IRENE in Part 3

Irene continues to change as part three begins. Her attitude slowly transforms into one of hostility and jealousy (things present before in the novel, but not to this extent). When Irene begins to suspect that her husband is having an affair with her friend Clare, she becomes jealous slightly hostile. Despite these suspicious thoughts, however, Irene continues to compliment Clare. Through indirect discourse, and even sometimes Free indirect discourse, Irene's admiration (sexual or platonic) of Clare continues to be obvious.  The narrator remarks "Irene couldn’t remember ever having seen her look better. She was wearing a superlatively simple cinnamon-brown frock which brought out all her vivid beauty, and a little golden bowl of a hat. Around her neck hung a string of amber beads that would easily have made six or eight like one Irene owned. Yes, she was stunning." Comments such as this continue throughout, up until the end of the novel. Regardless of what you make of what happens at the end, Irene's mixed feelings of attraction and hostility towards Clare are increasingly clear.

Larsen, Nella (2013-04-29). Passing (Kindle Locations 1608-1610).  . Kindle Edition.

The Re-encounter

Throughout Part I of the novel we see only the soft side of Irene. We read about her husband, her children, and what she did from day to day.  These things paint her as a quiet, happy, and  self-sufficient woman.  In fact, there is hardly a mention of the fact that Irene is of mixed race. 

In Part II of the novel we see a shift in the way Irene is portrayed.  She is more worldly than one would have first thought, always wanting for herself and not thinking of others first.  We see this as she tells about her feeling towards the idea of moving.  Irene takes pride in the fact that her husband is a physician, but gives him almost no credit for it.  It also seems to me that Irene is proud of who she is and what she had accomplished, but she is also quick to blame those around her for her disappointments in life.  For instance, she blames Clare when she is having a bad morning when it clearly a fluke happening.  There is tension in all of the relationships seen in the novel, but these things were not seen until we got a glimpse into the harder and self-centered side of Irene.

Overall, I think Part II of this novel just opens a whole new side of Irene that we were not privy to during Part I.  In a way I like knowing that Irene has faults.  It make her much more human than the soft and put together - Passing as White - Irene from Part I.

thoughts about Irene

After reading the second part of Passing, I must say that Irene’s character seems really ambiguous to me. At first I thought she was an intelligent and mature woman, aware of her African American roots. She was proud of herself and had married a clearly non-white man and at the same time judging Clare for marrying a white man that called her a ni**er. It seemed as she was disgusted by that but nevertheless she also pretends to be white. She would never give up her lifestyle that she got because she “passed” as white. She clearly states her own ambiguity about passing: “It’s funny about ‘passing.’ We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it. We shy away from it with an odd kind of revulsion, but we protect it.”

In my opinion, Irene really wants to stand up and speak for herself but she is not able to do it, she is weak and aware of what could happen if people find out who she really is.

--- Karolina Huljic 

Re-Encounter Irene

Irene doesn't just pass as a white woman upon her convince, she also passes as a woman who is giving and confident in her abilities. It is all a facade with this character. In part one of the novel you get the sense that Irene is just another good house wife, who does good things for her boys and does well by her husband, She doesn't try and get in anyones way, and she has no bad thoughts about other people. You find out that this isn't necessarily true. Upon reading you get to see how she is slightly condescending and always in a state of wanting for things that she doesn't have. You also get a sense that Irene is slightly jealous of Clare. Irene tries to come across as caring and subtle, but in reality I believe that she looks at Clare and envies the free will and impact on others that she possess.

Blog #3- Jeremy Edmonds

The second part of the novel allows the reader to more fully understand what kind of person Irene is through learning more complex things about her.  One part of Irene embodies everything that a "good girl" should be.  However, we can slowly start to gather that Irene is very resentful of Clare for passing with a white man who is very racist among other things.  For example, Clare thinks, "That Clare should have written, should, even all things considered, have expressed a desired to see her again, did not so much amaze her.  To count as nothing the annoyances, the bitterness, or the suffering of others, that was Clare."  In addition, we find out in the second part of the novel that Irene's marriage is not all that she has portrayed it to be.   It has been crumbling ever since she told her husband that she refused to move to Brazil.  Irene's resistance to move their indicates a hint that she likened the more lavish lifestyle in the United States and that she is selfish.  This part of the novel seems to foreshadow future problems in their relationship.  Overall, the second part of the novel paints Irene as somewhat spiteful and resistant.

