Reed's Depiction of Western Society
Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed presents an alternative viewpoint on Western society. The story centers on Jes Grew, a mysterious and infectious cultural "plague" that is sweeping through America and upending long-held Western customs and traditions. Reed illustrates the strict conventions of Western civilization though Jes Grew's spread while using humor and fictitious aspects to support his claims. When reading the novel, one can understand Jes Grew's significance as an embodiment of African and African American culture. In Mumbo Jumbo , African and African American culture upset the norms of Western civilization, and Reed employs Jes Grew to illustrate this point. Through humor and his non-linear writing style, Reed defies established rules of historical fiction while incorporating mythology, fiction, and history into his works. Additionally, the work has instances where Reed interjects his own views and narratives, while...