Racial Passing: A Comparative Reading of Jessie Fauset’s "Plum Bun" and Nella Larsen’s "Passing" and "Quicksand"

Table of Contents

Foreword / Abstract

1. The Phenomenon of ‘Racial Passing’

1.1 The Passer

1.2 Laws and Beliefs

2. Passing in Literature

2.1 The ‘Tragic Mulatto’

2.2 The Octoroon

3. Other Forms of Passing

4. The Novels

4.1 Racial Passing in the Novels

4.1.1 Chiaroscuro

4.1.2 Polemics

4.1.3 The Return Home

4.1.4 Secrecy

4.1.5 The Death of the Heroine

4.2 Passing for What?

4.2.1 Helga’s Passing for an Identity

4.2.2 Sexual Passing

4.2.3 Are PB, Q and P Conventional Passing Stories?

Afterword

Bibliography

Research Goals and Themes

This thesis explores the phenomenon of racial passing within three major novels of the Harlem Renaissance: Nella Larsen’s Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929), and Jessie Fauset’s Plum Bun (1929). The primary research aim is to analyze how these authors utilize the passing narrative to address complex themes of identity, social stratification, and the emotional costs of self-denial in the American context.

• The theoretical definition and typology of racial passing.
• The literary evolution and conventions of the "tragic mulatto" and "octoroon" figures.
• The intersection of racial passing with class, gender, and sexual identity.
• A comparative analysis of narrative techniques like chiaroscuro and polemics in the novels.
• The role of the "return home" and the thematic significance of the heroine's fate.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. The Phenomenon of ‘Racial Passing’: Defines the concept of passing beyond racial boundaries and examines historical and sociological estimations of people who crossed the color line.

2. Passing in Literature: Analyzes the emergence of the passing genre, the "tragic mulatto" stereotype, and the literary functions of the "octoroon" figure in abolitionist and post-Civil War fiction.

3. Other Forms of Passing: Explores non-racial forms of passing, including reverse passing (white-to-black) by musicians and experimentalists, as well as gender and sexual passing.

4. The Novels: Serves as the main analytical section, comparing Nella Larsen’s and Jessie Fauset’s novels through frameworks like chiaroscuro, polemics, the return home, secrecy, and the death of the heroine.

Keywords

Racial Passing, Harlem Renaissance, Tragic Mulatto, Identity, Nella Larsen, Jessie Fauset, Quicksand, Passing, Plum Bun, Miscegenation, One-drop-rule, Race-reading, Homosexuality, Double consciousness, Gender passing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fundamental subject of this thesis?

The thesis examines the phenomenon of racial passing in early 20th-century African American literature, specifically focusing on how three key novels of the Harlem Renaissance navigate the social and psychological implications of crossing the color line.

What are the primary themes discussed?

Central themes include the construction of racial identity, the literary trope of the tragic mulatto, the intersection of race with class and sexuality, and the tension between individual agency and systemic societal constraints.

What is the core research question?

The work investigates how characters in these novels negotiate their identities while passing, and how authors like Larsen and Fauset challenge or reinforce the conventional literary portrayals of mixed-race individuals.

Which methodology is employed for this research?

The author uses a comparative literary analysis, utilizing established critical frameworks such as Juda Bennett’s "Passing Figure" model to interpret narrative elements like chiaroscuro and character arcs across the selected texts.

What is covered in the analysis of the novels?

The analysis deconstructs specific plot devices, such as the "return home," the necessity of secrecy, the impact of "race-reading" on character interactions, and the symbolic significance of the heroine's tragic death or return to the black community.

What key concepts define the terminology used in this study?

The work emphasizes the distinction between voluntary and involuntary passing, the historical context of the "one-drop rule," and the evolving literary representation of the "tragic mulatto" from a figure of sympathy to one of psychological complexity.

How does the author characterize Helga Crane’s journey in Quicksand?

The author identifies Helga’s movement not as traditional racial passing, but as a "labyrinthine search for home," where she attempts to shed various masks and personas to find an essential self, ultimately failing due to societal and internal pressures.

In what way does the thesis address the homosexual subtext in Larsen’s Passing?

The study argues that Larsen uses racial passing as a narrative "mask" to discuss "dangerous" subjects like female sexuality and homoerotic desire, particularly through the relationship between Irene and Clare.

What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "solution" to passing?

The author concludes that neither Larsen nor Fauset offer an easy remedy; rather, they present the tragic or complex fates of their protagonists as evidence that the binary racial system of the time allowed for no truly satisfied identity for the mixed-race individual.