'Passing' by Nella Larsen – A Level Study Guide for OCR with Guidance Notes (Contextual Focus)

This 34-page, classroom-tested study guide offers a comprehensive and academically rigorous approach to Passing by Nella Larsen, designed for students following the A Level English Literature OCR syllabus (Comparative and Contextual Study: American Literature 1880–1940).

Built on extensive research and teaching experience, the guide develops students’ understanding of the text through eight carefully structured areas of contextual focus, including race, class, gender, and authorial context. Each section combines clear explanation, targeted activities, and opportunities for deeper analysis, supporting both classroom teaching and independent study.

The resource is designed to:

Strengthen contextual understanding (AO3)
Engage critically with secondary sources, enhancing students’ ability to interpret and evaluate scholarly perspectives (AO5)
Reduce planning time with ready-to-use, structured materials

While the guide focuses on Passing as a single text, it also provides a clear model for approaching contextual study, supporting students in preparing for comparative work across the wider course.

Activities are accessible and flexible, with guidance provided for differentiation and independent learning. Although wider reading (including* In Search of Nella Larsen: A Biography of the Color Line* and academic sources such as JSTOR) is recommended to deepen understanding, the resource is usable as a standalone teaching and revision tool.

Free sample chapter available here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/free-sample-passing-study-guide-nella-larsen-ocr-a-level-english-literature-13441908

**Please note that the page references in this study guide correspond to the 2021 Signet Classics edition of the text, introduced by Brit Bennett (ISBN 978-0593437841). **

Contents:
• Introduction
• Contextual Focus 1: Understanding the title
• Contextual Focus 2: ‘The race problem’
• Contextual Focus 3: The American Dream
• Contextual Focus 4: Class
• Contextual Focus 5: Larsen’s early life and career
• Contextual Focus 6: Gender
• Contextual Focus 7: Sexuality
• Contextual Focus 8: Critical reception and Larsen’s later career
• Guidance Notes
• Essay questions (single text)
• Bibliography
• Further Reading Suggestions

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