TALKING SUBALTERNS: AN INTERPLAY OF SUBALTERNITY AND MAGICAL REALISM IN SING, UNBURIED, SING

Abstract

The study proposes that in the novel Sing, Unburied, Sing, Jesmyn Ward employs the device of magical realism to make the subalterns’ narrative distinct from the representation of the black community found in dominant discourse. By tracing the African roots of magical realism and further using this indigenous device to discover the allegedly erased history, the article responds to Spivak’s claim that Subaltern cannot speak because they do not have history. The Article further maintains its claim that subaltern can talk by establishing a supporting framework based on the theoretical opinions of Gramsci and Harish Trivedi.  The article finds that the deadlock that Spivak’s otherwise interesting concept of subaltern creates, is resolved by Ward through the use of Magical Realism, and that the suppressed ones can only avoid this charge of Spivak that ability to speak disarm the representative of subaltern of its own subaltern identity, by coining their own means of narration.

Keywords: subaltern, African Fiction, slavery, magical realism