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Search for Identity: An Analysis of Milkman Dead’s Transformation Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison centers around a protagonist, Milkman Dead, who consistently depends on others for survival. Pilate Dead, Milkman’s aunt, brought Milkman’s existence into the world. Pilate pilots Milkman into discovering the family’s past by singing “Sugarman,” a blues song that tells the history of their ancestor. In addition, Milkman works for his father, Macon Dead Jr., as an “office boy” by collecting rent from the many houses his father rents (Morrison 222). As a grown man, he has yet to find individuality as he continues to work for his father and live with him. Moreover, he looks to Hagar, his cousin and lover, for sexual gratification who he eventually …show more content…
He uses this to further distinguish himself from his father who does not have this imperfection. As Milkman grows older, he continues to rebel against his father’s influence, develops a strong desire to leave his job as an office boy and moves far away from Not Doctor Street. Milkman’s selfish mind is shown when his father tells him that he needs him now but nevertheless he is still going to leave. At age thirty, Milkman wants to live alone and to obtain his own job instead of taking care of the family business. Milkman does not have any interest in the money earned from the family business. However, no matter how hard he tries to deviate from his father, Milkman shares his father’s ambition for wealth. Wilfred D. Samuel says that Macon Dead Jr. sees money as what goes first. Macon Dead Jr. then leads a life of “bitterness, alienation, and quiet desperation” as a result of seeing his father, Macon Dead Sr., die from protecting his property (11). To initiate his independence, Milkman takes a quest down South in search of gold. Unfortunately, there was no sense of wealth or reputation there. Samuels states …show more content…
Whenever his father gave him the task to collect rental money, he would take advantage of the time to see Hagar. Despite this, the more he saw her, the more Milkman grew bored of her. He described Hagar as the “third beer... the one you drink because it’s there, because it can’t hurt... and because what difference does it make?” (Morrison, 91). After Milkman decided to break off their relationship, Hagar began pursuing Milkman. Hagar carried knives, stalked Milkman, and tried to murder him. Although this was a sign of Hagar’s passion towards “owning” him, Milkman continued to hide from her. Gillespie says that, that part of Milkman’s rejection of Hagar was because she did not fit into the middle class women that he desires. It was only when he journeys to the South where middle class does not exist that he starts to appreciate Hagar’s presence. Demetrakopoulos notes that, “Part of Milkman's ego death is a self-crucifixion when he realizes how selfishly he has treated Pilate and Ruth when only these two women has really cared for him” (56). In general Milkman has a disrespectful attitude towards women before his journey down the South. After the journey, his relationship with women matures. This is a consequence of meeting Sweet, a prostitute whom he wholeheartedly respected. When Sweet bathed him, Milkman did the same thing in return and even massaged her. He dragged Sweet to go swimming to tell her his elated
In the same episode, he begins his incestuous affair with Hagar, leaving her 14 years later when his desire for her wanes. Milkman's experience with Hagar is analogous to his experience with his mother, and serves to "[stretch] his carefree boyhood out for thrifty-one years" (98). Hagar calls him into a room, unbuttons her blouse and smiles (92), just as his mother did (13). Milkman's desire for his mother's milk disappears before she stops milking him, and when Freddie discovers the situation and notes the inappropriateness, she is left without this comfort. Similarly, Milkman ends the affair with Hagar when he loses the desire for her and recognizes that this affair with his cousin is not socially approved, leaving Hagar coldly and consciously, with money and a letter of gratitude.
Milkman thought the bag that Pilate had was filled with the dead white mans gold, but when he reaches Pennsylvania he realizes that he is wrong. He found out the truth when he meets ancient Circe. Ancient Circe is a woman he meets and she represents a person who is linked to Milkman’s past. She was living through the Civil War and mid-wifed Macon and Pilates birth. Circe knew his ancestors and she told Milkman that the bones in the bag were her father’s bones. All this is too much for Milkman to believe without actual proof, so he travels to Virginia in hope to find the whole truth.
Near the end of the book Milkman seems to change his view of his father, with some help from the positive memories of the old men in the passage.
Guitar Bains, Milkman's best friend since childhood, serves as Milkman's only outlet to life outside his secluded and reserved family. Guitar introduces Milkman to Pilate, Reba, and Hagar, as well as to normal townspeople such as those that meet in the barber shop, and the weekend party-goers Milkman and Guitar fraternize with regularly. However, despite their close friendship, the opportunity to gain a large amount of gold severs all their friendly ties. Guitar, suspecting Milkman took all the gold for himself, allows his greed and anger to dictate his actions and sets out on a manhunt, ready to take Milkman down wherever and whenever he could in order to retrieve the hoarded riches. Guitar's first few sniper attempts to execute Milkman did fail; however, the ending of the novel leaves the reader with the imminent death of either Milkman or Guitar. Ironic that t...
