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Class
As scholars show, race is not the only primary concern in Nella Larsen's "Passing". Class is also a major aspect that is simultaneously developed. Both of the main characters Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry present a strong sense of class. They also demonstrate how they cross clearly defined class borders in order to obtain more power in their life.

Zulena
Scholarly critics such as Mary Wilson have examined the character of Irene's maid Zulena, who demonstrates  the middle-class African-American family in the 1920’s. Although, Irene opposed to idea of discrimination and racism towards the blacks but when it came to maintaining her social class she preferred the domesticity and servitude even  if it's from the people from her black race. Domesticity in the South was often associated with the black woman but Irene’s decides to maintain the power and class through servitude of another black woman. Wilson examines that the differences in class was not just embedded in the black versus white society but also within the single black race. Such difference can be seen as a conflict between Irene’s ideology and her actions when it comes to maintaining her status as a middle-class African-American. The class privilege is well defined through the skin color as Zulena is described as a “ mahogany-coloured creature” which meant that she had no chance to pass like Irene as white and it automatically decides the role for the black colored woman to serve as a maid and belong to the inferior class. Although Irene calls herself black but having an ability to pass as white makes her behave like white privileged woman too because she happily accepts the servitude  complicating the issue of race and class. Larsen introduces Zulena in the story as a “colored creature”,primarily from Irene’s perspective which is depicts that Irene’s thinks her servant from an inferior class and therefore has a certain distance from her maid.

Clare Kendry
Clare Kendry crosses social class binaries. Clare does not inhabit any particular social class but rather lives as both a working-class and a middle-class woman in the novel. Clare is born in a working-class family where her father is a janitor of the building that she lives in. In adulthood, she passes during her marriage to obtain the lifestyle of an upper middle-class woman. Despite having the luxury and comfort that she has always wanted but never had had in her childhood, Clare still longs for her childhood experiences and constantly visits Irene and her maid Zulena. Because Clare shares many experiences of the working-class, she feels very comfortable when talking to Zulena as if Zulena was her friend. Clare's desire to live in both social classes at the same time shows how these class boundaries are fluid.

Irene Redfield
While Clare demonstrates her class binaries, Irene is very protective towards her own status quo. Irene grew up as a middle-class person and continues to live as such after marrying a doctor. Irene is more hesitant to cross between middle-class and working-class; she isolates herself and avoids all of the circumstances that she might be mistaken for a lower-class person. For example, during Irene's attempt to pass to become an elite white woman at Drayton hotel, she makes a clear distinction between herself and working-class individuals by showing her desire to be separated from the "sweating masses". Irene is also concerned that people at the Negro League Dance might mistake Clare for a prostitute. Throughout the novel, Irene seems comfortable living in a higher social class while Clare constantly crosses between the two classes.