Migrants Of Mixed-Racial Attitudes In The 1950's

Migrants of mixed-race origin - like Leila in The Final Passage, inherently suffered against racist attitudes in 1950’s Britain. In Black, white or mixed race? It is noted that: ‘mixed-bloods’ were seen as anomalies, demonstrably neither one race not another and as such they tended to arouse discomfort.’ This distaste for racial mixing was reflected in the derogatory names given by white people to those of mixed parentage such as ‘mulatto’ the Portuguese word for ‘mule’. The latter resulted in offensive connotations of animal breeding. It is this recognition, that to be ‘half-caste’ is neither belonging to the black or white culture, which causes Leila to recognise her identity crisis. Leila’s racial background provokes feelings of suspicion