Irene Redfield is an African-American woman whose lighter skin tone allows her to “pass” for white. She only does so occasionally, however, as she feels a strong allegiance to the African-American community and dislikes those who pass for white on a more permanent basis. Irene is married to Brian, a doctor, and left her life on the south side of Chicago to join the Negro community in New York with him. Irene’s place in society is another reason why she does not need to pass; her life in Harlem resembles that of many middle-class white Americans. When she does take advantage of her ability to pass one day, she runs into Clare Kendry, who is passing as white permanently.

Though Irene initially appears to be strong-minded and composed, the novel reveals just how much Irene needs and wants to control her husband and her children. She actively seeks to ensure that Brian does not move the family to Brazil and, as a result, the couple’s marriage is strained. This strain eventually leads to Brian’s affair with Clare Kendry, which Irene discovers towards the end of the novel.