Looking through these texts such as “Passing” in 1929 written by Nella Larson, gazing or looking at “ the other” is central. Although when it comes to gazing it is shown in a different variety of ways. Two of the ways I would like to speak on and emphasize on are colorism and passing and how it’s demonstrated and represented in the reading “Passing”.  Throughout the beginning of the novel in Part 1 “Encounter” in Passing, it starts with the gaze with demonstrating Irene on her point of view on the letter that she receives from Clare and she tries to see how it differentiates compared to the rest. This can demonstrate the figurative language and symbolism that has been portrayed and also when it comes to describing the letter. According to Passing, it states “After her other ordinary and clearly directed letters the long envelope of thin Italian paper with its almost illegible scrawl seemed out of place and alien. And there was, too, something mysterious and slightly furtive about it.” (Passing, 3). This quote represents how Irene is describing the letter and how it’s fancy and that it’s thin Italian paper. Also how the letter is unusual and out of place and alien compared to the rest of her mail. 

Another way that focuses on and emphasizes on colorism and passing and how it’s demonstrating this gaze in “Passing”  is when Jack greets his wife Clare as “Hello Nig  (Passing, 66). When this occurred Irene was in shocked and stunned that Clare would let her husband call her that and that’s when she gazed at Clare and her husband Jack. According to Passing, it shows “…Irene, who had caught her lip between her teeth and sat gazing at husband and wife. It was hard to believe  that even Clare Kendry would permit this ridiculing of her race by an outsider, though he chanced to be her husband.” (Passing, 66). This quote represents and demonstrates how Clare lets Jack make fun of her and a fool of her race and lets him mock her as well and not defend her race at all, especially in front of Irene. This can determine how passing and colorism are being shown in the novel because since Clare passes as white but her husband Jack still notices Clare’s skin getting darker. According to Passing, it states “He explained: “Well, you see, it’s like this. When we were first married, she was as white as–as–well as white as a lily. But I declare she’s gettin’ darker and darker.” (Passing, 67). This quote shows that Jack was comparing Clare’s skin color before and after her skin got darker over time.