ABSTRACT
Jojo’s growth is at the heart of Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied, Sing, which beneath its complex narrative and temporal layers operates as a fairly conventional bildungsroman. However, rather than present a cathartic climax between mother and son that might mark Jojo’s maturation, Ward charts his development through his increasing ability to listen to the stories of others. More than coming to voice himself, Jojo comes to absorb and appreciate the voices of others. This trajectory parallels the reading experience of the book in which we must create order and meaning amid the diverse and at times competing perspectives of the text. Though Jojo is a highly expressive young man, Ward reminds us that ethical behavior begins less with the articulation of individual voice than with the assimilation and understanding of other perspectives. Jojo matures not through an explosive exchange with his mother but by learning to listen carefully to his family’s stories and coming to recognize his place within them. These stories guide his actions, delineate important values and affirm his connection to a deeply rooted family and community.
