Academic journal article twentieth century literature. This sensitive novel came just one year before her masterwork, the 1929 short novel passing helga crane, the main character, is the mixedrace daughter of a white danish mother and a black father, as larsen was. Nella larsen opens quicksand with these lines from the poem cross by langston hughes. Nella larsen was a modern woman who feels that people of the artistic type have a definite chance to help solve the race problem1. Hostetler is writing a phd dissertation in the english department at the university of pennsylvania entitled revolution and family chronicle. It focuses on helga crane, a mixedrace woman who is a schoolteacher in the american south. Helga is a young woman trying to find her place in early 20th century american society. Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a west indian black father who.
I cant help but wonder how the works of nella larsen are so criminally ignored by those interested in the study of africanamerican literature and the harlem renaissance most texts make a brief footnote, failing to acknowledge the incredible value of this novel and its companion, the erotic and. It is a fitting introduction to a novel that portrays the challenges encountered by a biracial woman struggling to escape the oppressive forces of race, class, gender, and religion. Quicksand by nella larsen penguin random house canada. Quicksand features intriguing autobiographical parallels with larsen s own life, in addition to reflecting many aspects of africanamerican culture of the 1920s. It is to larsens credit that the main character is petulant. Quicksand is a semiautobiographical novel by harlem renaissance author nella larsen. Passing, quicksand, and other stories ebook by nella larsen author 86,684 words. It follows the main character, helga crane, for several years during early womanhood.
Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a west indian black father who abandons helga and her mother soon after helga is born. Quicksand and passing american women writers by nella larsen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Nella larsens quicksand, first published in 1928, was the first novel to give voice to the sexual desires of a black woman. In 1928 nella larsen published quicksand and in 1929 she published passing and then she never published another book again. Essay on quicksand, by nella larsen 2470 words bartleby. Quicksand by nella larsen characters flashcards quizlet. Such problems derive from the general tendency of readers to elevate one social category of. Here are quotes from passing by nella larsen, a 1929 novel focusing on two black women who reunite after many years, one of whom has lived as white.
Selfdelusion and selfsacrifice in nella larsens quicksand. The plot and characterization of nella larsens first novel, quicksand 1928. Nellallitea nella larsen, born nellie walker april, 1891 march 30, 1964, was an american novelist of the harlem renaissance. Alice walker praised it and passing larsens second novel, also available in a dover edition as novels i will never forget. Academic journal article twentieth century literature the gold standard of racial identity in nella larsen s quicksand and passing. As the novel opens, she suddenly decides to give up her teaching position and go north, back to her roots in chicago. Quicksand is a 1928 novel by nella larsen 1891 1964 based on the authors personal experiences with what was called the color line. This book includes both quicksand and passing, both by nella larsen, but theyre two separate books, so im going to post about each individually. Nella larsens 1928 novel quicksand tells the story of helga crane, the daughter of a scandinavian mother and a black father. Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a west indian black father who abandons helga and her mother soon after helga is. Quicksand by nella larsen 1928 literaryladiesguide. Protagonist helga crane, armed with her own standards of morality and reason, faces stiff oppositionherselfin her quest to become an autonomous individual. This sensitive novel came just one year before her masterwork, the 1929 short novel passing. This book is beautiful, deeply moving, and full of colorful imagery that makes the experience so immersive.
Passing, quicksand, and other stories ebook by nella. The daughter of peter walker, a mulatto afrocaribbean immigrant from the west indies and marie walker, nee hansen, a danish immigrant, larsen worked as both a nurse and a librarian. Quicksand is a work that explores both crosscultural and interracial themes. Quicksand was autobiographical in nature and examined a womans need for sexual fulfilment balanced against respectability and acceptance amid a deeply religious society.
Passing, quicksand, and other stories ebook by nella larsen. The brief googling i did about nella larsen made me interested to read her work. Share via facebook share via twitter share via reddit. The tragic fate of an unrequited childhood in quicksand by nella larsen in reading quicksand written by nella larsen one may come to the end of the book with a reaction much likewhat. When the novel opens, she is a teacher at naxos, a wealthy boarding school in the south that educates black pupils. Nella larsen s portrait of helga crane in quicksand 1928 criticizes the ways in which white racist constructions of black womens allegedly inherent lasciviousness have cut black women off from experiencing their legitimate sexual desires.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It also evocatively portrays the racial and gender restrictions that can mark a life. Download this page pdf download left page pdf download right page pdf download whole book pdf partner login required. Quicksand is a novel by american author nella larsen, first published in 1928. Both novels are brilliant little enigmas, but the thing that really gets me is that theyre brilliant and enigmatic in almost completely different ways. Representations of history in nineteenth and twentiethcentury fiction. Quicksand, by nella larsen, is a 1928 comingofage novel about a young biracial woman navigating the inhospitable worlds of america and denmark helga crane is a teacher at. As students become rightly more attuned to representations of gender, race, and class in literary and cultural texts, the subtleties of nella larsens quicksand and passing create interesting problems. The gold standard of racial identity in nella larsens. She was mixed race, with a black father, possibly of caribbean descent, and a danish immigrant mother. While she was not prolific, her work was powerful and critically acclaimed. The novels greatest appeal and achievement, however, is not s.
The roaring twenties after the first world war in the lead up to the wall street crash was made visible with the aesthetic materialism that engulfed the westernized consumerism of america. Helga crane, the books main protagonist, is frapped in the conflict between sexual fulfilment and middleclass respectability and a conflict of. Following is a selection of quotes from quicksand and other works from the complete fiction of nella larsen, by a respected author associated with the harlem renaissance. Analyzing nella larsens novel quicksand english literature essay. A story with autobiographical elements, it was generally well received, though not a big seller. Alice walker praised it and passing larsen s second novel, also available in a dover edition as novels i will never forget. Physically, he is a tall, handsome, young 35 years old, and.