Blog 3: Irene in Re-Encounter

Irene falsely presents herself as a confident, mature woman. However, in part two of the novel, we discover that she is not as happy with her life as we are led to believe. Her actions reflect her character in an unappealing light. As evidence, when she says, “And yet, wouldn't he [Brian], perhaps, have been merely ordinarily good- looking but for the richness, the beauty of his skin, which was of an exquisitely fine texture and deep copper colour (pg.93).” It is evident that she puts much value into wealth and status. There is an unaffectionate quality to her tone whenever she speaks to her husband. Also, it is apparent that Irene feels responsible for Brian’s wealth because she discouraged the move from New York. In a way, it is almost as if she is resentful for the life her husband has as a physician because, in her eyes, she is the reason he is successful. She craves the credit. Even though Clare and Irene were friends as children, the two women of the same mixed race lead different lives. Clare is married to a white man who believes that she herself is white as well. The fact that Clare is able to “pass” off as being white irritates Irene. Throughout the re-encounter part of the book, Irene makes little comments that suggest she resents Clare. For example, Irene says, “Why, oh why, couldn't she ever manage to be on time? Brian had been up for ages, had made some calls for all she knew, besides having taken the boys downtown to school. And she wasn't dressed yet; had only begun. Damn Clare! This morning it was her fault (pg. 90).” She manages to portray herself as a victim and completely places the blame on Clare. At first, I thought that Irene was a friend to Clare and that they share a bond from their similar backgrounds. However, it became unquestionable clear that Irene is a selfish woman that constantly compares her life with Clare’s. It is safe to say that Irene considers Clare a foolish person that is not worthy of the life she has because she is living a lie.

Re-encounter gives the reader a more in-depth look at the complex personality of Irene.  She came off as sweet and  not materialistic in the first section, but now we are seeing that may just be the façade to a more selfish and spoiled woman.  It is almost like there are two sides to Irene; the gentile, white, giving woman who loves her husband and family and the real Irene, who is a black woman passing as white who is manipulative, selfish, and hiding her real self from/lying to everyone closest to her. This double life is confusing and bipolar. The reader sees just how selfish and materialistic Irene is when she is discussing the possibility of moving to Brazil, "Couldn't he see, even now, that it had been best? Not for her, oh no... she had never really considered herself- for him and the boys." (57) Irene likes to portray that she disliked the idea of moving because of her sons when she makes it clear throughout the book that she very much enjoys the finer things in life that only her white life in America can provide.

First Impressions are Deceiving

The beginning of Nella Larsen’s Passing shows Irene Redfiel as a confident woman who is proud of her origin, her marriage, and her position in life. However, this image takes a turn when the reader reaches the second part of the book, Re-Encounter. It is at this point in the novel that the reader learns that Irene’s marriage is not as wonderful as she made it out to be when speaking to Clare; in fact, her marriage has been strained since the moment she refused to move to Brazil with her husband. And even though she feels she was right, she still has some doubts about standing up to her husband, about the guilt she feels, about how that has damaged and clouded their relationship.

“It isn’t fair, it isn’t fair. After all these years to still blame [me] like this. Hadn’t his success proved that [I’d] been right in insisting that he stick to his profession right here in New York? Couldn’t he see, even now that it had been best? Not for me, oh no, not for me—I had never really considered [my]self—but for him and the boys,” (57) Irene thinks as she and her husband get into a small argument about her not being ready on time. This passage, I believe, shows exactly how much Irene doubts herself and her decisions when it comes to her marriage and her role as a mother. Her husband’s disapproval and remorse towards her for this shows that Irene is actually insecure about her marriage, and not as happy as she painted herself to be.

I believe the purpose Larsen had with this second part of the book was to prepare the reader for the ending. Knowing what Irene is going through in her personal life gives the reader insight as to why her husband is tempted to act the way he does in the ending, and why Irene’s reaction to it is as passive as it is.

Irene in my eyes

The impression that I have of Irene after reading through the pages of Part two is that she is as selfish and self absorbed as we have come to believe that Clare is through the numerous story's told from Irene's point of view. Although this does seem to be true that Clare is somewhat narcissistic, Irene's seems to be completely unaware that she herself has some of these characteristics as well which makes her come across as somewhat hypocritical.

