Mumbo Jumbo's Remix of History
I loved reading Ishmael Reed’s Mumbo Jumbo for its unique novel style that mixes myths, history, and satire that blurs the line between what's real and what is made up. The story takes place in the 1920s but discusses centuries of cultural tension, and treats history like its a living puzzle. Reed combines different types of media, such as newspaper clippings and photographs, along with conspiracy theories to create a version of history that feels both insane and strangely familiar. From even the first few pages, those reading Mumbo Jumbo realize they are not just reading a story. They are navigating a version of American history where truth and fiction are constantly overlapping.
The way that Ishmael Reed blends real historical figures with fictional ones makes Mumbo Jumbo feel chaotic on purpose. That chaos sheds light on how history itself is often told from only one perspective. And typically, told from the perspective of the person with the most power. By including myths, secret societies, and the mysterious force of Jes Grew, Reed challenges that history is objective. He suggests that what we may think of as a “fact” might actually be a carefully edited version of events that has the ability to leave out the voices of those who were silenced.
In the end, Reed’s interesting telling of the past asks us to look at how stories shape what we believe. If history can be twisted, then maybe it can also somehow be reclaimed. Mambo Jumbo wants us to question not just the accuracy of the past, but who gets the opportunity or privilege to define it. Reed sparks this question without a clear answer, he just simply opens the door to doubt and creativity. In doing so, I feel like he is also turning history into a kind of mystery that those who read Mumbo Jumbo must solve.
Hi Alyssa, I like your description of Mumbo Jumbo as a retelling of history and I think it's really important to remember that under all of the insane prose and dialogue, that is ultimately what Reed is giving us. I also think it's interesting how Reed uses the insanity of his story to make people question how they view these different forms of African religion and if they don't give them enough credit because of their eurocentric point of view. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteI love this description of Reed's direction with the book. I completely agree that chaos like this only stems from seeing multiple perspectives within one storyline, actively working to change our perception of history as fact. I think the weaving of history and fiction works similarly to Ragtime, where this might just seem fantastical, but it holds a greater narrative purpose.
ReplyDeleteWhen you refer to Reed's depiction of history as an active and contentious, a "living puzzle," I'm reminded of Silverstein's passing comment about how the fact that history is constantly changing and being debated and revised is actually "thrilling"--we don't WANT history to stand still, as a static record of some remote past that bears no relation to our present. We SHOULD constantly be seeing parallels and connections to the present, and we should also be occasionally surprised and delighted when a new set of facts compels us to rethink earlier assumptions. In many ways, this novel does dramatize that process--we're certainly getting a version of 1920s cultural history that we haven't heard before, and the utter strangeness of that vision compels us to think seriously about how it might actually reflect a form of historical truth.
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa! Your point is super interesting, and I agree 100%! I feel like much of our understanding of the world is entirely dependent on who we connect with and what materials/media we have access to. Some time ago, there was a short game going around social media titled "We Become What We Behold" that illustrated this, but in a more modern context. You'd take photos of stick figures and the headlines created from the images would essentially dictate how the rest of the plot would play out. Great blog!!
ReplyDeleteWe have been discussing this idea of, is this valid history in class, I personally would say no, but the book asks us to think about our own history. The history we know is very euro-centric. Mumbo Jumbo is more focused on African history, and it strait up makes fun of European ideals. This is not a history book, but with it we are forced to think, to some degree, about our euro-centric education we have been raised on.
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa! Your comments about Reed challenging the idea of history standing still and objective are really interesting. I think this idea of changing narratives is really important in literature, and these pieces of art directly influence the collective memory. As time goes on, the collective society views events and history much differently, even though their objective narrative can not change. This idea of changing perspective is what validates this book and turns it into an objectively true part of history. It both represents and influences our collective memory of the struggle for African American liberation. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa! I think you pinpointed one of the most unique parts of this novel in your post. He uses his powers to combine historical figures, even ones that are worshipped by millions, with his own retelling of events. I love his question of "how do you know which version of events are real," that readers grapple with even as they immediately view his retelling as fictitious.
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