American Literature

In Nella Larsen’s brief but drama-filled novel, Passing, we witness the development of a complicated relationship between the main characters Irene and Clare. This development occurs over the course of multiple encounters, reencounters, and surprise visits between these two women. Within each of the two characters’ interactions, we see a range of emotions. The…

Maud Martha, a novel by Gwendolyn Brooks, tells the story of the book’s namesake and her life growing up and existing as a Black woman. Through a series of vignettes, the novel poses questions about beauty and self-worth and challenges conceptions of class and race. The novel depicts Maud Martha’s journey to understand her…