Book Review: Sing, Unburied, Sing

Sing, Unburied, Sing

By Jesmyn Ward

Reviewed by Kristy Dolson

In my last review, I vowed to amplify historically marginalized voices, so this month I would like to bring Jesmyn Ward’s phenomenal novel Sing, Unburied, Sing to your attention. It is a narrative driven by ghosts, and it fi lled me with an increasing sense of horror. As such, this timely take on the road-trip novel is a perfect recommendation for October.

Th e novel opens on the thirteenth birthday of Jojo, the main protagonist. He lives with his black maternal grandparents on their Mississippi Gulf Coast farm. Th e family is poor, but their love for each other is evident in the acts they carry out together to survive. JoJo’s white father, a man named Michael, is about to be released from the state penitentiary. So, Leonie, his drug-addicted and mostly absent mother, decides to take him and his threeyear-old sister Kayla on a journey across the state to bring Michael home.

Along the way, Ward’s characters confront the power and limitations of the bonds of family while grappling with the oppressive racial and class history of America. Th e narrative unfolds through the perspectives of three principal characters: JoJo, his mother Leonie, and the ghost Ritchie. Alone, these characters are unable to deliver the full story. By providing multiple perspectives of this family’s history, Ward invites readers to consider how complex family ties can bind and alienate simultaneously. It is a beautifully layered book that keeps readers engaged.

However, that engagement comes with a price. My feelings for this novel are complicated, and I am still actively sift ing through my thoughts. Ward’s writing is intimate and powerful, sure to leave readers devastated. Th e more I refl ect on the book, the more I can identify distinct elements of the horror genre at work here. Th e horror genre has historically been used to portray evil aspects of humanity with the intention of invoking fear and disgust. Readers are meant to refl ect on these aspects and feelings in order to confront social ills and make eff orts to reduce or eliminate them. Th ink of such classics as Frankenstein, Dracula, or Th e Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But historically, whiteness, and the systems that promote the privilege of whiteness have never been positioned as inherently evil.

In Sing, Unburied, Sing, white people and the systems they represent are positioned as the monster. A climactic incident – the family pulled over by a white police offi cer – reverberates through the remainder of the novel. As witnesses to this life-threatening event, we cannot look away. We must not. At this moment in time, black lives continue to be devalued and dismissed. It is critical for white readers to see themselves through the eyes of those they have enslaved and oppressed. Otherwise, we will never understand the pain and fear of people who are systemically othered. Nor will we feel compelled to change the systems responsible for this continued oppression.

Th e novel is an exhausting experience and not for the faint of heart. Th e ghosts in our collective psyche are real. Ward’s novel deserves a place in the canon of American literature and a broad readership. Together we must confront them with the hope of creating a better future.

The Reviewer

Kristy Dolson lived in South Korea for fi ve years before taking a year off to travel, read, and spend time with her family in Canada and Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education and has now returned to Gwangju, where she splits her time between teaching at the new Jeollanamdo International Education Institute and reading as much as she can.

Written by Joe Wabe

For many cultures in the northwestern hemisphere, pumpkins are a symbol of the fall season. Th eir symbolism of fertility and rebirth, along with their orange color and sweetness, fi t the season’s mood. In Korean, the word hobak (호박) is a general term not only for pumpkin but also for squash and zucchini.

Hobak-juk (호박죽) is a traditional porridge usually made with danhobak (단호박) or Japanese pumpkin, which is a winter squash that is round with a fl attened bottom and is sweet and dark green in color. Although the porridge is simple in appearance, its fl avor is extraordinary with a combination of nutty and sweet character.

Th e majority of Koreans enjoy this dish from time to time as a morning meal, but it is also very common as a takeout meal for people feeling under the weather or unable to eat heavy meals. A few other times it is served as an appetizer or even dessert.

During fall, when the nights become gradually longer, the heavy downpours are gone, and the humidity drops, a fi ne, sweet, and warm bowl of hobak-juk will remind you how lovely fall can be in Korea. It is the perfect comfort food to celebrate this colorful season.

Ingredients

(Serves 6) • 1 mid-sized pumpkin (seeded, peeled, and chopped) • 2½ cups of water • 1 cup of rice fl ower • 3 tablespoons of sugar • ½ teaspoon of salt

The Author

Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat, who has been contributing to the GIC and the Gwangju News for more than 10 years with his work in photography and writing.

Preparation

Place the chopped pumpkin in a pot with water, and let it boil at medium heat until it is soft . Turn off the stove and let it cool down. Next, put it in a blender. Once blended, put it back in the pot, and let it cook for about fi ve minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the rice fl our with some water, pouring it in carefully until the texture is thick, and then add it to the blended pumpkin. Stir consistently to avoid lumps. Aft er stirring, add the sugar and salt, and heat for an extra three minutes. Finally, let it cool off until it is ready to serve.

and motivate local young artists and inspire creativity through multifaceted publicity and the presentation of new types of creative works, thereby strengthening the individual ability of the artists and discovering their potential for growth.

Through the social media platforms, both participating artists and the public are offered an expanded arts festival that allows real-time exchanges anytime and anywhere, regardless of the traditional boundaries of time and space, aiming to increase Gwangju citizens’ interest in local arts and improve civic cultural awareness.

Event Overview

Opening Ceremony: October 10 (Sat) 12:00 noon.

12 hours of real-time broadcast of “All-Night Relay Arts Talk Show” (SNS, Online).

Gwangju Social Arts Festival: 1st Edition

Organized by the KYARK Culture and Arts Opening Ceremony: “All-Night Art Camping” art Exchange and held at Gwangju Citizen’s Hall, performance by 24 artists during 12 hours (SNS, the Gwangju Social Arts Festival is the world’s Exhibition Hall). first “social arts festival” that combines the 21st century’s “Social Art Festival Results Exhibition” largest social platforms and communities, such as October 10–13 (Sat.–Tue.): Art Camping Performance YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, with an arts festival. Results Exhibition (Exhibition Hall). Fourth “All-Night Mini Arts Talk Show” (SNS, Online). It is a premiere event globally, never before done, and “Let’s Go Together, Let’s Know, Let’s Ask, Let’s Listen” aims to reshape the image of Gwangju, which leads in Four-section program (SNS, Exhibition Hall). the promotion of contemporary art and culture at home “It’s Not the End Here.” A new format for a results report and abroad. The purpose of this project is to promote exhibition (SNS, Online).