English 174: Passing

I really enjoined the “Passing.” I loved how it is filled with emotion and detail. This is the type of writing that I love to read. I need action in order to keep my attention on it. I also find the characters very interesting. There is Irene who now at the end of the story is shady. There is Clare who is the friend you can never seem to get rid of, but at the same time don’t want to let go of. And of course there are others, but mainly these two make up the story.

I just cannot believe how Clare betrayed Irene at the end. I mean, the story only suggests that Clare and Brain were having an affair, but it probably really happened. How could Clare cheat with Irene’s husband?! What a beezy! No joke. Irene keeps giving Clare chances to redeem herself, and then she goes and crashes Irene’s world. This is why Irene should have gotten over her loyalty to race and just leave Clare in her past. If she would not have cared so much about Clare then she would have never been betrayed.

In the introduction of the book, it suggests that the story actually underlines a sexuality conflict. Is the relationship between Clare and Irene supposed to be more than just friends? I felt so a lot of time while reading it. The way Irene would describe Clare and how both made each other so happy when with the other. Yet at the end, Irene seems to loathe Clare. There is no longer that “love” for her there. When it comes to Brian, she wants Clare gone forever. She even thinks about the death of Clare if it meant that her safety with Brian would secure. Which in the end, she does kill Clare, or so the book suggests. Irene had her hand on Clare and then the next moment Clare was out the window… I say she pushed her but blocked it from her mind.

Maybe Irene did love Clare, as a friend or more, but the love was not enough to risk her safety in society. Irene went from a passive, quiet character to a more outspoken and action taking character. It was interesting to see how it all ended. I wish that there was a different ending then leaving off on her fainting after the death of Clare. Otherwise I really enjoyed reading this a lot!