In Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon, Morrison creates a character who can never escape his past symbolized by his very own name. Milkman’s name originated from his mother’s attempt to hold onto her sexual and intimate desires. The name not only reminds him constantly of his parents destroyed life but the fact that he will always live under someone else’s shadow. A name is supposed to be identify an individual. It’s the one thing someone can always hold and will always be theirs but Milkman’s life has been stripped from him so much he doesn’t even claim his own name. Other’s forced it upon him and made him who he is. Another aspect of this is his original name is the same as his father’s and grandfather's. It’s a family name but because
