Abstract
In Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone, the mixed-race character of the novel, Ezra Jennings,
is intentionally written as racially ambiguous due to the contradictory descriptions of his
appearance. This comes at a time of The Moonstone’s serialization in America and Britain made
readers confront their racial prejudices in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857-58 and
the American Civil War. Additionally, Ezra’s characterization was influenced by two real-life
individuals who were involved with both conflicts, providing commentary on the racial tensions
at the time. These factors into Ezra’s characterization serve as a critique on the American and
British views of miscegenation at the time.