Passing
Being truthful about who we are as individuals can be difficult and scary. People put on certain facades to make life more bearable. For example, we might say that a bully at school is only cruel to others so as to hide his/her insecurities. Coleman Silk, Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield have all taken part in the act of "passing," "the movement of a person who is legally or socially designated black into a white racial category or white social identity, (viii, Larsen). Although this act was used by these characters to ease life's burdens, it only brought them loss and hardship. Passing has been a large part of many people's lives; however, it is a very difficult way of living. In the novel The Human Stain by Philip Roth, we find Coleman Silk living his life threw "passing." This is a man that worked so hard to erase his past so as to secure his future as a white man. Growing up he had faced many difficult challenges that made him make some harsh decisions. While living in New York he had met a woman by the name of Steena Palsson. She was one of his first loves. They had a great relationship, but Coleman never shared his secret with her. The day came when he took her to meet his family.
"What happened next, Irene Redfield never afterwards allowed herself to remember. Clare would take chances later on in her life, while her husband was away on business to attend parties and social gatherings with people of her own racial identity. If they would have accepted the "truth" of who they were and faced their realities head on, their lives would have taken a more positive path; for it is only at the point in which we "accept" ourselves that we can truly say we are living. " She left him knowing she could never live the life of being a black mans woman and the prejudice that came with that. "Passing" was supposed to bring her all the happiness in the world, however, she came to realize that the truth would free her. Clare finds a way to attend all of Irene's parties and gatherings. Irene had lost her sense of control when it came to Clare. In their games of "hide and seek" they endured major consequences. Coleman, Clare and Irene were all trying to hide a major part of their essence as individuals. Even though that was the case she never felt sorry for herself. " We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. The day came where this event actually happened. She sees herself losing her husband slowly to Clare's seduction.
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Acceptance Essays
