The Intertwinement of History, Fiction, and Religion in Mumbo Jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo is an eccentric novel that intertwines history, fiction, and religion. Reed blurs the line especially between history and fiction throughout the novel. We’re thrown right into it at the very beginning, when he introduces the concept of Jes Grew. It’s not an actual physical disease (or plague, or anti-plague) that has ever existed, but Reed weaves it into a portrait of early 20th century America as if it were fact. Reed takes real historical events and gives us explanations for them that fit into his narrative. For example, he tells us that the US occupation of Haiti (a real, historical event) was actually launched by the Wallflower Order in an attempt to quell Jes Grew: “The Wallflower Order launched the war against Haiti in hopes of allaying Jes Grew symptoms by attacking their miasmatic source” (64). Reed states it factually, as if this was the obvious explanation to why the US attacked Haiti in 1915. There are several other examples of how Ishmael Reed plays around with