     Now that I have stated my new perception of Clare I will give the premises that led me to this "conclusion". Irene seems quite keen on putting her husbands desire to move to a new land out of his mind, "it would die. Of that she was certain" (p 58). It seems as if the only reason she truly wishes for the family to remain in America is so that she can live the lifestyle she values so highly. A lifestyle that allows her to attend dances, administrator them and mingle with those of the higher class. An example of this is when she speaks of Hugh Wentworth, "Irene inclined her head. On her face was a tiny triumphant smile. "Yes the Hugh Wentworth. D'you know him?"" (p 69). Another example of Irene's ego-centrism is when she is is preparing to be seen by Clare upon her unexpected house call. She constantly speaks of Clare's beauty and we see her prepping herself at a time so close to bedtime just to speak with a lifelong acquaintance, "she stood up... ....smoothing out her dress... At the mirror she dusted a little powder on her nose and brushed out her hair". I don't believe for a minute that Irene simply did not speak out for her fellow African Americans as Jack put them down repeatedly simply to insure Clare's safety. That may have played a small part in the matter but I think that it was her own safety and approval that actually assisted her in keeping her tongue on the matter (39-43).

     Although these are not the only examples that led me to believe that Irene is as full of herself and her own happiness as I pictured Clare to be I feel like they provide a good range of diversity for you to better understand my stance on this matter.

Jenny Wu - blog #3

\Re-Encounter re-illustrates all the characters of Passing in moments where we glimpse, for the first time, how Irene's self-perception and perspective limit both her understanding of the other people in her life and our understanding of Passing's cast of characters as an audience of onlookers through Irene's eyes. Irene thinks of herself as an innocent victim of the avarice of Clare Kendry and unfortunate circumstance, but now we see that Irene's own judgments of Clare, Brian, and herself cause a great portion of her own distress, and her misconception of Clare becomes apparent in this particular portion of the narrative. Irene causes herself much angst because she is an emotional person who doesn't initiate proper communication and lacks faith in the people in her life. 
She does not understand humanity, and she does not understand herself. On the very first page of the section, after reading Clare's letter, "she regarded with astonishment that had in it a mild degree of amusement the violence of the feelings it stirred in her," (51). Her anguish stems from her relationships, but she struggles to find ways to fix problems on her own. She is not prosocial. She is a control freak. She imagines the execution of an individual action on her part will and should always produce a proper response in the other person: problem resolved. This schema Irene has is demonstrated in her approach to Brian's desire to go to Brazil. "But it would die. Of that she was certain. She had only to direct and guide her man, to keep him going in the right direction, " (58).
Irene is proper. She wants to live within the lines she was born into, a class and lifestyle dictated by economic and racial status. She has a good husband, two kids, and she looks exactly like the mother and wife she should be. She takes pride in this, and she fears any deviation. With the success of maintaining her situation and her peace of mind, she never questions her thoughts or her perspective. She never once doubts that she is not right about anything. Clare, who by action and personality is a complete contrast to everything Irene, is never fully given Irene's regard. Though Irene inevitably accommodates Clare, she looks upon her words and wishes almost like one would a child. Irene often considers Clare a selfish person and her behavior foolish. At the end of the section, however, we find a conversation where Clare demonstrates an understanding of her behavior and situation that is greater than what Irene would give her credit for. She knows Irene's nature, "It's just that I haven't any proper morals or sense of duty, as you have, that makes me act as I do," and she recognizes her own imminent downfall, which she fully acknowledges might be incriminating to Irene and others, "Why, to get the things I want badly enough, I'd do anything, hurt anybody, throw anything away. Really, 'Rene, I'm not safe," (81). Clare knows herself and she knows Irene. Irene, on the other hand, is almost wilfully oblivious: "I don't believe it," (81). 

Blog 3 - Irene

At first Irene seemed to be caught in a situation that she didn’t want to be in, a moment that once it was over, it was done. When she was sitting with Clare and her racist husband, it was a situation where she seemed to be protecting herself and the other women that were present. However, through Part II, I feel Irene becomes selfish and controlling, at the end of chapter one in this section it says, “It was only that she wanted him to be happy, resenting, however, his inability to be so with things as they were, and never acknowledging that, though she did want him to be happy, it was only in her own way and by some plan of hers for him that she truly desired him to be so.” Throughout this part of the novel, Irene is continually pushing for attention from her husband, and her sons. When she doesn’t get it, she turns to Clare. Even though Clare’s presence bothers her, and she does not enjoy it, she keeps her around for her own selfish behavior. I almost felt like she was tempting her husband to an affair, with the question about Clare’s beauty, trying to stir up drama in her own life. 

