Song Of Solomon Character Analysis

The utilization of traditional and non-traditional gender roles in the novel “Song of Solomon” written by Toni Morrison shows the influences, expectations and impact that the gender roles have and place not only on the individual characters but on men and women in general and within the different communities.

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”.

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

Personalities are not predetermined, but developed over time based on social commodities like family situations or lifestyles. Traumatic or memorable moments, like barbarity, also shape individuals’ character. In Song of Solomon, through Macon’s use of violence and the effect of brutality on Milkman, Toni Morrison reveals how cruelty and actions define roles in society and how it affects the characteristics of individuals.

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

While it is seen that Milkman is looking for his inner self, he wasn 't trying to accept his outer appearance and struggles that came with his complexion. One-day Milkman and his friend Guitar were discussing the tribulations of the blacks in the south. Guitar poses the question of what Milkman would do if Pennsylvania, where they currently reside, was to become like Montgomery, Alabama. Milkman then responds with, "Buy a plane ticket." (Morrison 104) As a result of growing up wealthy and being sheltered from troubles, Milkman has this mentality that his money will be his ticket out of everything including racial issues. Guitar tries to help him see past his money, that his money does not erase the racial prejudices Caucasian people have about blacks. Guitar tries to demonstrate the idea that your problems don 't leave just because you do. While also attempting to make Milkman acknowledge the fact that his skin isn 't green but brown.

To begin, Morrison introduces Milkman as a character that is afraid, insecure or believes of himself as inadequate through the first chapters of the novel. Macon is once again restating how he feels about Pilate, he thinks she has no benefits for Milkman. For instance, Macon state's, “...Own things. And let the things you own own other things. Then you’ll own yourself and other people too” (Morrison, 55). This shows that Macon’s love for material possessions was established through watching his father die trying to defend his property. As a result, Macon has rejected natural loves from humanity, instead he prefers wealth and power to a happy existence. Milkman has also inherited his father's lack of spirituality, and appears to be heading down the same path of destruction because he shows some signals of self doubt and being afraid to speak up for himself; do the right thing. Moreover, the narrator was describing some of Milkman’s important moments in his life in which his father was the bad guy. For example, it says, “And [Milkman] did try, as his father’s employee, to do the work the way Macon wanted it done. Macon was delighted. His son belonged to him now and not Ruth” (Morrison, 63). Milkman's low confidence and self esteem led to him doing things he wasn’t so happy but he had to do our right because of his dad. Macon had a lot of expectations and Milkman didn’t wanted to disappoint him so, he did everything correctly. Also, this shows that Milkman was trying to be less like his father because he was doing the opposite of what he’s father might have done; doing the right thing. To sum up, Milkman

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.

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

Just like his father, Milkman tried to be blind to the racial issues that go on in his world. Being self-absorbed with his life doesn’t believe certain racial issues affect him. He comes from a wealthier family than the people in his community. When Milkman started working for Macon Jr., he started hanging out with Guitar more. This is when we see the obvious difference in their mentalities. In Chapter 3, Guitar and Milkman are in the barbershop and the men are talking about the murder of Emmitt Till. While Guitar and the other men feel passionately about the subject, Milkman tunes out the conversation and believe that it doesn’t affect him personally. As they grow up, Guitar continues to fuel a hate for white people and join a group called the Seven Days. This group performs any violent acts against whites to avenge the injustices caused against African-Americans. There are only seven men in the group and each

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.

Initially, Milkman’s journey leads him down a path that resembles cultural influences of mainstream America. This is the same direction in which his father, Macon Dead, Jr. navigates his life—seeking wealth, prosperity, and likeness to White Americans while remaining undisturbed by the problems inherent to his community. Milkman tries to imitate this characteristic of his father’s until he grows older and realizes that one of his legs is shorter than the other which requires him to walk with a limp. At fourteen, “Milkman feared his father, respected him, but knew, because of his leg, that he could never emulate him” (Morrison 63). Once again Milkman’s sense of identity is stumped and while he tries to imitate his father, he becomes different, nonetheless, in his behaviors.

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

Milkman inherits masculine possessiveness and dispassion from his father, Macon Dead, who makes a living through a cold

All that Milkman knows of his family's roots are the facts that they originated in Virginia and his grandfather was killed on his farm in Pennsylvania.  He knows nothing of his ancestor's struggles with oppression and slavery.  Therefore he does not understand or appreciate his African American heritage. When Milkman is in his thirties he does, however, learn of a story of the possibility of gold being hid in a cave in where his father grew up.  Milkman believes that if he finds this gold that he will have the wealth and power that he needs to be free of his father's rule.  What Milkman doesn't realize is that not only is he about to embark on a "gold hunt" for gold he is also on a "gold hunt" for his identity.