What is the definition of the term “passing” ?
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Answer: A. The ability of an African American to live as a White person.
Explanation
Passing describes the social phenomenon where a person of one race is accepted as White. Historical racial segregation motivated some African Americans to cross racial boundaries. This survival strategy carried immense psychological and social risks. American racial hierarchies created strict legal and social divisions. Literature from the Harlem Renaissance frequently explored the tragedies of passing. Invisible racial lines forced individuals to navigate perilous dual identities.
Racial passing exposes the artificial and socially constructed nature of race. Personal memoirs and novels document the heavy emotional cost of hiding one's heritage. Civil rights movements ultimately fought to dismantle the oppressive systems requiring passing. Doing well on schoolwork refers to standard academic achievement rather than race. Leaving one's past behind is a general life change rather than specific racial passing. Gaining approval from a community involves social acceptance unrelated to passing.
- Subject
- English
- Category
- English Literature
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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