Irene Redfield

Irene Redfield is a doctor's wife. Irene grows up in the south side of Chicago in a predominately black neighborhood. Irene is light skinned, so white people often have trouble deciding if she is black or of another dark race. Irene takes advantage of this one afternoon while visiting her father in Chicago by patronizing a predominately white hotel restaurant. It is here that Irene runs into a childhood friend who is passing, pretending to be white.

Irene seems like a strong, confident woman in the first part of the novel. However, as the novel progresses, the reader realizes that Irene and her husband are struggling in their marriage. Irene will not allow her husband to move the family to Brazil and this has bred resentment that has placed a wedge between them. Irene wants to believe that Brian is content, but when Clare comes into their...