Passing by Nella Larsen: An Overview

Passing by Nella Larsen: An Overview

Introduction to the novel 'Passing' and its historical context

Set in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance

What do you already know about racial identity and passing?

Synopsis of the plot involving characters Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry

Two mixed-race women navigating racial identity

Analysis of the climax and the ambiguous circumstances of Clare Kendry's death

Impact of societal racial constructs

Themes of racial identity, belonging, societal constraints, and internalized racism

Exploring the complexities of friendship and internalized racism

Enduring relevance of the novel to contemporary discussions on race and identity

Impact of societal racial constructs

Definition List

Passing: The act of a person classified as a member of one racial group being accepted as a member of a different racial group, particularly of a person of mixed-race heritage being accepted as white.
Harlem Renaissance: A cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s, where African American writers, artists, musicians, and thinkers sought to redefine the black experience in America.
Internalized Racism: The personal conscious or subconscious acceptance of the dominant society's racist views, stereotypes and biases of one's ethnic group.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.