Having a double-consciousness means being able to see one’s own identity through the perspective of oneself and that of others. Most likely, we have all experienced this in one way or another. But author, Nella Larsen, explores this concept in her novel, Passing, to help us understand how double-consciousness can affect our identities. The main character, Irene Redfield, struggles to define her identity because of her low socioeconomic background and race. She loses a sense of belonging to the Black community when faced with criticisms and does not reveal the complete picture of herself.
When Irene first interacts with John Bellew, a Caucasian white male, his derogatory comments about her African American race allow her to see herself not only through her own eyes, but also through the eyes of others. When asked if he dislikes Blacks, Bellew states that he “[doesn’t] dislike them, [he] hate[s] them...They give [him] the creeps. The black scrimy devils” (30). Irene feels obligated to view herself as the Black woman that she is. However, Bellew, who represents the society, is completely ignorant of Irene’s true race, displaying his hatred towards the African Americans. By describing them as black scrimy devils, he not only stresses their dark skin color, but also engraves a negative connotation on them as evil, dirty, and harmful. Irene, although aware of the society’s condescending view of her race, is taken aback by Bellew’s jarring words. His outward insults cause her to see a sense of dirtiness even within herself. She realizes once again that a significant factor of her identity is so undermined by those outside of her race, making her question her own identity.
In the midst of the conversation with Bellew, Irene “feared that her self-control was about to prove too frail a bridge to support her mounting anger and indignation. She had a leaping desire to shout at the man beside her: “And you’re sitting here surrounded by three black devils, drinking tea”” (30). Bellew cluelessly insults the Black race, yet he has no idea he’s speaking directly to three people who fit under that category. It takes a lot of willpower for Irene to suppress her anger and hold her tongue. Internally, she desires to call out the white man for his oblivion and rudeness. However, she remains silent because her double consciousness of knowing how others view her race compels her to conceal her true identity in fear of judgment and condemnation by others. Her inability to come out and expose her identity suggests that a part of her wishes to extract herself from that Black community from time to time.
I am certain that all of us has been in Irene’s shoes at some point, regarding a part of our identities. It is so easy to avoid uncomfortable situations by ignoring the problems and stereotypes that exist in this world. It is so easy to simply conceal the truth inside of us and refrain from revealing who we really are. I firmly believe, however, that hiding the truth is not a valid solution. Rather, we should acknowledge and recognize the traits that make up who we are, no matter what other people think or say. We should be proud of who we are and not be afraid to stand up for our own identities.

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