Sing, Unburied, Sing

Despite the realism of its depictions of issues like drug use and racism, the novel also contains many supernatural elements: Jojo can hear the voices of animals, Leonie regularly sees her dead brother Given, and several chapters are narrated by Richie, a ghost. However, this apparent contradiction is actually in keeping with the spiritual worldview of many of the novel’s characters, which blends Christianity with elements of traditional African religion (by way of voodoo). In this belief system, everyday human life is merely one aspect of a much broader reality that encompasses not only nature but also phenomena that are conventionally viewed as supernatural—for instance, spirits. This reality, which Richie calls the “song,” is “why [Jojo] can hear animals, see things that ain’t there. It’s a piece of [him]. It’s everything inside of [him] and outside of [him]” (183).

As Richie’s words imply, some people (like Jojo) have psychic abilities that allow them to glimpse certain aspects of this deeper reality; Mam, for instance, can “hear” what people’s bodies are saying, while Kayla shares her brother’s ability to see and speak to the dead. However, even those who lack such powers are part of an overarching spiritual world that encompasses not only all things but all eras.