Zachary's 20th Century Blog

(Note: I’m just explicating what I think Reed’s argument is, not sharing my own views) How does Ismael Reed treat Moses in the Chapter 52s in Mumbo Jumbo? There are a lot of contrasting religious and historical theories about Moses: if he was literally a real person, and if not, what the figure of “Moses” in the Old Testament represents. In traditional Jewish history, Moses is an Israelite who “washes up” in Egypt and leads an Exodus of the Jewish people (with some help from God’s 10 Plagues), freeing the Jewish peoples from their enslavement. Modern historical theory agrees that Moses (if he is literally a real person) was Egyptian, not an Israelite as Jewish tradition decrees. Furthermore, there is a mainstream historical theory that Moses is not a real person (as I have alluded to) but instead is a figurative representation of a real historical figure. I argue that Reed endorses this view. Specifically, I think Reed endorses the view that Moses represents Akhenaten, an Egyptia...

An interesting theme in Ragtime is the paradigm of recreation and reincarnation that Doctorow creates throughout the novel. The idea of literal reincarnation is first brought up by J.P Morgan as he discusses the topic with Henry Ford. Both men endorse the idea of literal rebirth, and Henry Ford even notes that he feels he is a genius because he has just lived more times than other humans. Although most readers in contemporary times regard this idea as preposterous, reincarnation takes a more figurative meaning throughout the book as many characters experience a rebirth and reform themselves, including Harry Houdini and Tateh. Harry Houdini was born as a poor Hungarian Jewish Immigrant named Erik Weisz. He had a flat face shaped like an upside-down triangle, with a noticeably crooked nose. He could never gain any sort of acceptance, success, or fame as a Jew. So, he decided to reinvent himself as Harry Houdini, naming himself after a famous Frenchman named Houdin. He left behind e...