A Difficult Passing Through The Quicksand:Biracial Identity Construction In Quicksand And Passing

Quicksand and Passing are two representatives of Nella Larsen,a famous black female writer in Harlem Renaissance.In light of the theory of identity construction,this paper explores the predicaments and failures of identity construction for biracial female in this particular era in Larsen's works.In Quicksand,Helga tries to get rid of the racial stereotype and restrictions of "Ladyhood" to build a unitary identity that is both black and white;Clare,in Passing,breaks through gender and racial boundaries and shuttles between black and white identity;Although Irene is a "lady" advocated by the black middle class,she has internalized the values of white people and lost black heritage.Only by relying on precarious marriage to maintain her identity and social status.Both novels end in tragedies,indicating the failure of the mixed-race women's identity.Through an in-depth analysis,this thesis attempts to reach the point that the social perceptions of the America in Harlem Renaissance and the internalization of these notions by black women contributed to the failure of their fluid identities.On the one hand,this is Larsen's strong condemnation of the concepts of society at that time;on the other hand,It's her denial of the way out for mulattas to survive their predicaments by passing.Larsen' s vision on plurality of identity has an important impact on the thinking of contemporary African-American writers.The thesis can be divided into following four parts:Chapter one is a brief introduction to Nella Larsen,her novels Quicksand and Passing,the research findings of her life and works at home and abroad,central argument,research significance and the overview of the thesis.Chapter two analyzes the predicaments of the construction of mixed-race women's identity in a society full of racial discrimination and gender prejudice.Chapter three gives a thorough analysis of the reasons why the protagonists fail their goals to build biracial female identities.First,The white culture hegemony leads to their loss of black cultural heritage.Second,the prevailing concepts and stereotype of black women under white racial discrimination deprive them of humanity and impede their fashioning valid identities.Last,the patriarchal norms categorize black women into fixed identity.Women's total dependence on marriage to obtain their social status and identities deprives them of controlling over their own lives.Chapter four is a conclusion.On the basis of summarizing the foregoing,this chapter focuses on Larsen's opinion on identity and her contribution to contemporary African-American literature.