| Nella Larsen(1891—1964)was one of the most influential writers during the Harlem Renaissance.In Passing(1929),Larsen was deeply concerned about the living conditions and struggle of African-American female mulattos in a society of racial discrimination.The work reveals the pain and confusion of the light-skinned blacks by examining the example of a female mulatto on her journey of identity exploration.So far,domestic and foreign scholars have discussed Passing from the aspects of passing,identification and black female characters in terms of feminism,narratology,cultural criticism,and psychoanalytic theory.In these studies,the construction of racial identity has always been a thematic focus in African American literature.Larsen describes the arduous process of the identity construction of female mulattos in Passing,displaying the dilemma and confusion in identification of mulattos by passing the racial line.Different from previous studies,this thesis is a psychoanalytical exploration that examines the process of identity construction of Clare and Irene and sheds light on the implication of "Passing" considering the psychological factors of the characters.This thesis employs Karen Horney's neurotic theory to analyze the formation of the protagonists' neuroses,revealing the psychological factors that cause failure in their identity construction.The thesis holds that it is impossible for mulattos to establish themselves simply by passing the racial line or staying in the black community.The tragedy of the protagonists indicates that racism inevitably leads to mental unhealthiness of individuals,and the existence of neurotic conflict not only intensifies an individual's self-alienation,but also generates a disruptive personality,which ultimately leads to the failure of identification.Only when adverse factors in a socio-cultural environment are improved and healthy social ideology is developed can individuals enjoy a healthy personality and realize effective identification. |
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