Understanding Michael Jackson

There is possibly no greater enigma in the modern world than
Michael Jackson. For over 30 years, he has demonstrated a
remarkably consistent ability to entertain, mesmerize and perplex.
The world gyrated to his innocent odes of infatuation with the
Jackson Five, exclaimed, “How did he do that?!” when he
unveiled the moonwalk, and lamented, “Why did he do
that?!” as it saw his plastic surgery-“enhanced”
appearance evolve from moderately handsome black male to sickly,
sexless question mark. And recently, with his creative output
declining and his looks reaching the extremes of oddity, Jackson
has remained in the limelight through the public’s morbid
curiosity with his two child molestation trials. Yet however long
one follows the self-proclaimed “King of Pop,” however
closely one watches his videos, or however intently one listens to
his albums, captivation fails to translate into any sense of better
understanding. Who is Michael Jackson? Or perhaps more accurately,
what is Michael Jackson? With her new book, “On Michael
Jackson,” Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Margo Jefferson
attempts to find some sort of answer. With analysis that
encompasses the racial history of America, literary parallels
ranging from Peter Pan to Dorian Gray, and the complex psychology
of Jackson and his family, she presents a nuanced analysis of the
various forces ““ historical, cultural, economic, social and
emotional ““ that shaped not only Michael, but also the
audience that alternately loves and reviles him. It is hard to say
for whom this book is written. “On Michael Jackson” is
certainly not for the casual fan who occasionally enjoys dancing to
the bass line of “Billie Jean” and singing along to
“Black or White.” Passing allusions to Poe, Wilde and
Montaigne are a dimension away from the Jacksons’ charmingly
vacuous pop. Topics such as the links between the minstrel
performances of the early 20th century and the routines of the
Jackson Five, with their “globular afros” (one of many
amusing phrases in this stylishly written book), will likely leave
many MJ-enthusiasts scratching their heads. But for members of what
could be termed “the pop culture intelligentsia”
““ those bookish types who love discussing the trivial and
lowbrow with a sardonic air of profundity ““ “On Michael
Jackson” should be required reading. Lyrics that strike this
reviewer as trite, seemingly used only because they fit the
song’s melody, are considered with reflective analysis. The
video for “Thriller” is dissected for symbols as if it
were James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Much of this
analysis is very interesting, but definitely not for everyone. Does
Jefferson’s work allow a better understanding of the
enigmatic moonwalker? Her insights into Jackson’s
relationship with his family, sexuality and race are never cliche
or tedious, though it seems like this ground has already been
covered countless times. More interesting are the accounts of the
historical and even literary connections that place the Michael
Jackson phenomenon in its context. From Uncle Tom to Mr. Bojangles,
minstrel to Motown, the entertainer’s astonishing talents and
peculiar ways can be appreciated as products of myriad influences
all operating simultaneously. “On Michael Jackson”
shows the entertainer to be an immensely talented, tragically
confused individual forced to live his life on stage and never
recovering from the experience. We cannot know Michael Jackson, but
after reading Jefferson’s book it seems that he does not even
know himself.

-Brendan Kearns