불모의 경계에서 머뭇거림: 『백인 행세하기』
A Futile Searching on the Border
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This paper aims to investigate Nella Larsen’s Passing in an ecological point of view. I argue that an ecological society permit us to re-establish ourselves as an ecological ones. According to Naess, the ecological selves could identify themselves with all the surroundings, including human environment, and they succeed in self-realization by helping other’s growth. They realize themselves through the growth of others whom they want to identify with. Also they respect the variety and diversity of all the living beings. That is, the ecological self identifies one’s self-realization with others’happiness and tries to make a caring community a basic condition for them to survive. Clare and Irene, who are mulatto or white negro, show complicated double-consciousness during the Harlem Renaissance period as a black people who could pass for white. Clare’s self-hatred makes her to abandon her true identity and succeed in ‘passing’. She marries a white and wealthy banker. But her false identity as a white woman keeps her from both the black and white community and let her be isolated. Her ‘passing’ makes her a victim of futile selfishness until she finds her only freedom in death. The absence of meaningful work and community condemn her in a ‘prison’which prohibit her from growth and realization of the ecological relationship. Irene’s dream to be a respectful ‘American’ is an impossible one also. Every one asserts Irene, who is a wife of successful colored man and the centrifugal force of black community, is safe. She struggles to keep her family as a successful member of American society. Nevertheless, American dream was a too narrow one to include black people’s yearning. she realizes that nobody is safe in this society caught by the violent racial prejudices. Passing shows that racist society blocks us to grow the ecological self which could make a loving and caring community a condition in which we could survive. Clare and Irene’s despair shows us that any discrimination should be eliminated to achieve a true ecological society.
Abstract
This paper aims to investigate Nella Larsen’s Passing in an ecological point of view. I argue that an ecological society permit us to re-establish ourselves as an ecological ones. According to Naess, the ecological selves could identify themselves with all the surroundings, including human environment, and they succeed in self-realization by helping other’s growth. They realize themselves through the growth of others whom they want to identify with. Also they respect the variety and diversity of all the living beings. That is, the ecological self identifies one’s self-realization with others’happiness and tries to make a caring community a basic condition for them to survive. Clare and Irene, who are mulatto or white negro, show complicated double-consciousness during the Harlem Renaissance period as a black people who could pass for white. Clare’s self-hatred makes her to abandon her true identity and succeed in ‘passing’. She marries a white and wealthy banker. But her false identity as a white woman keeps her from both the black and white community and let her be isolated. Her ‘passing’ makes her a victim of futile selfishness until she finds her only freedom in death. The absence of meaningful work and community condemn her in a ‘prison’which prohibit her from growth and realization of the ecological relationship. Irene’s dream to be a respectful ‘American’ is an impossible one also. Every one asserts Irene, who is a wife of successful colored man and the centrifugal force of black community, is safe. She struggles to keep her family as a successful member of American society. Nevertheless, American dream was a too narrow one to include black people’s yearning. she realizes that nobody is safe in this society caught by the violent racial prejudices. Passing shows that racist society blocks us to grow the ecological self which could make a loving and caring community a condition in which we could survive. Clare and Irene’s despair shows us that any discrimination should be eliminated to achieve a true ecological society.
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