Ethan History as Fiction

  In Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed, we see the atonists trying to take down Jes Grew with any means possible. This varies from directly assassinating important figures (like Abdul Hamid), to using the ultimate weapon: the Talking Android. The concept of a Talking Android is that of taking down a movement from within, injecting an imposter into the midst of change. In Mumbo Jumbo, the role of the Talking Android is ultimately played by Hubert Safecracker Gould, a white man who dresses in blackface and tries to copy black speech in his speaking and poetry. In the climactic scene, Gould, apparently an up and coming poet, presents himself upon other renowned black artists. He performs a slightly bizarre poem, attempting to appropriate black slang, and his attempt is met with mixed reactions, but he does manage to gain the support of a few people, like Hank Rollings, a Guianese art critic.  Now onto the real world significance of the Talking Android: Obviously life has changed in the...