Song of Solomon

Filled with imagery and symbolism from the Bible, this magisterial novel also draws on the epic tradition, tracing the roots of four generations of an African-American family as they fight a series of battles--against the legacy of slavery and racism, the loss of cultural values and roots, the trauma of injustice, and the self-centeredness resulting from economic success. For all its elegance of development and seriousness of purpose, however, this 1977 novel by Toni Morrison is decidedly earthy, filled with unusual characters and exciting, often sensuous, stories about a family descended from Solomon, a freed slave who, according to legend, flew on his own wings back to Africa, leaving his wife and twenty-one children behind.

The male protagonist, Milkman Dead, is the arrogant son of a wealthy slumlord. His aunt Pilate, a poor woman whose life is filled with love, is so vibrant a contrast and so dominating a force in the family, however, that she becomes the fulcrum upon which the action turns. Milkman's selfishness vs. Pilate's compassion, his desire to escape from the family vs. her need to remember its stories and its past, his love-'em-and-leave-'em attitude toward women vs. her generosity of spirit ("If I'd-a knowed more people, I'd-a loved more," she says)--parallel the tensions which seize every generation of this family.

The novel develops impressionistically, not chronologically, as stories about characters from four generations unfold, seemingly at random. The relationships of all these characters, along with the time line in which they live, evolve only gradually. When Milkman's father, Macon Dead, Jr., tells him the story about how he, accompanied by his sister Pilate, killed a man in a cave and then discovered many bags of the man's gold, Milkman begins the journey which will lead to his discovery of who he is and what gives real meaning to life. In an effort to find the missing gold, he travels to the farm where earlier generations of the family lived, discovering, in the process, the missing links in the family's chain of memories.

Racism is a pervading theme, from the flight of Solomon to the execution of Macon Dead on his own land, and, in the 1960s, the formation of The Seven Days, a vigilante group that kills whites in direct proportion to the number of blacks killed and left unavenged. The novel is primarily about an arrogant young man's self-discovery, however, and the importance of being connected. Lyrical, richly descriptive, powerfully dramatic, and filled with symbols and motifs that connect Milkman in universal ways to the Bible and to the earliest epics, this is Toni Morrison at her best. n Mary Whipple

With passion and a voice that sings with beautiful detail and magic, Toni Morrison's third novel, published in 1977, is a powerful tale that follows the lives of a black family and their friends living in a Michigan city. In 1931, Macon Dead III, later nicknamed Milkman, is prematurely brought into the world, the first black child born in Mercy Hospital, just after his mother witnesses the brief flight of a man determined to fly from the cupola of the hospital. Although the novel revolves around Milkman, the stories spun out from him embrace a wide variety of characters and experiences. Morrison explores the lasting stamp of slavery through the name of Macon Dead; the intimate culture of women through Pilate, Reba, and Hagar; the hunger for property and respectability through Milkman's father; the idea of one's "people" through those in the South who have not forgotten connections; the violence of civil rights through Guitar; and many more issues facing blacks of the times and today. Despite the resonance of history, this novel is ultimately about its people and their eagerly lived lives. Morrison plunges her readers into their hearts with a humanity and skill too few novelists possess. The result is a remarkably emotional and intelligent story that will stay with you for a long time.

Readers should not be intimidated by Morrison's Nobel Prize Winner status, as this novel, like most of her others, is written in startling but accessible language. You don't need an advanced degree (or even a specific race or gender) to slip into her magical prose. Her characters are real and fully realized, and feel like friends, even when you might want to shake them to their senses. Although some readers will be puzzled by the end, wanting perhaps the next sentence that explains it all, Morrison has included by her omission the real meaning of her book. Visit with it for a few moments before closing the cover.

I highly recommend this book for a wide range of readers, from high school students to adults. Even though it was written in the 1970's, its themes and characters still have relevance today. Morrison is one of the world's literary gifts, and should not be missed. THE SONG OF SOLOMON is one of her best novels.

The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is one of my favorite books despite the extra effort needed to understand the hidden messages. The book grabs the readers from the first page where a Black man believes he could "fly off" to freedom sacrificing his life, while a strange woman is singing in the background. The next day the protagonist, Milkman, comes into life. This intriguing story holds the struggle between Whites and Blacks, and the search for identity and family root. I recommend this book to any teenagers and adults who are seeking for a deep reading.

The repeated themes presented in this book portray the importance of family. Milkman is the youngest and the only male child between Ruth and Macon. He is described as a selfish and egotistical man. When he sees a green sack hanging on Pilate's door, he believes its gold that Pilate and Macon found. However, to his disappointment, it held pieces of bones; Milkman realizes the gold could be left where it was found initiating the journey of Milkman. It begins as ajourney to seek gold, but later ends up as a journey to seek his family root and his own identity. One of the obvious themes of postmodernism in this book is deconstruction, seeking criteria of identity and truth. Some other obvious themes are struggle between two classes and sacrificing for one's desire.

Throughout this journey, Milkman visits three main places: Dansville, Virginia, and Sharlimar. These places begin to aid Milkman by guiding him to his hidden history about his family. How his family got the name Dead, who his great-grandfather is, and whose bones are in Pilate's green sack are some of the things Milkman finds out. He figures out that his great-grandfather Solomon is a famous slave who literally flew off the ground to Africa for freedom. Solomon even sacrifices his family for his desire to become free.

