Blinding Racism

     In Passing, the second meeting between Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry, after going well at first despite Irene's reluctance, falls apart with the arrival of Clare's husband, John Bellew. Immediately, he walks in and greets his wife as "Nig", despite his unknowing of her African American heritage. Bellew does not seem to have any problems talking to Irene and Clare's other friend, even though he is extremely racist. He casually carries a conversation with the three of them, including expressing his racist ideals. Irene's blood boils, but she stays composed, though, I have no idea how. The entire time, John Bellew never even suspected that, in reality, he was talking to three African American women that were "passing" as white.
     John Bellew is a perfect example of how racism, or any extremely strong feeling for that matter, can blind someone. He sat talking to three black women who, if they were looked at close enough, could have been identified as a least a little negro but, knowing that he would only associate with whites, he doesn't even consider that these women were not white. He married Clare and, so, had been extremely close to her for years and had even had a daughter with her, never suspecting she was black. John Bellew never saw the little things that gave Clare away-her forehead that was just a hair too wide or her deep, brown, African American eyes. Bellew did notice one thing, though; he saw that Clare was getting darker with age, hence the nickname "Nig", but probably just brushed it off to too much sun. He couldn't even see that his own wife was part black due to his racism.
     Finally, when John Bellew discovered his wife and Irene at a negro party, he put two and two together. It took him catching Clare with many African Americans to realize that she, too, had a negro heritage. As he stormed towards her, I can only imagine the fear she felt. Although, I can't say that she didn't deserve it. She had been "passing" as white for years and had been lying to both her husband and her daughter. Honestly, that just is not fair to anyone. I have no idea how Clare lived with John's racism; however, in the end, it ended up costing her everything. Due to Clare's need to be involved with her black heritage she was sneaking around behind her husband's back and due to her want of the material things in life, she lied to her husband and passed as white. Whether she fainted, or someone pushed her out of the window that day, Clare Kendry died, in part due to her husband's blinding racism.