song of the solomon

Not everyone knows there true identity yet, we go through a series of life tests and have to go searching for ourselves for who we really are and our purpose in life. In the book Song of the Solomon, by Toni Morrison she tells a story of a man by the name of Macon Dead III, also known as Milkman. This character has been sheltered his whole life by his mother and father, in results from being sheltered, he tends to take on ways of his father which are the following: being caught up in materialistic values, arrogance, and utilization of women. Milkman does not have a sense of direction nor does he know any other family members but his sister, mother, father, and Aunt Pilate whom his father forbids him to see. This character shows he has no identity because he has no morals and has a lack of ancestry which cause him to have a sense of rootlessness.
As the story further develops, Milkman starts to undergo a change leading him to find out his true identity. When Macon Jr. tells him about the story of why he treats his wife the way he does, Milkman starts to question the response that his father gave him, in his curiosity he talks to his mother and questions her one night about what he has heard. He finds out that he was born from an aphrodisiac that his Aunt made; this symbolizes that he was already a lost soul from the start Morrison states “ “ (page). Pilate, a character that the author uses as a symbol for guidance for Milkman to find himself we see is the only person that knows her true identity. Milkman also has another person in his life that tires to help him see himself and that person is known as Guitar. “This definitely is not Montgomery, Alabama. Tell me. What would you do if it was? If this was Montgomery?...

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...that he had caused her great heartache. “ “ (page). Milkman states “ “ (page). Pilate is excited about this news and they go to bury the bones of his grandfather Jake. Guitar shots Pilate and at that moment when the story ends Milkman states “ “ (page). Morrison showed us a major change from who the character was at first. Milkman finds his true self and he now knows what Pilate knew, and that was to live your life and be free. The purpose of Milkman’s journey at first was to find gold, but when he receives information about his family history that become the gold in his eyes because that’s what he ended up searching for ancestry. Finding out his family history lead to a better understanding of life “ “ (page). He no longer has a sense of rootlessness and he is now assure of his identity.