The Theme Of Sexuality In Passing By Nella Larsen's Passing

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of restrained liberation. African American artists’ contributions to American artistry was incredible, but closeted. Racial tensions kept a true liberation at bay, and any perceived amorality had to be closely guarded. Nella Larsen’s Passing explores this idea of closeted identities and racial expression. A close reading of Passing suggests that the novel’s title refers not only to the characters’ acts of racial passing, but of passing in terms of sexual identity. Larsen develops one aspect of sexuality, homosocial and homosexual desire, as a central theme in her novel through attention to physical descriptions of same-sex characters, the absence of physical or romantic intimacy in the novel’s central marital

Brian’s sexuality and Irene’s own personal attraction to Brian appear to play a large part in the failure of their marriage. From the beginning of the novel, Irene is concerned with Brian’s sexual drive, “‘Brian doesn’t care for ladies… I sometimes wish he did’” (72). Moreover, Irene concerns herself with Brian’s fixation on traveling to Brazil. Larsen juxtaposes the descriptions of Brian’s desire to travel with Irene’s musings about Brian’s physical appearance. She must constantly remind herself that her husband is generally attractive, and that the only contention lies in his desire to leave the country. When she feels particularly in denial of her attraction to him, she reminds herself that Brian is “not, of course, pretty or effeminate; the slight irregularity of his nose saved him from prettiness, and the rather marked heaviness of his chin saved him from effeminacy” (93). Although on the surface it may seem that Irene is simply musing on her good fortune in finding a good-looking husband, her consideration of his physical appearance reveals the fear that her husband could be perceived as feminine in any way. Irene’s constant need to reinforce Brian’s sexuality to her own mind illuminates instability in both hers and her husband’s sexual

Irene, concerned about their son Junior’s progress in school, brings up the topic of sex to her husband. She believes that Junior is picking up “‘some queer ideas about things—some things—from the older boys, you know’” (104). Brian immediately understands Irene’s hidden intentions. He begins to expound about the things that young boys should know about sex: “The sooner and the more he learns about sex, the better for him. And most certainly if he learns that it’s a grand joke, the greatest in the world. It’ll keep him from lots of disappointments later on” (105). Brian not only completely ignores his wife’s opinions about the education of their son, but reveals the sexless nature of his marriage with Irene. Brian seems intent on saving Junior from the emptiness of his and Irene’s heterosexual