Passing

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

Activity 1: Passing in Black and White

In 2021, Netflix released the film adaptation of Passing starring Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson. Produced in black and white, the film stays true to Larsen’s original text while exploring its themes on race identity, intersectional identity, and relationships between women. After finishing the novel, watch the movie adaptation. How does this adaptation use cinematic techniques to bring Nella Larsen’s themes to life? What additional depth does the film provide for an overall understanding of Passing?

• As you watch the film, note the cinematic techniques and their significance to the overall story.

Cinematic Techniques Significance to the Story

Black and White Cinematography:

Performances:

Script:

Upon completing the film analysis, write a comparison analysis essay. Explain what “passing,” as portrayed in Larsen’s novel and filmmaker Rebecca Hall’s Netflix adaptation, means. What does the act of passing suggest about race more generally? What layers do Irene and Clare’s femininity provide to the message about race? Provide examples.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it more productive to complete the film analysis worksheet after watching the film instead of during the viewing.