“How lonely it can be living in a world not meant for you”: Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half on Diasporic Identity and White Passing

Abstract

[eng] This dissertation analyzes The Vanishing Half, an intergenerational fictional novel by Brit Bennett, published in 2020. The aim of this paper is to closely examine The Vanishing Half and its representation of race and white passing in order to discuss the consequences it has on the consciousness of the subject. In addition, an analysis of the economic, social, and educational position of African-Americans through a comparison of the Vignes twin sisters and their daughters will be conducted. It can be concluded that the latent division between black and white individuals in an inherently racist society ensures the lack of opportunities and resources for the latter. Moreover, white passing is a performance directed at the white majority, since it is the group that has enough power to determine the trajectory of a black person’s lifelong opportunities. Finally, it can be stated that white passing provokes Stella’s diasporic identity inside her own country.