Nella larsens first novel tells the story of helga crane, a fictional character loosely based on larsens own early life. Working as a nurse and a librarian, she published two novels, quicksand 1928 and passing 1929, and a few short stories. Nella larsens novels quicksand 1928 and passing 1929 document the historical realities of harlem in the 1920s and shed a bright light on the social world of the black bourgeoisie. The novel is called quicksand because helga is in a situation from which she cannot easily emancipate herself. Nella larsens fictional young women of mixed race in this book and in passing grapple for a sense of identity and belonging, mirroring her own life. She has published an essay on ralph waldo emersons. Quicksand by nella larsen overdrive rakuten overdrive. Helga, the main character in the novel, is born of a white mother and a black father. Like these people yapped loudly of race, of race consciousness, of race pride, and yet suppressed its most delightful manifestations, love of color, joy of rhythmic motion, naive, spontaneous laughter. Nella larsen, first edition abebooks passion for books. It focuses on helga crane, a mixedrace woman who is a. Quicksand is an epic story of a tragic heroine written with taste and a great deal of wit.
This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on quicksand and passing by nella larsen. Quicksand, nella larsens powerful first novel, has intriguing autobiographical parallels and at the same time invokes the international dimension of african american culture of the 1920s. Larsens adult characters tend to be welltodo and educated for the most part, but all are starkly aware of the plight of blacks in america, and racism is a strong. Mcdowell is professor of english at the university of virginia nellallitea nella larsen, born nellie walker april, 1891 march 30, 1964, was an american novelist of the harlem renaissance. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Quicksand, a remarkable new novel from sweden, takes us deep into the life of maja norburg, who is 18, blessed with beauty, brains and rich parents and on trial for mass murder. The gold standard of racial identity in nella larsens quicksand and passing. Read free book excerpt from quicksand by steve toltz, page 1 of 6.
Harmony, radiance, and simplicity, all the essentials of spiritual beauty in the. This book includes both quicksand and passing, both by nella larsen, but theyre two separate books, so im going to post about each individually quicksand is in some ways a character study of helga crane. Anderson the beginning of the novella introduces the reader to dr. A deeply affecting story, larsen s first novel is remarkable for its prose and its themes. She began to lose confidence in the fullness of her life, the gl. Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a. Quotes from quicksand by nella larsen 1928 by nava atlas on comments 0 quicksand is a 1928 novel by nella larsen 1891 1964 based on the authors personal experiences with what was called the color line. Nella larsen 18911964 quicksand is a 1928 novel by nella larsen, a writer of the harlem renaissance. Quicksand is a 1928 novel by nella larsen, a writer of the harlem renaissance. Nella larsen was an important writer associated with the harlem renaissance. Quicksand bedford college editions by larsen, nella and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. She was an american writer in the 1920s and is considered part of the harlem renaissance. Levine, the norton anthology of american literature, vol d.
The protagonist, helga crane, struggles with her identity and throughout the novel attempts to dissociate herself her black identity. Helga crane, the books main protagonist, is frapped in the conflict between sexual fulfilment and middleclass respectability and a conflict of race and sex which even a religous conversion cannot resolve. In truth, the word fiction can not adequately touch upon the essence of this novel. Quicksand, which uses larsens autobiographical details, follows mixedrace helga crane as she looks for a safe place to exist. This is her first novel and she completed the first draft quickly. The aesthetics of race and gender in nella larsens quicksand.
Helga crane, the main character, like nella larsen, is the mixedrace daughter of a white danish mother and a black father. Quicksand and passing by nella larsen librarything. Analyzing nella larsens novel quicksand english literature. A6 well, not all my posts are about fullmetal alchemist. Helga greens biographical information is nearly identical to that of nella larson, and in helga we, the readers, see a reflection of ms. Quicksand features intriguing autobiographical parallels with larsens own life, in addition to reflecting many aspects of africanamerican culture of the 1920s. Quicksand collier books, 05269 mass market paperback january 1, 1971 by larsen nella author. Born to a white mother and an absent black father, and despised for her dark skin, helga crane has long had to fend for herself. Quicksand collier books, 05269 mass market paperback january 1, 1971 by larsen nella author 4. Quicksand, nella larsen s powerful first novel, has intriguing autobiographical parallels and at the same time invokes the international dimension of african american culture of the 1920s.
Nella larsen s first novel tells the story of helga crane, a fictional character loosely based on larsen s own early life. Helga lost both parents at an early age her father left the family when she was very young and her mother died when she was a teenager, and she spent much of her teenage years in the household of her. However this is not the view suggested by nella larsens novel quicksand. A deeply affecting story, larsens first novel is remarkable for its prose and its themes. The novel was out of print from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Somewhere, within her, in a deep recess, crouched discontent. Passing full audiobook by nella larsen by general fiction audiobooks duration. Born to a white mother and an absent black father, and despised for her. This is her first novel and the first draft was completed in a short period of time.
Quicksand and passing by nella larsen, paperback barnes. In quicksand, helga crane, a young mulatto teacher in a negro school in naxos, georgia, is born of a white mother and black father. Though her literary output was scant, she earned recognition by her contemporaries. Then, in frustration, throw the book down, lean an aggravated head back, and continue to ponder the books in its entirety. Quicksand 1928 was the first novel by by nella larsen, an author associated with the harlem renaissance.