Ishmael Reed's "Mumbo Jumbo"

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the approach Ishmael Reed took to write his novel, "Mumbo Jumbo" and then presents an analysis of the novel's main characters. The paper also discusses Reed's use of cinematic techniques in writing "Mumbo Jumbo" and explains that the central purpose of the novel is to present a paranoid theory explaining all of history, from ancient Egypt to the present day, in terms of a struggle between two opposing camps.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Ishmael Reed's Approach
Main Characters
Mumbo Jumbo as a the Voo Doo Theory of History
Anachronism in the Novel
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo (1972), his third and, perhaps, best novel, is an improvisation on the conventional detective narrative. Set in Harlem during the 1920s, the novel ingeniously employs cinematic techniques to juxtapose fact and fiction, ancient and modern history. It follows the cyclical path of HooDoo detectives PaPa LaBas and Black Herman in tracking down the Western conspiracy to destroy the creative spirit and vitality of man, which Reed calls Jes Grew, and to supplant it with the repressive order of Western civilization, whose museums are Centers of Art Detention for the treasures from Africa, Asia, and South America."

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• Analytical Essay # 1642 : "Sir Herbert Reed's "English Prose and Style"

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