Desmond Tutu once said: “A person is a person through other people…. I am because others are. Essentially what Tutu is saying is that without other people to influence and affect an individual, a person is truly no one. It is the things that others do and say, and how an individual responds to those things, that build personality, depth and character. In Nella Larsen's short story Passing, the protagonist Irene Redfield embodies Tutu's quote. She leads a life in which her children, her husband, and her superior race guide her every move, and she abides by rigid social rules in order to maintain harmony within her community. Rather, her peer, Clare Kendry, disrupts this balance by making decisions in a purely individualistic manner, threatening Irene's concept of a society in which everyone belongs and lives for their respective community. Because Clare is a personification of everything Irene fears, Clare's life gives Irene affirmation of her way of life, but also threatens Irene's lifestyle by challenging the social constructs that provide her security, comfort, predictability and security. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Irene and Clare have wildly different definitions of security, which therefore threaten each other's security. Irene's safety is dictated by other people: her husband, her children, and the black community at large; it is always part of a collective identity. After Irene and her husband Brian argue over their son, Irene expresses, "It was only that she wanted [Brian] to be happy...all other plans, all other ways, she considered them as threats…to the security of the place and substance on which she insisted for her sons and to a lesser extent for herself.” The definitive and conclusive tone of this quote shows the self-sacrifice that guides Irene in her life. Furthermore, the choice of the word "threats" to describe all the other projects that have nothing to do with the happiness of her husband and her sons, as well as the negative connotations of the word, show to what extent Irene has devoted her life to others. . Finally, the expression “security of place and substance” clearly defines for the reader what security is for Irene: the happiness of her husband, her children, and doing whatever it takes to achieve that, even at the expense of his own happiness. On the other hand, Clare's safety is dictated by her own individual desires, and her identity is not tied to anyone else's. When she and Irene discuss their contrasting lifestyles, Clare explains, "'Well, to get the things I want badly enough, I would do anything, I would hurt anyone, I would throw n no matter what. Really, 'René, I'm not safe.'" The blatant nature of this quote and the ease with which Clare is able to express these emotions reveal her selfish and individualistic mindset. Additionally, the use of words as universal as "anything" and "anyone" suggest the extreme of Clare's selfish personality, as there is not a single person or thing she would not hurt to get what she wants Finally, the use of the phrase "not secure" towards Clare shows the mutual exclusivity between being selfish and being secure. Overall, their contrasting definitions of security. create conflict between the two, leading Irene to want to distance herself from Clare, but causing Clare to be more motivated to re-enter the black community because of their relationship.different definitions of security, Clare and Irene are linked to each other; each of their lifestyles creates a contrast with the other and reaffirms or destroys their beliefs in the rightness of their respective lifestyles. As a result, their differences each give them a goal: Irene needs to distance herself from Clare, while Clare wants to get closer to Irene. When Irene receives a letter from Clare, she reflects that “Clare Kendry didn't care about racing. “It only belonged to her.” The unmistakable, confident tone that Irene uses here demonstrates the strength and purpose that Irene draws from Clare's lack of respect for the race. Irene wastes thought and energy on Clare because it reminds her of her own dedication to her race and allows her to isolate Clare from the group. The conciseness and conclusiveness of this quote indicates that Clare's own betrayal of the race gives Irene an excuse and outlet to separate herself from those who do not dedicate their entire lives to their race. In addition to giving Irene someone and something to speak out against and separate herself from, Clare's lifestyle also reaffirms Irene's belief that her way of life is the right one. When Irene and Clare are talking and Clare begins to cry because of the difficulties she is going through, she says to Irene, “'How can you know? How could you? You are free. You are happy. And… safe.” This clear, concise, and powerful statement from Clare to Irene validates Irene's lifestyle. Words such as "free", "happy", and "safe" are all things Irene aspires to be in life, so Clare's recognition of this serves to prove to Irene that all of her sacrifice is worth it. Overall, Irene's ideas of security and freedom are linked to Clare because without her, Irene would not have such personal and direct experience with those who pass into the white world. As someone completely devoted to her race and collective community, interacting with Clare gives Irene purpose and confidence in her own way of life. However, as the novella progresses, Clare's unfiltered honesty brings out the flaws in Irene's seemingly perfect life, leading her to further isolate herself from Clare and the truth. Irene and Brian have had many difficulties in their marriage throughout the novella, but it is always something that Irene has swept under the rug in order to protect her sons and the stability of her life. However, after suspecting that Clare and Brian were having an affair, she tries with all her might to suppress this painful memory. At a party at her house, she gets distracted and pushes the thought out of her mind rather than facing it: "Downstairs, the tea ritual gave her some busy times, and that, she decided , was a blessing. She didn't want empty spaces in time in which her mind would immediately return to that horror...". Here, Irene's ability to realize that her husband may be cheating on her, but then completely distract himself with something as trivial as pouring tea suggests a flawless ability to hide her feelings. Even though it is her marriage that is threatened, she never fails to hide the painful truth and move on with her life. His coping mechanism is to repress and deny this truth, and to psychologically distance himself from anything that might threaten his safety. She demonstrates this further later in the scene, where she is finally able to actually think about the situation rather than just putting it out of her mind: “It hurt. It hurt like hell. But it didn't matter if no one knew. If everything could continue as before. If the boys were safe.” Here, she conveys a more introspective and analytical approach to this.