The Wrong Man by Nella Larsen, 1926
The magic trick:
A Gatsby scenario based on race instead of class
We have two stories from Nella Larsen this week for you, both published in 1926, three years before the novel, Passing, for which she is best remembered.
These stories are not particularly great. Slight and brief, they read more like ideas. But they’re remarkable bits of biography in the growth of an important writer, and they provide fascinating nuggets of social history.
For instance: today’s “The Wrong Man” feature. It plays like an alternative Great Gatsby. The Roaring 20s party is in full bloom. But here, instead of being worried about some kind of haunted Gatsby past based on social class, our protagonist is trying to outrun racism. There is a ton of stuff here that would turn up in greater depth a few years later in Passing.
And that’s quite a trick on Larsen’s part.
The selection:
“But I don’t understand.” The man’s voice was puzzled, “How ‘kind’? What is it you’re asking?”
Reading masked denial in the question, Julia began to sob softly.
“Don’t tell Jim! Please, don’t tell Jim! I’ll do anything to keep him from knowing anything.”
“But aren’t you making a mistake? I – ”
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