Blog #3: Irene

I am not quite sure what to make of Irene. Sometimes she seems like a nice and commendable person, like on page 52 when she states that reason that she did not say anything to Mr. Bellew when he was spewing his racist thoughts was that she did not want to endanger Clare. For all of her speech about how Clare only thinks about herself saying "To count as nothing the annoyances, the bitterness, or the suffering of others, that was Clare" (page 51), she was able to swallow her own thoughts to protect Clare. But rethinking the initial scene at the hotel, when Irene was not worried about being found out as African American, but instead of being kicked out, I have to wonder if the reason she didn't speak up to Mr. Bellew was also a self-serving one. She simply did not want to be embarrassed or brashly thrown out of the house as Mr. Bellew, a vehement racist, would have done.  While she is kind to Clare's face and softens under her presence, she has a lot of bad things to say about her behind her back and that rubbed me as irksome. My thoughts of Irene went from thinking of her as proud and savvy in the Encounter, to being kind of annoying and self absorbed in the Re-Encounter, especially when it comes to her husband. "...it was only in her own way and by some plan of hers for him that she truly desired him to be so. [happy]" (page 61). It was at this point that I started to think that she was self absorbed and controlling in the relationship.

Blog post # 3: Due 5 pm Feb. 24 (150 words, 5 points): Passing

How does Part II (Re-Encounter) change or deepen our understanding of Irene? What kind of person is she? Be sure to quote from the novel to support your ideas.

How She Did "it"

For chapter 5, "it" would essentially be making Gerald fall in love with her. Her strategies were to act like she didn't want a thing to do with him, like a damsel in distress too valiant to ask for help and this made him want to help her even more, and to plant the thought that she was his equal. Even when he was made a costar in the show that they put on, she made it a point to be disapproving of the fact that he was going to be in it. Through the acting in the performance, she mesmerized him and made him fall in love. She wanted to make Gerald fall in love with her, not because she wanted him, but because she wanted to toy with his and Lucia's relationship. All the while she was trying the same tricks on Sir John and they were working on him as well.

How and Why

Jean Muir managed to win the friendship and trust of Gerald after being with the Coventry family for about a month. She had even excited his feelings of love for her. How did she do it? She played the good girl, the "damsel in distress" of course. How could a gentleman so lazy and bored as Gerald resist being the hero of the mysterious governess? She made him believe that he was her rescuer and protector. He sent Ned away so that he could bother her no longer with his love letters and passionate entreaties. Gerald promised to protect her from Sydney after finding out about his love and threats as well. Suddenly, Gerald was entranced by her weakness and pride, desiring to be the one whom she would run to. He had attained the title of friend, only a step away from lover. He had easily fallen into her slowly unfolding plot. He was enraptured and entrapped.

Blog 2 - How She Did It

Jean Muir's sly seduction of Gerald takes center stage in this chapter, quite literally. The family is at a large party hosted by Uncle John, and the tableaus taking place in the house provide the perfect setting for Jean Muir to hide herself behind mask after mask. The Goal - to seduce and deceive Gerald. The Method - acting together as lovers in a play. Jean Muir puts on the mask of nobility in her skits. She allows Gerald to watch her perform, and then never appears on stage again. When it is finally her turn again, she asks Gerald to participate alongside her, and she is able to get close to him in a way that she wouldn't be able to otherwise. In the context of play-acting, Jean Muir is able to rise to Gerald's level, making them equal in almost every way, and capture him under the guise of lust.