Symbolisms allow the readers to think twice about the meaning of words. This book can not be understood by skimming. The readers must interact with the author. Symbolism such as flying as escapism holds the readers interested, while the exact meaning of some words are left for the readers to decide. On top of this, intricate relationships between families and friends, and their ironical changes keep the story from being dry. For example, the binary opposition Guitar goes through with Milkman is surprising. From the beginning of the book, Guitar and Milkman are best friends who give each other trust. However, when the gold was to be divided between Milkman, Macon, and Guitar, Guitar lets his greed take-over his friendship. He begins to suspect Milkman, who seeks a journey by himself to find the gold that he promises to share. Guitar even sacrifices to kill Milkman for his share of gold. Studying these relationships prevent the readers from dropping this book.

I have only covered very little of this great book so I strongly recommend teenagers and adults to have a good read of this book. It contains life lessons, interesting relationships, struggle between two classes, sacrifices for one's desire, and so much more.

Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon captures the reader with its first sentence. While a beautifully written story, it is one with which the reader must be prepared to invest some time. Morrison makes her reader dig past the literal meaning to find the figurative because the novel is about much more than what the surface shows. Her prose contains layered meanings that at times can be difficult to grasp due to Morrison's intricate phrasing. Song of Solomon, written in 1977, depicts a divided African American family living in northern Michigan during the 1930's. As with many of her novels, Song of Solomon hits at heavy themes. Within the novel Morrison touches on issues including race, gender, geography, age, the importance of family origins, and the value of human life. With this novel Morrison's aim was to make the reader think about the value and worth of another person's life.

The novel begins outside of a residential hospital, with a man preparing to jump off the building, and women struggling to give birth on the steps below. "The next day a colored baby was born inside Mercy for the first time" (9), this colored child is the main character Macon Dead, nicknamed Milkman. Next, the reader meets the other characters in the novel, including Milkman's mother, father, sisters, aunt, and his close friend Guitar. Milkman's relationship with each of this character is essential to shaping the novel's themes. Although the novel is centered on Milkman, his story is created by the lives of those around him. Through out the novel Milkman struggles to find meaning in his life. He says, "Everybody wants something from me, you know what I mean?...Something they think I got. I don't know what it is-I mean what it is they really want" (222). Milkman's effort to find that `something' takes him in many directions, the most important of these being a journey, in an effort to prove himself in the eyes of his friend and father, in search of stolen gold. What began as lust for money and power turns into something much more for Milkman. On this particular journey he is forced to re-evaluate his life, "They were troublesome thoughts, but they wouldn't go away...his self--the cocoon that was "personality"-gave way...so the thoughts came, unobstructed" (277). The end of this journey brings understanding, and change not only to Milkman, but to all those connected to him. The story is a skillful blend of characters and plot developments that form a complex tale of human discovery which takes the reader from birth to death, from north to south, and from emptiness to fulfillment.

The beauty and power of Morrison's writing is what makes this novel so effective. Morrison's descriptive words create vivid imagery and strong themes; the most prevalent of these is the importance of family, and the value of life. Morrison presents these themes amidst a setting displayed in colorful and descriptive language. Scenes such as the first, impact the reader because of the intensity of the words. Instead of using simple sentences such as "the women dropped her basket and spilled the contents," Morrison uses phrases such as "she dropped her covered peck basket, spilling red velvet rose petals. The wind blew them about, up down and into small mounds of snow." The wording is so detailed that the reader can picture vibrant red roses swirling in the air, drifting on to the pristine snow. The difference is the effect of the language; Morrison's vivid prose makes the story come alive inside the reader's mind.
The themes of this novel are brought out before the story even begins. On the two pages prior to Part One of the novel, Morrison has her dedication. On one page, it simply reads "Daddy," on the other it reads, "The fathers may soar/ And the children may know their names." These two pages show the set up for the importance of kin and connections. Milkman's search for meaning in his life leads him to his family roots, to "his people." His ability to find worth in himself comes from this comprehension that his father, and his father's father, all that came before him had worth, had importance in their lives. This knowledge helps him understand and respect not only those around him, but ultimately himself. The characters that Morrison created affect the reader because they are realistic. They love, they hate, they hurt, and most importantly, they have flaws. The humanity of the characters is shown in characters such as Pilate, when she lies dying and says, "I wish I'd a knowed more people. I would have loved all. If I'd a knowed more, I would a loved more" (336). Morrison's characters force a reader to look at the strength and fragilities of human nature that is inherent in everyone, regardless of race, gender, or age.

Although a challenging read Song of Solomon is a novel that I would recommend to anyone willing to invest the time. A surface read will not suffice for the complexity of Morrison's prose. The thematic goal of this novel is achieved because of Morrison's intricate style. Her language throughout the novel forces a reader to take an active role in fully understanding the significance of her words. However, because of this the novel is more rewarding for the reader. Toni Morrison's writing is layered with meaning, and exceptional in its ability to cause emotions in the reader. The truthfulness of the characters, and the beauty and depth of the story, makes it one well worth the read.

The miracle of this book is Morrison's ability to create life on the printed page. Her characters breathe through her readers, and the issues that they deal with are applicable to anyone who has ever struggled with their own identity. Writing from the perspective of a male character, Morrison hits the nail on the head. Her ability to write from such a different point of view illustrates perfectly how adept she is at the art of becoming, one of the central issues dealt with in the novel.
Milkman, or more properly Macon Dead, the protagonist of this book, grows up as the only son of the richest black family in a Michigan town. He struggles with alienation from his family's seeming idolatry of mainstream white values, but also with distance from his friend Guitar's reactionary politics and violent actions. Caught in the middle, and no longer able to find refuge at his Aunt Pilate's house, where wine is clandestinely manufactured and sold, Milkman takes a journey to find his truest identity and his deep connection to his roots.
Although Song of Solomon took me slightly longer to become immersed in than some of Morrison's other work, it is amazing and worth reading. The cast of characters is intense and beautiful. Told with poignant humor and deep sadness, this book is heart touching, a truly enjoyable read, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.