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Parallels of Musical Appropriation in Mumbo Jumbo and Reality

Ishmal Reed’s Mumbo Jumbo parallels reality in multiple ways. One of the most prominent examples of this is the stealing and appropriation of music from Black culture. In the novel, Moses steals Jethro’s music and attempts to play it off as his own. After hearing of Jethro the Midianite, “who could still play the sounds of the spirit and had a legendary instrument that sounded like an orchestra and knew all the ‘old songs’,” Moses is intrigued and sets out to visit him (Reed 176). Over the next few months, Moses learns all of Jethro’s songs and writes everything down, even marrying his daughter, Zipporah, to obtain the words. Eventually, Moses travels to Egypt and announces that he will give a concert, which consists of the music he learned from Jethro. The only change he makes is that it will be a “dignified concert,” meaning that there will be no “savage dancing” (Reed 182). In this, Moses not only steals Jethro’s music and attempts to perform it as his own, but he also strips it of ...
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Doctorow's Use of Irony in Ragtime

In Ragtime, Doctorow’s consistent use of irony serves as a tool for social commentary, specifically emphasizing the disparities between the rich/successful and those who work for them. While characters like Peary and Henry Ford are celebrated and glorified for their successes, the marginalized individuals who are the backbone of their success are exploited and unacknowledged.  When Father accompanies Peary on his expedition, Doctorow displays the ironic nature of Peary’s so-called “discovery” of the North Pole. Before they leave New York, Peary had asserted that “he and he alone was to discover the Pole” (Doctorow 76). While Peary may get the credit and accolades for his “discovery,” it is undoubtedly false that he discovered the Pole on his own. In truth, Peary is entirely dependent on the labor of others. Mathew Henson and the Esquimos do Peary’s dirty work, carrying the sledges, cooking the food, and building igloos, while Peary merely trails behind and gets the glory.  Doc...
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