Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

In a literary work, theme is defined as the main idea or underlying message (Literary Devices). In Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, there are a several themes that communicate lessons to the reader. The central themes conveyed in the novel are flying to freedom, the influence of racism, and the abandonment of women.

First, the theme of flying to freedom is the main theme of Song of Solomon. The novel starts with an insurance agent, Mr.Smith, attempting to fly off the roof of Mercy Hospital. After his failed attempt, Milkman is born in the hospital. This causes Milkman to learn at a young age that he unable to fly. As he grows older, he sets out to learn about his history and discovers that his great-grandfather, Solomon, actually flew back

The novel takes place between the 1930s and the 1960s. It includes a few real historical events that took place during this time such as, the killing of Emmett Till and the Birmingham church bombing. In the beginning of the novel, Reba won a contest for being the half millionth person to walk into Sears; however, the second person to walk in was put in the paper. Morrison says “But they put the picture of the man who won second prize in. He won a war bond. He was white—only reason they got a second was cause she was the first. And the only reason they gave it to her was because of them cameras” (46). This situation shows that racism is still an apparent problem in the community. Later on in the novel, Milkman thinks to himself “He wondered what they would do if they didn’t have black and white problems to talk about. Who would they be if they couldn’t describe the insults, violence, and oppression that their lives (and the television news) were made up of? (Morrison 107)). This quote says a lot about how racism has shaped the lives within the community. Being oppressed has become a part of their identity. In the novel, Guitar is a part of a group called the Seven Days. This group kills random whites whenever an innocent black life is taken. Guitar sees no problem with this and feels that every white is racists and deserves what is coming to them. This shows the impact racism can have on a person’s