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I think it's nice taking a break from the poetry to read another novel. So far I really like Passing by Nella Larsend. In the beginning I thought it was a little dull, but the more and more I read the better I like it. Irene and Clarie are both very interesting characters. Irene only passes for while when she needs to, but Clarie always passes as white, and her husband doesn't even know that she had black blood in her. I feel like Clarie is ashamed of who she really is. I didn't care to much for Clarie's husband. I thought he was very rude. I don't understand why someone would be so rude around people they doesn't know. Irene has very good self control to sit there and not say anything about the fact that his wife is actually black. I find the whole idea of passing to be interesting. It must have been very common during the time that this novel takes place. At the N.W.L dance people were talking and trying to figure out if Clarie was black or white. The conversation on page 118 was interesting. "It's easy for a Negro to pass for white. But I don't think it would be so simple for a white person to pass for coloured." When thinking about the time period, yes it would be harder for a white person to pass for a black, but why would anyone want to? It doesn't seem like something that would happened if it was easy.
10 comments:
I also found "Passing" as a huge relief from poetry. It started off as a little dull but it is gradually getting better. I myself detested Clare's husband or anyman that has a degrading nickname for any woman.
I also agree on why would a white person choose to pass as a black person? Is it just our own predjudices coming out or does it come down to culture and not skin color?
I also want to comment on our class discussion. Where do these people come from? I was appauled and shocked to see that a teacher...an educated person would hang a nouse around a child's neck. A teacher is somebody that is supposed to care for their students and set a good example. As for the reason that you saw the confeerate flag al lot in Georgia is because thats the state flag.
I was also shocked to hear that a teacher would demonstrate anything that had to do with a noose around a child’s neck. So I looked it up to see what happened.
A 61 year old substitute teacher was monitoring an after school program. In this program the boy was 9 years old. The substitute said he wanted to punish the child for not following directions and doing his homework, so he asked the kid if he knew what strangulation was, and then proceeded to have the child stand on a chair, put a string from a light fixture around his neck, and then kicked the chair out from under the child.
This “professional educator” only received 1-year probation. According to the article he did not receive jail time because he had never been in trouble before. This conviction does stop him from ever working as a teacher again!
According to the article the substitute said he was only playing around and that the string was never around the boys neck. You would think the man would at least admit he was wrong and what he did completely endangered the boys safety, as well as humiliated him.
It was an interesting part in the novel when Irene and Hugh had a discussion about passing. In class we talked about the connection that African Americans feel toward each other that let them know who is passing. I think that it is very interesting that Larsen feels that white people do not have that same connection. However, it was a very different situation that African Americans faced at this time. Many African Americans were probably used to relying on connections with one another because it was an important part of their survival, especially when they were enslaved.
Yes, as I'd expect, there really doesn't seem to be anything likable about Claire's racist husband. Compelling characters though, I'm interested in seeing where this goes.
Ok first of all I just have to say wow about the story Angie found. That is so horrifying! I just cant get over that this type of still is actually STILL happening. It's unbelievable.
Anyway, I also agree and think this novel is a nice break from poetry. Its a very interesting story. I really like the story so far, and am quite annoyed with Clare! I am also annoyed with Clare's husband, I am not fond of him at all. I felt bad for Irene when she met him because she couldn't even stand up for herself, I felt like Clare put her in that situation and that's not fair to her at all. And of course she couldnt say anything as to not ruin things for Clare, so she was stuck in a not so great situation.
I was very surprised about that class discussion on last wednesday. I was appauled that a teacher would do that to a child. The teacher was defintly stupid and ignorant way of showing lynching.
I very much agree with you that clare's husbadn id very rude and i dont like him. i think it was very hard for irene to sit there and not say anything. i also agree with you on the passage on 118 that the people would havea hard passing as a black person if they were white. Why would they want to do that i dont think it would if was easy either.
Hmm I didnt read the story particulary and apparently missed the class discussion, but yea i guess racism lives on even in this day and age. I wonder myself if the noose was blown out of porportion though? Was the teacher racist and being malicious or was he demomstrating a point... either way he should not of done it... but as for it going to the news and stirring the black and white pot of stew? I dont think that should happen... it shouldnt have left the school unless it was serious... the other story i heard of about the black and white students and the tree and the racist principal.. now that is more serious in my opionion because it is thought through racism.
Interesting to think about it would be harder for a white to pass for a black than it is for a black to pass for white. i remember the term "wigger" from middle and high schools. I remmber parents using the term to label the kids who dressed in hip-hop/urban fashions and listened to rap/hiphop/r and B. there are plenty of people out there taht pose. are they passing or just trying to be individuals who like how there counterrace represents culture? maybe claire and other blacks just liked the way whites lived and wanted to mimic this as opposed to not wanting to be black, because she embraces the dance and all that. maybe she is passing simply because it is not accepted?
One reason that passing would be difficult for white people is that, due to the one-drop rule, anyone of mixed race is considered black. Therefore, mixed-race people of many different shades are considered black people who might try passing as white, but only people who are 100% caucasian are considered 'whites' who could try passing as black.
I agree that our discussion in class was a bit shocking. I understand that teachers have to teach about subjects such as lynching and I understand that they may not be the easiest topics to teach because of the controversy surrouning them. However, I was shocked that a teacher would think it was ok to bring a noose to class to "demonstrate" what lynching was. It was even more horrifying that the teacher chose a black student to demonstrate lynching on. Who would actually put a noose around a child's neck... it is ridiculous.
I was also totally blown away by the recent outburst of race issues in the news. What is happening? I thought that the problem in Jena was the only issue right now, but looking into recent news, I find myself completely frustrated and shocked with the intolerance that still exists in our world. When can a change come?
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