Strength, Freedom, and Power
It is human nature to always want more. More power; more strength; more money; more freedom. Many search for these things through external journeys, but Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon tells the readers that the search for satisfaction should be internal. The novel focuses around the life and journey of Milkman Dead, and the progression of his character as he interacts with more and different characters. Toni Morrison develops Milkman and Pilate Dead’s characters and uses Milkman’s actions and failures to convey the theme that true strength and freedom come from knowing and accepting oneself and true power comes from compassion.
Milkman’s characterization changes in a number of different ways as the book progresses. …show more content…
Pilate’s character is constant throughout the whole novel; she is strong, passionate, and always true to herself. She is the collected one when Milkman is angry. She is the compassionate one when Milkman is apathetic. She remains both compassionate and collected when Milkman starts to become these things, as well. Milkman’s character is very dynamic, as Song of Solomon is about Milkman discovering himself. Pilate already discovered herself, so she remains static and strong. When Pilate’s daughter, Reba, is beaten by her boyfriend, “it didn’t occur to [Milkman] to stop Pilate… She whipped her right arm around his neck and positioned the knife at the edge of his heart,” (Morrison 93). While Milkman remains apathetic to the situation, Pilate does not hold back or think twice. She does what she believes is right, giving her power and strength enough to defy gender norms and take down an angry, violent man. Nearer to the end of the book, Pilate does not yet understand how Milkman has developed as a person. Her granddaughter, Hagar, dies because of the heartbreak she felt over Milkman, so Pilate kidnaps Milkman, because “Pilate would have put him someplace near something that remained of the life he had taken, so he could have it,” (Morrison 332). This shows that Pilate has a strong moral code, as opposed to Milkman throughout the majority of the novel. In many instances, …show more content…
Milkman is fascinated by flight from the time he is a child, but “when the little boy discovered... the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier-- that only birds and airplanes could fly-- he lost all interest in himself,” (Morrison 9). Because Milkman truly believes flight is impossible for humans, he denies himself even the possibility of freedom because he doesn’t believe in it anymore. When Morrison says he loses all interest in himself, she shows that Milkman doesn’t care about who he is and doesn’t accept himself because he believes he cannot fly. In the middle of the novel, Milkman begins to open up to his feelings more when he sees a bird fly and feels “again his unrestrained joy at anything that could fly,” (Morrison 178). Milkman is beginning to move away from apathy and is allowing himself to feel again. Opening up to his emotions shows the extent of his desire to fly. He is accepting and acknowledging the fact that watching things fly brings him joy. The association of flying with this statement shows that acknowledging one’s own actions and emotions brings one a step closer to freedom, or flight. The last line of the entire novel concludes Milkman’s journey to freedom, as he comes to the conclusion that “If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it,” (Morrison 337). This is arguably the most powerful line in the novel; this is
It is human nature to always want more. More power; more strength; more money; more freedom. Many search for these things through external journeys, but Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon tells the readers that the search for satisfaction should be internal. The novel focuses around the life and journey of Milkman Dead, and the progression of his character as he interacts with more and different characters. Toni Morrison develops Milkman and Pilate Dead’s characters and uses Milkman’s actions and failures to convey the theme that true strength and freedom come from knowing and accepting oneself and true power comes from compassion.
Milkman’s characterization changes in a number of different ways as the book progresses. …show more content…
Pilate’s character is constant throughout the whole novel; she is strong, passionate, and always true to herself. She is the collected one when Milkman is angry. She is the compassionate one when Milkman is apathetic. She remains both compassionate and collected when Milkman starts to become these things, as well. Milkman’s character is very dynamic, as Song of Solomon is about Milkman discovering himself. Pilate already discovered herself, so she remains static and strong. When Pilate’s daughter, Reba, is beaten by her boyfriend, “it didn’t occur to [Milkman] to stop Pilate… She whipped her right arm around his neck and positioned the knife at the edge of his heart,” (Morrison 93). While Milkman remains apathetic to the situation, Pilate does not hold back or think twice. She does what she believes is right, giving her power and strength enough to defy gender norms and take down an angry, violent man. Nearer to the end of the book, Pilate does not yet understand how Milkman has developed as a person. Her granddaughter, Hagar, dies because of the heartbreak she felt over Milkman, so Pilate kidnaps Milkman, because “Pilate would have put him someplace near something that remained of the life he had taken, so he could have it,” (Morrison 332). This shows that Pilate has a strong moral code, as opposed to Milkman throughout the majority of the novel. In many instances, …show more content…
Milkman is fascinated by flight from the time he is a child, but “when the little boy discovered... the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier-- that only birds and airplanes could fly-- he lost all interest in himself,” (Morrison 9). Because Milkman truly believes flight is impossible for humans, he denies himself even the possibility of freedom because he doesn’t believe in it anymore. When Morrison says he loses all interest in himself, she shows that Milkman doesn’t care about who he is and doesn’t accept himself because he believes he cannot fly. In the middle of the novel, Milkman begins to open up to his feelings more when he sees a bird fly and feels “again his unrestrained joy at anything that could fly,” (Morrison 178). Milkman is beginning to move away from apathy and is allowing himself to feel again. Opening up to his emotions shows the extent of his desire to fly. He is accepting and acknowledging the fact that watching things fly brings him joy. The association of flying with this statement shows that acknowledging one’s own actions and emotions brings one a step closer to freedom, or flight. The last line of the entire novel concludes Milkman’s journey to freedom, as he comes to the conclusion that “If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it,” (Morrison 337). This is arguably the most powerful line in the novel; this is