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The Mulatto Figure In Passing Analysis

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From Tragic to Heroic – The Mulatto Figure in Passing Narrative The trope of having a mulatto figure whom audiences love to hate prevails in passing narratives. The figure is often destined to have a tragic ending; the fate suggests that transgressing the racial boundary entails risks and dire consequences. The existence of a fixed racial boundary calls to mind the essentialist definition of race; anyone who fails to conform to the racial system is bound to be punished. Sarah Jane in Douglas Sirk's The Imitation of Life (1959) and Clare in Nella Larsen's novel Passing (1929) adhere to the generic features of the mulatto figure of the genre while leaving the debate open-ended. Is passing ethical? Are the two mulatto protagonists – Clare and Sarah Jane – villains or victims? The two texts leave judgments to the audience and readers. The ambiguity of the issue is achieved through narration and the …show more content…

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