Passing (novel)

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Passing

First edition dust jacket
Author	Nella Larsen
Language	English
Genre	Tragedy
Publisher	Knopf
Publication date	April 1929
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	215
OCLC	2812987
Dewey Decimal	813/.52
LC Class	PZ3.L33 Pas PS3523.A7225
Preceded by	Quicksand
Text	Passing at Wikisource

Passing (1929) is a novel^[a] by American author Nella Larsen.^[4] Set primarily in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the 1920s, the story centers on the reunion of two childhood friends—Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield—and their increasing fascination with each other's lives. The title refers to the practice of "racial passing", which is a key element of the novel. Clare Kendry's attempt to pass as white for her husband, John (Jack) Bellew, is significant and is a catalyst for the tragic events.

Larsen's exploration of race was informed by her own mixed racial heritage and the increasingly common practice of racial passing in the 1920s. Praised upon publication, the novel has since been celebrated in modern scholarship for its complex depiction of race, gender, and sexuality, and the book is the subject of considerable scholarly criticism. As one of only two novels that Larsen wrote, the novel has been significant in placing its author at the forefront of several literary canons.

The novel was adapted as a 2021 film of the same name by Rebecca Hall.

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