Of all of Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo characters, the most fascinating one is probably Abdul Hamid. Abdul Hamid is remarkable because he insists on having high standards of morality and requires order in a novel that celebrates freedom and disorder. The novel is set against the background of Jes Grew, a supernatural "disease" that passes through dance, music, and excess — a euphemism for cultural thriving and expression. Abdul, however, sees this as a sign of weakness and chaos. Abdul is a devout Muslim and sincere believer in reason and restraint, once even cane-whipping flappers for having short dresses. He believes that the Black people should climb up through dint of hard labor, not excesses. In saying, "cut out this dancing and carry on… we need factories, schools, guns" (Reed 33 (I think, I’m using the kindle so I can’t really tell)), it shows how he sees pleasure as a vice, and not goodness. Abdul's personal morality unofficially places him on the side of the Atonists — the same people whose goal is to oppress and regulate Jes Grew.
These beliefs are made clear during the conflict between Abdul and PaPa LaBas and Black Herman during the Chitterling Switch party. LaBas tries to rationalize Jes Grew as "an anti-plague" that infuses life and imagination, while Abdul claims it to be simply "people twisting they butts and getting happy. Old, primitive, superstitious jungle ways. Allah is the way" (Reed 33). LaBas and Herman view dance, rhythm, and fun as forces of their culture being strong. However, Abdul views them as primitive, undisciplined, and non-productive. Reed sets the stage for us to see that Abdul's beliefs and seriousness is just another form of control. He thinks he is saving the community, but his words and actions seem very similar to the Atonists.
Abdul's story comes to its breaking point when he burns the book of Jes Grew. The book contains the history and the meaning of the movement. Burning it, Abdul feels as though he is burning evil — but he is burning part of culture in life. The act demonstrates how his morality has gone beyond the line. His vision of purity and order eventually leads to destruction of a sacred text.
Works Cited:
Reed, Ishmael. Mumbo Jumbo. Avon Books, 1972.
Hi Jason! I really liked your interpretation of Abdul as both moral and immoral. I agree with your point that he believes he is doing the moral thing by burning the book, but in reality, is suppressing the Jes Grew culture. I do think that he is more than us "unofficially" on the side of the Atonists - he's just another type of Atonist. I also think it is interesting that rather than the Atonists being the one to make Jes Grew subside, he is (despite the fact that throughout the whole novel, it is the Atonists trying to subvert Jes Grew!)
ReplyDeleteHi Jason, I also agree that Abdul's character is pretty interesting. I think that his story line reflects the split between the movement of the new African where younger generations were choosing to explore their African cultural roots while their parents were adamant with their American identities. It would be interesting to see Reed's viewpoint on the rise of Islam within the black community. From the story, it appears that he doesn't agree with them and treats Abdul similarly with Atonists.
ReplyDeleteHey Jason! It's nice to see another kindle reader out there (I also struggle with page numbers). I never thought about the moralities of burning the book at the end, and the irony that plays with Abduls character -- that is really interesting. Does that invalidate all of Abduls other "moralities"? I always saw Abdul as a little bit more in the grey area between the Atonist and the Jes Grew loving community, and in that way he was taken more seriously and had more control. Great post!
ReplyDeleteNice blog Jason! I like how you highlighted Abdul Hamid's devotion to order and morality, and aptly pointed how his devotion actually makes him seems aligned with oppressive Atonists. I agree that it makes Abdul really interesting to read about, since his sense of duty though his faith lead him to promote the same cultural erasure he vehemently opposes. I think Abdul is used as a character by Reed to tell the reader that internalized oppression can make someone both the victim and the enforcer in Reed's opinion.
ReplyDeleteThere are inevitably a bunch of things in this book that we don't get a chance to really focus on in class, and I agree that Abdul is a fascinating part of this complex picture, and we really should have tried to spend some time with that long discussion between him, LaBas, and Black Herman. You describe the contradictions he embodies well, and it is interesting how Reed depicts this proto-Nation of Islam figure as opposed to some key elements of the Harlem Renaissance. The Black Muslims would not emerge as an influential force in Harlem until a few decades later, when Malcolm X was appointed spokesman of the Harlem district, but Abdul is kind of an anachronism--a thought experiment for the question, "what would a Black Muslim's view of Jes Grew be?" As a monotheist, he would be aligned with the Atonists to some extent, but he's also a representative of the new shift toward researching and taking seriously African history and culture during the Harlem Renaissance, and initially he's the one who is committed to bringing the actual Text into the modern world by translating it. (And remember, that translation is still out there in the mail somewhere--it never gets returned to Abdul.) Reed does seem to be taking one last satirical dig at what he sees as the censorious moralism of the Nation of Islam by having Abdul suddenly choose to burn the ancient text because it's morally dubious. He ends up functioning as an Atonist even as he is aligned against them.
ReplyDeleteI really like your statement about the juxtaposition between Abdul's actions against his goals. It's very reminiscent of "the end justifies the means," and in this sense, he somewhat has a parallel towards someone like Coalhouse Walker. These morally gray characters are very interesting to look at because it's hard to distinctly root for or against them, and I think it's really unfortunate that Abdul immediately died without too much action besides burning the text.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that stood out to me about his character, was that he chose what was good and bad. Once he saw the translated work, we are never told that he talks to anyone or gave the text to anyone to get a second opinion. I think this could a jab at monotheistic religions, that believe know the everything that is right and wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting how someone who genuinely believes in the rise of Black people are depicted as aligning with the Atonists in some sense. I'm reminded of Booker T. Washington, who was also somewhat villainized in Ragtime, and his belief that Black people should rise up through working with the Atonists. Reed would probably agree with Ragtime's ironic depiction of BTW.
ReplyDeleteElder Brother Jason, I found it interesting that you analyze Abdul Hamid's character, as despite being a black man who you would expect to be in support of Jes Grew to further strengthen black culture and empowerment but being on the opposing side of Atonist who try to undermine that. I also feel that it contradicts him with figures like Malcolm X who (later on) would believe in the idea of Black empowerment and being proud of African heritage (Given Malcolm himself got rid of his original last name and put x to not be associated with a slavemaster last name). Great post!
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