Earticle

초록

영어

As a precursor of the discourse on the issue of race and passing in America, Charles Chesnutt, in his novel The House Behind the Cedars, argues that racial blending might help solve the race problem in America. Employing the trope of passing, he represents two siblings, John and Rena, who take different positions on passing for a white and end up living a different life. John pursues his own dream by passing as a white, leaving his family in poverty and distress, whereas Rena returns home after a brief period of passing as a white woman when she decides to work for the black community. Chesnutt’s narrative demonstrates the fluidity of the border of racial identity in the person of the passing figure in which he or she holds two sides of identity that can pass for either race. He criticizes the evil practice allowed under the name of law that has caused such social turmoils. Through the passing trope, Chesnutt represents the sheerly artificial constructedness of the discourse of race and tries to dismantle white racial supremacy. By making Rena die as a tragic mulatto at the end of the novel, Chesnutt demonstrates the powerful forces of racial prejudices inflicted on black persons of mixed blood.

목차

I. Introduction
 II. Aspects of Passing : Differences between John and Rena
 III. The Victim of Racism : Rena's Tragic Death
 IV. Conclusion
 Works Cited
 Abstract

키워드

찰스 체스넛 패싱 혼혈 비극의 혼혈인 인종문제 인종적 차별 Charles Chesnutt Passing miscegenation tragic mulatto race problem racism

저자

• Jongjin Noh [ 노종진 | Korea Maritime University ]

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