The Lasting Impact of Given's Death on Leonie, Pop, and Mam in 'Sing, Unburied, Sing'

 

In Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, the question of how Given’s death shapes the lives of Leonie, Pop, and Mam plays a large role throughout the novel. His death shapes aspect of their existence and influences their emotional journeys and relationships. 

One of the most touching quotes in the novel comes from Jojo, the young boy trying to make sense of the world around him: "I like to think I know what death is. I like to think that it’s something I could look at straight." Jojo’s young confidence or naivety is shattered as the reality of death, especially Given’s, impacts the family. For Leonie, Given’s death becomes an unbearable. She frequently sees him when she’s high, which shows how intertwined her grief and addiction have become. The visions of Given haunt her, but they also serve as a connection to the brother she lost too soon. Her inability to process his death manifests as anger, leading to her detachment from Jojo and her self-destructive tendencies. She’s caught between wanting to forget and needing to remember, trapped in a cycle of pain. 

Pop’s response to Given’s death is quieter but no less profound. The trauma of loss is something Pop carries within him, even as he tries to give life lessons to Jojo. As Pop confesses later in the novel, "I washed my hands every day, Jojo. But that damn blood ain't never come out." This echoes the lasting impact of past traumas and the guilt Pop feels for not being able to protect Given. His attempts to guide Jojo show his love, but also reveal how much of his emotional energy is dedicated to suppressing his own grief. The weight of death hangs over him as he quietly attempts to hold the family together. 

For Mam, battling her own illness while dealing with the loss of Given brings an added layer of tragedy. Her reflections near the end of her life, particularly when she says to Jojo, "I hope I fed you enough. While I'm here. So you carry it with you. Like a camel," shows her understanding nature that even as she departs, her legacy and the love she’s given will remain. It’s a bittersweet reminder that even though death is inevitable, the lessons and care we give to others remain. 

Given’s death is a central moment in the novel, not just for the loss it represents, but for how it shapes each character’s internal world. Through grief, anger, and reflection, Leonie, Pop, and Mam navigate their lives in ways that are forever influenced by the absence of someone they loved deeply. The novel traces how death can alter relationships and force those left behind to deal with their own struggles, leaving readers to feel how loss changed everyone it touches and often it is something we need to deal with alone.  

References 

- ChatGPT, version 4.0, OpenAI. Assisted in selecting and placing quotes and providing a title for the blog response. 

- Ward, Jesmyn. Sing, Unburied, Sing