The Ghost of the Neo-Slave Narrative : Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied, Sing and the Evolution of the Black Gothic

Beloved by Toni Morrison, while clearly a neo-slave narrative, functions as a transition between the neo-slave narrative and the Black Gothic genre. Jesmyn Ward expands upon the Gothic elements in Beloved in her novel Sing, Unburied, Sing. When examined together, the two novels demonstrate how the Black Gothic was influenced by the neo-slave narrative. Where Beloved examines the effects of slavery on those who were directly victimized by it, Sing, Unburied, Sing shows how the lingering effects of slavery still exist in modern times. Ultimately, Ward offers possible courses of action to make the future more inclusive and diverse without leaving the memories of the past behind