Short Fiction · Chapter
II explained
Irene Redfield reunites with Clare Kendry at the Drayton Hotel in Chicago after twelve years.
What happens
Irene Redfield reunites with Clare Kendry at the Drayton Hotel in Chicago after twelve years. They share tea and conversation, with Irene recounting her life while Clare listens intently. Clare reveals her marriage to a wealthy white man, John Bellew, and her past living with her aunts after her father's death. Irene feels uneasy about Clare's life and the implications of her passing, and she reluctantly invites Clare to visit her in Harlem.
Themes in this chapter
Racial Passing and Identity
Clare's narrative of marrying a white man and hiding her racial background underscores the theme of passing and its psychological toll.
Deception and Secrecy
Clare's hidden past and Irene's reluctance to inquire about Clare's life highlight the secrets and lies surrounding identity.
Class and Social Mobility
Clare's escape from poverty through marriage and her desire for material wealth reflect the pursuit of social mobility.
Characters to notice
- Irene Redfield
Irene reunites with Clare at the Drayton, shares details of her married life and family, and feels conflicted about Clare's past and present.
- Clare Kendry
Clare reveals her marriage to John Bellew, her childhood with religious aunts, and her determination to escape poverty and pass as white.
- John Bellew
Clare's husband, a wealthy white man from South America, mentioned as the one she married to escape her past.
- Gertrude Martin
Mentioned as part of the old group from Irene and Clare's past.
- Margaret Hammer
Clare recalls being cut dead by Margaret Hammer in Marshall Field's, highlighting social rejection.
Key passages
“Irene wondered if it was tears that made Clare's eyes so luminous.”
Irene questioned whether Clare's bright eyes were due to tears.
Shows Irene's perception of Clare's emotional state during their reunion.
“I had Negro blood and they belonged to the generation that had written and read long articles headed: 'Will the Blacks Work?'”
Clare explains that her aunts, from a generation that debated black work ethic, saw her mixed-race heritage as a reason for hard labor.
Highlights the racial prejudices and stereotypes of the era.
“I was determined to get away, to be a person and not a charity or a problem, or even a daughter of the indiscreet Ham.”
Clare was resolved to escape her situation and become an individual, not a burden or a racial stereotype.
Reveals Clare's motivation for passing and her desire for autonomy.