Quicksand 

• Genre: Fiction; Harlem Renaissance; psychological 
• Originally Published: 1928 
• Reading Level/Interest: College/adult 
• Structure/Length: Approximately 125 pages; approximately 5 hours and 14 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The protagonist, Helga Crane, a woman of diverse racial heritage, grapples with her identity and sense of belonging in various communities across America and Europe. The central conflict is Helga’s internal struggle with her biracial identity and the external societal pressures and racial prejudices she faces in the early 20th century. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of racial identity; discrimination; social alienation; psychological distress; exploration of early 20th-century racial attitudes

Nella Larsen, Author 

• Bio: Born 1891; died 1964; key figure in the Harlem Renaissance; explored themes of racial identity and the Black American experience; her work is noted for its insight into the complexities of racial and gender identity; winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Writing; brief but impactful writing career in African American literature 
• Other Works: Passing (1929); “The Wrong Man” and “Freedom” (1926) 
• Awards: Harmon Foundation Award (1928)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Impact of Racism in America
• The Ongoing Repercussions of Puritanism Upon Sexuality
• The Importance of Colors

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historical and sociological contents regarding the effect of the Harlem Renaissance on the subject of race relations in African American literature, which impacts Larsen’s biracial protagonist of Helga.