BLOG #2 Jean Muir Chapter 5

What a smart woman Jean is. She has the whole Convetry family thinking different things and the general consensus is that she is a meek, humble, soft, sad girl. This version of her that they see, fits the desirable good girl role of most fairytales that we see today. But in reality, Jean is fierce, and nothing she does or says is by accident. In Chapter 5 of the novel, Jean plays her cards really well. She has finally figured out how the different members of the family respond to her, and she notices that Gerald is starting to become intrigued with her, especially after she helped him when he was stabbed by Ned. In chapter 5, Jean perfectly plants a letter from "Sydney", just in a way that Gerald can see. After Gerald sees the letter, he ask her about it and becomes her crusader and confidant, informing her that they are friends and that he will grant her the respect that her name deserves. Jean plays the broken and scared role of fearing for her life, while also deciding if she should get another man to save her. The irony in the situation is that the men are the ones who need saving from her. Of course Gerald falls into the traps of a woman with tears, and all of a sudden treats Jean with the respect that someone of her position wouldn't usually get. Jean uses him, and as of late he is completely oblivious to the fact.

How She Did It

Jean Muir is a fiercely intelligent and excellent actress. With the way she composes herself to wear a multitude of masks, each mask designated for a single person, she possesses the skills of a well learned manipulator.  She'd be fantastic in politics, having to have good public relations, while also maintaining herself and those around her. Her manipulation and ability to charm and be the person those surrounding her need her to be, she easily gains power within the household; clever enough to constantly slip into her roles in order to succeed. Her aggressiveness to reach her goal is admirable, as is her intelligence in order to achieve the status, stability and wealth she longs for, and win over the man she has her eyes set on; Sir John.

Blog Number 2- Taryn Wise

       Jean Muir wanted all the people in the house, especially the men, to love her.  She thrives on the attention men give her and knowing that she can control these men through a series of actions.  She takes time to get to know the men and tailors a specific plan of action that will win their heart.  Then she refuses them leaving them heartbroken, like she probably was once. 
      Seducing Ned was easy because she was so open-hearted and young, but Gerald was more difficult.  She first ignored him and peaked his interest by purposefully not being around him.  All at once, she confides her dark secrets into him and makes him feel 'warm' instead of his typical 'cold' self.  No woman has ever done this before and he enjoys it.
      Jean hopes to succeed in making every man love her and pitting the members of the household against each other, thus creating chaos in the once peaceful house.  She loves to see everybody else be as miserable as she is.

How She Did It

Jean Muir is a smart woman. She has established herself in the eyes of each family member in the house. She has a different “mask” on for different people. She can be a friend, an obedient servant, and even display vulnerability and weakness in order to appeal to the men of the house. Now that she understands the Coventry household members better, the governess can now manipulate those around her in order to gain a higher social standing. She has finally done it, she has gained power. Although I do not agree with the way she manipulates everyone, I do respect her for taking action. She is infuriated by the injustice of her lower social status and is willing to take matters into her own hands. She does this by captivating Gerald’s attention at the tableaux. However, we begin to see that Jean Muir is ultimately after Sir John, who can provide her with financial security, social distinction and quite possibly, a title she craves.

blog post #2

In chapter 5 Jean Muir finally accomplishes what she wanted from the beginning on.  She wans to take control over the house and is clearly interested in the wealth of the family. She is the person of the house and everybody wants to be around her. It therefore refers to everyone liking her and she did that with quiet a show where she slipped into different roles depending on who she was dealing with. She is kind and loving to Mrs. Coventry, a genuine sisterly friend to Bella and charming and loving to the men of the house. Especially in chapter 5 we see her conquering Gerald’s heart what was not easy because he was the only one who resisted her in the beginning. But now even he gives in and Jean Muir successfully accomplished to charm everyone in the house.

Karolina Huljic  

Blog #2 Behind a Mask

The "it" of Chapter 5 may represent Jean's manipulative mastery over ALL the men of the novella. The cunning artifice of her strategies varies with the person she is trying to allure. She entices young Ned by emphasizing her worldly sensibilities, such as her interest in horses and the sweetness of her music. With Sir John, she exudes an air of quintessential femininity, as evidenced by her modesty, bashfulness, and (feigned) acknowledgment of his superiority. With ease, she is able to enchant Ned and Sir John Coventry, but conquering Gerald requires more time and effort. In this chapter, we see Gerald's lethargic wall start to crumble under the force of Jean's Siren-like power. She finally appeals to Gerald by bringing out his inner passions through the tableaux, and he begins to feel a genuine interest in her because she is so "different." Also, being the daughter of a Lady Howard makes her an acceptable match. Being a poor governess dependent on the good will of her superior employers, she hopes to break through the socially confined system and live a life she is entitled to. Instead of letting life's circumstances rule her, she is trying to control her own destiny by choosing her husband rather than being chosen by him.