Quicksand by Nella Larsen - Essay Example

Analysis of Nella Larsens "Quicksand" In Quicksand, Nella Larsen explores the way in which social and economic influences impose certain pressures on the mind of a marginalized dark skinned person in 1920’s America. This paper looks into what these social and economic forces are and how individuals are compelled to behave as a result of their manipulative effects. An individual’s indulgence in consumerism has its link with the search for self-identity creating a self-delusional distorted image of oneself. The protagonist, Helga Crane intends to quit her teaching job at the African American School, Naxos and weighs with trepidation the hardships she may stumble upon in doing so. She considers money to be a major issue as she has spent her earnings on books and personal items. Helga’s spending habits are not unlike anyone else’s as author Larsen describes her to be a common person but with more than ordinary wants and needs. "Always she had wanted, not money, but the things which money could give, leisure, attention, beautiful surroundings. Things. Things. Things" (Larsen p.67). Helga’s desire for luxury has her critics in Naxos who call her vain. She is too often seen as comforting herself with worldly possessions in a self compensatory sort of way, perhaps in order to deny the fact that her multi ethnic family, black father and white mother, had disintegrated when she was young. Helga presumes her alienation in Naxos is due to this and also because she satisfies herself with commodities which appear to characterize her life. But Helga seems detached to Naxos’ comments and opinions, at least for a while. Larsen explores the darker themes of the social stigma facing Helga, touching issues of the race problem and the impact of belonging to a mixed ethnic background. When the proliferation of the racism in America and the black middle class’ obsession with it, together with white’s impression of blacks as ‘primitives’, finally dampens her enthusiasm she leaves to Denmark and lives with her aunt for two years. Here among this upper middle class family in Copenhagen, Helga seems blessed with the luxury items her aunt and uncle adorn upon her. The fact that her aunt admires her as an ‘exotic’ African-American further reinforces Helga’s notion of a white ‘construct’ of her race. "You must have things to set off the color of your lovely brown skin. Striking things, exotic things. You must make an impression" she declares (Larsen p.68). Even so, she thinks that the humiliation of racism that she endured in American society is made up with this new life of extravagance. The inference drawn here is that it is not the money that Helga so desires, but all the beautiful and wonderful things the money could buy. Larsen says that this obsession with purchasing somehow suppresses Helga’s yet unexplored sexuality and blames the explosion in consumerism on objectification to which Helga has fallen prey to. This may be part of the reason why she rebuffs Axel Olsen’s proposal for marriage and also in a way of shutting out her long gone Scandinavian mother who neglected her when she was young. In analyzing Helga’s preoccupation with consumption in relation to her desire for self-identity, she appears to be the victim of sexism and racism which have been imposed upon her and were predominant in the 1920s. She struggles to come to terms with both gender bias as well as the stereotype that black people and especially black women face. It is perhaps because of this struggle and her inability to reach a satisfactory conclusion about her identity, that she maintains the role of a consumer till the end of the book no matter where she is and who she is associated with. The constant factor in her life is always the craving for ‘nice things’. In the 1920’s consumerism was becoming the new wave in social circles and the trend extended beyond gender and ethnic boundaries. The sudden spurt and development of department stores increased the availability of ‘nice things’ and one of the main catalysts of this spurt was female consumers who formed the core of the consumer culture. This seems to be a factor that encouraged Helga to resort to purchasing. But a sense of identity is not fashioned through consumption. Helga may be using consumption as a way of connecting with society to develop a new relationship with it. She seems to revel in the satisfaction and pleasure of purchasing, without society looking down on the act of a black woman using her right to acquire possessions. Helga’s new status as a black consumer is uncommon in an America where many of the consumers are white females, but she seems to transcend these racial issues by exercising her rights. Like other women, Helga views consumption as a way of empowering herself. In doing so, she challenges the traditional ideas exhibited in masculine domain and gender based disparities. This active participation of women in new socioeconomic roles defined the 1920’s when women used consumption for self-assertiveness, fulfillment and independence. The period also marked the beginning of the feminism. Another issue distinctly associated with black consumerism is the area of cosmetics and the practice of using skin lightening make-up. In many areas of social life, it was assumed that the lighter the black person’s skin, the greater the chances of him or her gaining employment or ascending the ranks in African-American beauty pageants or winning the hearts of suitors. This desire was widespread among the black people who at the same time were celebrating their ethnicity. While Helga considers this hypocritical she does not endorse using these beauty products wholeheartedly as she deems them unnecessary. She is however obsessive about the desire for beauty and realizes that commanding respect in society has much to do with outer appearances. But in general black attitude only underlines the psychological supremacy that whites had over them. The preoccupation with cosmetics had many critics, particularly among the African-Americans hierarchy since they felt their authority would be undermined with the degradation of moral standards and discipline in black society due to consumerism. This was compounded by elevations in economic status of the blacks in certain quarters. A few African-Americans viewed consumption as a means to bridge the divide between their white counterparts and maintain a reasonable level of equality with them. It was also a way to distance themselves from a demeaning past of slavery. For Helga who had placed a premium on commodities, she found that acquiring them brought a sense of happiness and satisfaction. She is less interested in how consumerism affects the socioeconomic issues of the time and only personal perhaps selfish concerns affect her more. Larsen describes Helga as always searching for that elusive something and practices consumption to navigate her life in pursuit of that goal. In search of employment, Helga discovers that the opportunities are limited for African-America women and concludes that it is society that defines what a black woman should work as. In the 1920’s, even minor clerical jobs were tainted with racist attitudes as employers refused to hire anyone from the Negro population. Economic conditions were not favorable enough to allow her to contribute as a producer. She discovers that her position as a consumer, although it’s something that gives her an illusionary sense of power, is ultimately a subordinating role. In her quest for some form of self-identity, her absorption in commodities gives her a sense of individual fulfillment that she may be deprived of in other areas of her life, at home or at work. Obsession with fashion appears to compensate for her deficiency in position in society and acts as a safety feature for her dissatisfaction. She further realizes that the bliss of consumerism has led her astray and down a spiral of commodifying herself. She now feels used by the same objects that not long ago gave her pleasure and empowerment during their procurement. While in Copenhagen rebuffing Olsen’s marriage proposal, who accuses her of selling herself, she rejects the idea of playing the role of a commodity. "Im not for sale," she exclaims. "I dont at all care to be owned." (Larsen p.87). When she travels back to New York, she realizes that her consumerist behavior that had defined her life, was a result of her dissatisfaction with the commodities she had purchased. They were just not enough to keep her happy for long and so the craving had continued. It is as if she is confessing her sins and shortcomings and ironically almost suddenly, weds Reverend Green who has been an acquaintance. After leaving New York, Helga and the pastor live the remainder of their lives in a small Alabama town in the South. Here Helga finally abandons her consumerist tendencies and resigns to a life of poverty. Helga has redeemed herself. Works Cited Larsen, Nella. (2000) Quicksand and Passing. Ed. Deborah E. McDowell. New Brunswick: Rutgers. Read More