McKay, Nellie, editor, Critical Essays on Toni Morrison, G.K. Hall, 1988. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Penguin Books, 1987. Rigney, Barbara.
In Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, men discover themselves through flight. While the motif of flight is liberating for men, it has negative consequences for women. Commonly, the women of Song of Solomon are abandoned by men, both physically and emotionally. Many times they suffer as a result as an abandonment, but there are exceptions in which women can pick themselves up or are undisturbed. Morrison explores in Song of Solomon the abandonment of women by men.
As a result of his spoiled childhood Milkman takes women for granted. He doesn't consider how his actions affect them. This is shown when he realizes he is bored with his cousin Hagar, whom he has been using for his sexual pleasure for years. Instead of buying her a Christmas gift he gives her cash and a thank you note. He thanks her for everything she has done for him and considers the relationship over. Hagar becomes obsessed with killing Milkman. She makes several attempts to take his life but fails because of her love for him. Her last attempt to kill him is when he is hiding from her in his only friend, Guitar?s room. Hagar tries to stab him but after she sees his face she cannot. Milkman tells her to stab herself and says, ?Why don?t you do that? Then all your problems will be over.?[pg 130] This portrays how Milkman is cold hearted towards the opposite sex.
In part two, Milkman goes south to his father's hometown. He is looking for a fortune that his father and aunt had found long before. When he does not find the fortune he begins trying to find where it went. This takes him to where his great grandfather and mother originated. Milkman eventually is led to the town where he is a direct descendant of the town's legend, Solomon. It is in this town that Milkman finds himself and becomes his own m...
Toni Morrison's novel “Song of Solomon" is an evident example of literary work that utilizes the plight of the African-American community to develop an in-depth and complex storyline and plot. Not only does Toni Morrison use specific historical figures as references for her own characters, she also makes use of biblical figures, and mythological Greek gods and goddesses. When evaluating Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon” you can relate each and every character to a specific historical figure or mythological being in history. But to focus on a specific character you would look towards one of the protagonists. Guitar and Milkman can serve as main individuals that can be symbolic of other political and civil rights activist involved in history.
When one is confronted with a problem, we find a solution easily, but when a society is confronted with a problem, the solution tends to prolong itself. One major issue that is often discussed in today’s society that has been here for as long as we’ve known it, is racism. Racism is also a very repetitive theme in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Almost every character has experienced racism whether it be towards them or they are the ones giving the racism in this novel. Racism is a very controversial topic as many have different perspectives of it. In Toni’s novel, three characters that have very distinct perspectives on racism are Macon Dead, Guitar, and Dr. Foster. These characters play vital roles throughout the novel.
Freedom is heavily sought after and symbolized by flight with prominent themes of materialism, classism, and racism throughout Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon. The characters Milkman and Macon Dead represent these themes as Macon raises Milkman based on his own belief that ownership of people and wealth will give an individual freedom. Milkman grows up taking this idea as a way to personally obtain freedom while also coming to difficult terms with the racism and privilege that comes with these ideas and how they affect family and African Americans, and a way to use it as a search for an individual 's true self. Through the novel, Morrison shows that both set themselves in a state of mental imprisonment to these materials
Now that Morrison has explained the background that Milkman comes from the reader can now understand why Milkman has such personality flaws. Milkman is presented to the reader as someone who has much to learn about life and his personality can now be developed throughout the story. Because of his family Milkman grows into a materialistic young m...
In fact, community is not only the end of his quest but the means; Milkman makes progress only as he acknowledges community. In the characterization of Milkman's father, Macon, and his father's sister, Pilate, the novel sets up a distinct conflict between individualistic and community values. Her communication with her father's ghost, for example, demonstrates her belief that human relationships have substance; her use of conjure in Milkman's conception has helped carry on the family; and her song, "Sugarman done fly away," becomes the clue to the family's history. Macon, on the other hand, represents the individualism of "progress."
Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon tells the life story of Milkman and his family. The novel is well written and complex, while talking about several complex issues such as race, gender, and class. Although the novel makes reference to the several issues, the novel primarily focuses on what people’s desires are and their identities. Specifically through the difference between Macon Jr. and Pilate, Morrison illustrates that our most authentic desires come not from material items, but from our wish to connect with others.
...ers to and rides the air, and whether he reenacts the suicide of Robert Smith or delivers himself into “the killing arms of his brother,” Milkman escapes through flight (Morrison 337).