Character Analysis Of Milkman Dead In Song Of Solomon

The African American families in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon present abnormality and dysfunction. Normalcy, seen in common nuclear families, is absent. The protagonist, Milkman, is shaped by his dysfunctional relationships with parental figures.

In the opening chapter of the 1977 novel Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, the author presents a distant relationship between Macon Dead and his estranged sister, Pilate. Macon is shown staring into the window of his sister’s house, watching Pilate, her daughter Reba, and granddaughter Hagar. By simply observing them from the outside of their house, he demonstrates the complex relationship between himself and the family members he is watching. Morrison conveys this conflicted relationship through his use of setting, musical motif, and symbolism behind “Dead”.

At the beginning Milkman is not very pleasant, he was similar to his father, self-centered and mean. Macon

People often admire and yearn for the natural state of bliss a child has due to their ignorance of what 's going on around them. Although it is said that ignorance is bliss, but it is not always a good thing. As an adolescent, that bliss works to your advantage, but as a person gets older it only hinders your growth. Most times one does not know that they have remained stagnant until it has become known. In the novel Song of Solomon, by Tori Morrison, Milkman was unaware of his current state until it was made known to him.As a result, he unconsciously came of age through inner and external revelations.

As people grow up, they shape their opinion of themselves as well as their opinion of others around them. These opinions morph over time into self-worth and value. In Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon,” her characters all carry great amounts of influence on one another. Ruth Dead, mother of the protagonist Milkman Dead, lives her life passively and often finds herself at her father’s grave pondering about life. When Milkman approaches her one day about her habits, she responds with a story about his upbringing and her own. Throughout this conversation (p.p.g 124-126) Morrison defines character as being composed of the type of influence one has on others around them. This is explored through Ruth’s changing perspective on her own character as well as the qualities of Pilate and

Guitar Bains has been Milkman's best friend since they were children. The two share many memories and through them developed a strong bond. As Guitar and

Milkman is about to leave his family behind when Macon Jr. informs him of a green bag in Pilate’s home that is full of gold. Milkman and his best friend Guitar Bains go to Pilate’s house to steal the gold so he and his father can become wealthy. Guitar can be described as an extremist and is part of the Seven Days organization. When an African American in the community is murdered, members of the Seven Days retaliate by putting a white person to death the same way the African American was murdered. As Guitar’s grandmother said to him, “A nigger in business is a terrible thing to see. A terrible, terrible thing to see.” (Morrison 22). This was intended towards Milkman’s father and what type of a business man he was; always being selfish and greedy for wealth. This is how Milkman realizes how his race plays a role in society. Pilate is Milkman’s aunt who treats him as her own son and is protective over him. Unfortunately for Milkman and Guitar, they did not find gold but they found Milkman’s grandfather’s bones. This triggers Milkman and he finally leaves his home in search for gold in an old Pennsylvania farm.

Even before his life journey also started Milkman those who were supposed to love him unconditionally tried to end him. Milkman 's father was that person; Macon dead was jealous of both his wife 's father and his unborn son. "I know he never told you that he killed my father and that he tried to kill you." (Morrison 124). Milkman 's mother Ruth told him the truth about his father, the man he was supposed to look up to and cherish. When his mother told him that his father tried to make her abort him, he was told that his aunt Pilate was the reason why he was alive. "Pilate was the one who brought you here in the first place ... Pilate? ... Milkman was coming awake" (Morrison 124). The moment in which he found out that his aunt was the reason for his existence was an end to what he felt against his aunt and a beginning. Milkman was starting to become less narrow-minded, he was beginning to leave his child like ways of thinking and started to noticed things and acted in them. Finding out that his aunt saved him made him realize that Pilate was the catalyst in his life. That his aunt someone who his father despised so very much was someone who helps give Milkman a chance in life. As the door that leads to his existing relationship with his father closed another opened; the one that further enhanced the

The worst part of a betrayal is that it usually comes from a friend rather than an enemy. In Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Milkman goes on an adventure to find the roots of his family history. While on his quest, Milkman learns and experiences betrayal from his long time friend, Guitar, who misunderstands Milkman’s objective. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby undergoes a series of betrayals from Daisy throughout his life. Gatsby’s love for Daisy blinds him from her acts of betrayal, which eventually leads Gatsby to his death. In Song of Solomon, the relationship between Milkman and Guitar deteriorates due to Guitar’s excessive desire for money and revenge. This is paralleled in The Great Gatsby where Daisy use Gatsby’s love and wealth to seek revenge on Tom.

Part one introduces readers to not only Milkman, but also to his family and friends.

Toni Morrison’s classic novel, Beloved, can be briefly summarized as a story with woman who is living in both the horrible aftermath of slavery, as well as her action of murdering her baby child in an attempt to save her from slavery. This story is based on the true story of Margaret Garner, who killed her own child and attempted to kill her other children instead of willfully letting them all return to lives of slavery. While slavery is today clearly classified as wrong by the vast majority of civilized society, as is infanticide, the event that takes place in this book is not as black and white. These instances of a grayer side of morality represent a sort of moral ambiguity that runs rampant throughout the entire novel. The example that is of paramount importance is when Sethe, the protagonist of the story, murders her child in order to save the child from a life of slavery. While at first glance, this act may seem wrong to modern readers, there is actually some evidence that, when thought about, justifies Sethe’s actions.

While on his quest for the gold Milkman discovers moral value in his family history. While in Pennsylvania he loses all of his material possessions, which enables him to realize his life shouldn?t revolve around material items and sparks an interest in his family history. From information he gathers while in Pennsylvania he believes the gold he is seeking is in Virginia. While in Virginia Milkman learns he has family history in the town of Shalimar. While in the town Milkman realizes he somehow feels connected to the people there. This is a feeling he never had in his hometown. This connections reminds him of his feelings when he is with his aunt Pilate. This opens a strong need in him to find out about his family?s past.

Toni Morrison's use of dialogue in the novel Song of Solomon allows for the reader to further understand the complicated nature of the characters.

how much of a man he was. After he hit his father, he felt a sense of pride as if he won a prize of some sort. The act was more selfish than selfless being that he was not thanked for it. After the incident, he looks at his sisters for validation for his actions but he has never seen the difference between them or separate the roles of them from their mother. His misogynistic views are passed down from his father and this is due to his immaturity and lack of exposure to the independent world.

   Song of Solomon tells the story of Dead's unwitting search for identity. Milkman appears to be destined for a life of self-alienation and isolation because of his commitment to the materialism and the linear conception of time that are part of the legacy he receives from his father, Macon Dead. However, during a trip to his ancestral home, “Milkman comes to understand his place in a cultural and familial community and to appreciate the value of conceiving of time as a cyclical process”(Smith 58).