irene realize when Brian tells her that he invited Clare to Hugh Wentworth's party?
Irene tells Clare
that she did not respond because she does not think Clare should risk being caught associating with black people because of
John. … Irene sits down and tells Clare that she and Brian discussed it, and that they do not think associating with Clare is a good or safe idea for either of them.
