Death and remanence in Sing, Unburied, Sing

 The book Sing, Unburied, Sing connects the living and the dead through complex interactions that both heal and inflict pain on the characters. The story spans over multiple generations, intertwining them by showcasing the dead as ghosts that interact and shape the personalities of Jojo, Leonie, and Pop. These ghosts serve as reminders of the pain, guilt, and unresolved trauma carried by the living.

Given, despite being killed by Leonie’s cousin, continues to appear to her. His presence provides both comfort and a painful reminder of her responsibility to improve and be a better person and a mother. His ghost pushes Leonie to reflect on her actions, encouraging her to become a better person, especially in her role as a mother. His silence as a ghost portrays the deep connection shared between Leonie with her brother, that his appearance and looks of disapproval as a ghost are not just her hallucinations at work but her conscience that have taken up Givens form to pull her out of the self-destructive pit she has been stuck in.

On the other hand, Richie’s Ghost acts as a newsflash to Jojo, of the atrocities that are inflicted by race in the country and mainly centers around Richie’s relationship with Pop during his time alive; and as a 12-year old ghost to Jojo. As a character who unlike Given, is not just a part of one’s conscience but with an unresolved quest, Richie’s ghost leads to helping Jojo truly understand the heinous crimes that people belonging to other racial communities are subjugated to. Standing witness to Pops confession of his involvement in Richie’s death I believe is a reality check for Jojo, as he is forced to come to terms with seeing his grandfather who he as of yet believed to be a protective figure in his life as someone with a dark side and understanding pop’s guilt and pain that arose from relieving Richie from suffering years ago at the penitentiary. 

Ward’s inculcation of Ghosts in the story, and their interactions with the living silent and otherwise, have a deep impact on shaping the personalities of Jojo and his mother Leonie, along with uncovering the suppressed pain of Pops from years ago. The visions of Givens Ghost, and Jojo’s interaction with Richie’s Ghost both reignite the trauma and horrors that shaped their Family and even years later continues to impact the lives of Jojo and his sister Kayla. Death and Remanence in the book hence plays a vital role in helping us readers understand the power and influence of intergenerational trauma and suffering that haunts the lives of the characters, forcing them to confront their pent up issues- pain, guilt and fear.