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A Viral Concept; What is Jes Grew?

  The oral tradition is often spoken of when discussing the histories of places where written language didn’t exist, or at least was not prominent. Often, we may think of Africa (although it is much too large a continent to describe well briskly). In the book (Our Text; “Mumbo Jumbo”), Jes Grew; an anti-plague (or plague, depending on who you ask) began it’s outbreak in New Orleans– in connection to Haiti– and is described to have a Text. This Text contains the dance moves of a prince from ancient Egypt, who was the first recorded case of Jes Grew. However, the text turns out to have never really been, nor would it have fully encapsulated the polytheistic and ever-fluid Jes Grew. So, what exactly is Jes Grew?       One might consider Jes Grew to be a feeling (after all, those are caught easily). One might especially be led to believe this due to the Papa La Bas quote on page 211. “Scott Joplin has healed many with his ability to summon this X factor, the Thing...
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Nudity, Girlhood, and the Child Within; How Little Girl becomes Evelyn Nesbit's Inner Child

       The concept of the inner child is one often explored by therapists, modern media, and online life gurus living out of their vans. This very same concept of the inner child; unresolved childhood traumas becoming formative elements of adults’ lives, is explored through Evelyn Nesbit’s relationship with Little Girl. Evelyn Nesbit is the exact character who would need a strong inner child, as she had been exploited from a young age, and continuously exploited since.       On page 42, Evelyn steps out of her car after her chauffeur opens the door for her, and kneels down in front of Little Girl. After a description of the little girl’s appearance, we are given two sentences back to back. “She gazed at Evelyn without curiosity.  She was the most beautiful child Evelyn had ever seen,” (Doctorow 42). This sequence– a description of the girl’s qualities, ending in a short sentence about her not recognizing Evelyn, swiftly followed by Evelyn’s a...
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