For the first time she suffered and rebelled because she was unable to disregard the burden of race. It was, she cried silently, enough to suffer as a woman, an individual, on one’s account, without having to suffer for the race as well. It was a brutality, and undeserved.
Quicksand and Passing are the only novels Nella Larsen wrote in her short-lived literary career. She returned to nursing some years later based on what I read online about her life. It’s somewhat unfortunate that there’s no more The Next Novel because these two stories highlight Larsen’s budding brilliance as a storyteller and historian.
I know Passing from Rebecca Hall’s film adaptation. Irene reconnects with her childhood friend Clara, who now lives her life passing for a white person. Besides the leap in the quality of writing, I thought this story was more affecting, tragic as it is. And also here Larsen better tackles the intersectionality of race and class during that period of America. Kind of want to rewatch the movie now, especially for Ruth Negga.