Does Larsen’s novel Passing, written in the 1920s, conform to all the rules of these genres, or does she break away from any of them?

As you compare Nella Larsen’s novel Passing to other literary works in the “tragic mulatto” genre and/or the “passing” genre, which you read about in the Norton Critical Edition, pgs. 171-218 and pgs. 243-283, think about what these genres might be able to tell us about the cultural beliefs about race and identity that existed in the nineteenth century (the 1800s), before Larsen wrote her novel. Why do you think these genres developed? Why did so many authors feel the need to write stories that all followed a similar pattern? What was the pattern and what can this tell us about society at the time? Next, consider how this nineteenth-century genre may have changed over time. Does Larsen’s novel Passing, written in the 1920s, conform to all the rules of these genres, or does she break away from any of them? Why did Larsen choose to write in this genre in the first place? If you see Larsen breaking away from these genres, why does she do that and what does she accomplish by revising the genre’s expectations? Write a 450-500 word response answering these questions. Be sure to include specific examples from the excerpts you read in the Norton Critical Edition, pgs. 171-218 and pgs. 243-283, to support your answer and use specific examples from Larsen’s novel Passing.