The Theme Of Milkman's Quest For Identity In Song Of Solomon

Improved Essays
The primary plotline in Song of Solomon is Milkman’s quest for identity. Milkman is Macon Dead II and Ruth's son. Milkman stuck between being a man of himself or being the man that his father Macon is trying to make him. Thus, his father trying to make Milkman stay. He has made his mind. Milkman has been treated different in the way of being raised. Ruth his month breastfeed him into he had teeth. Milkman stars to questions his identity a lot. As he gets old he starts to question, why is he still living with his father and working for him. Macon and Guitar both went on there own at very young ages. Finding who you truly are could be different depending on who you are, some star to questions herself at young ages. Also Milkman stars to question

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the end, Milkman achieves the capacity for flight when “he leaped” and “surrendered to the air” (Morrison 337). Moreover, Milkman could fly just as Solomon did but it was never a literal flight. He merely achieved what his grandfather had achieved which is the shedding of all his earthly…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Meanwhile his crossing of the river on the way to the cave, may be indicative of a baptism of sorts or an introduction to his new life. Despite Milkman’s novice approach to the wilderness, he endures these conditions and gains a respect for the natural world. It so happens, that this growing relationship with nature parallels his appreciation for his own ‘roots’ as he subsequently indulges in seeking out the mysteries of his ancestry. His escape into nature, allowed him to reclaim what is truly important and soothe the wounds of his…

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Furthermore, Milkman lacks to identify the event’s significance in comparison to his own life; he even goes as far as saying “...fuck Till, I’m the one in trouble” (88). This self-centered and conceited attitude is very different to the attitude of the many discriminated groups at the time. This idea is further depicted by Milkman only wanting to grab a drink with Guitar to discuss his personal…

    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In chapter three of Song of Solomon, Milkman learns about the repulsive and shocking story of his mother, Ruth, having a sexual situation with her dead father. At hearing the story of how his own mom sucked on the fingers on her dead father whilst lying beside his corpse in the nude, Milkman left his house in confusion and anger. Based on Milkman's actions, it is clear that he has suppressed memories and is somewhat traumatized by what he found out about his mother. He is put into an almost detached state of reality as he just stands in the busy trafficked sidewalk contemplating everything he had just been told. This almost seems as a sort of symbolism of Milkman’s life.…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    is no longer the same person after his father’s death. Milkman only learns about his past via the locals from Danville, Macon Jr.’s hometown, or from Macon Jr. himself. The people of Danville have fond memories of Macon Jr. which is in sharp contrast to the city in which he lives where he is largely resented. Additionally, his harsh personality only lightens while reminiscing about his past. Evidence for this occurs in Chapter 2, when Milkman confronts him about his past; while preparing to tell him this, he “paused and let the smile come on.…

    • 1151 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Heroism In Song Of Solomon

    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Instead of portraying a female figure as the heroine who goes on a journey of self discovery, she uses Milkman; however, she does criticize the idea of the male centered monomyth throughout her novel. On the hero’s journey, Campbell in his book illustrates three stages that the hero, in this case Milkman, will encounter on their quest: departure, initiation, and return. Before the departure phase in the novel, Morrison introduces Milkman as an arrogant, a privilege, an emotionally clueless, and an egotist, who happens to be born to one of, if not the most affluent African American family in one of the cities in Michigan. Milkman’s characteristics is the opposite of the hero figure. He is an egotist and an arrogant individual such that, after he strikes his father, he thought he was ‘the man of the house’ because immediately “He also felt glee.…

    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Milkman responds to his perceived lack of self-determination by becoming a bystander in his own life. Although he demonstrates enough self-awareness to understand his position, as he reflects that he “never acted independently,” Milkman lacks the motivation to truly work through his thoughts and emotions to decide for himself how to live and what to value. For much of chapters 2 through 7, Milkman seems destined to be a product of his father, unable to break from Macon’s control even when it proves to be detrimental. Even as a young child, Macon’s reputation has an undeniable influence on Milkman’s life, to the point where Guitar must plead for his acceptance because “’He can’t help who his daddy is.’” This association with Macon extends far…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This is exactly how the story unfold in the novel, Brenner implies that this is what makes Milkman the hero of the novel because he is the one who experienced the nine parts Rank’s monomyth. However, Brenner thinks there is another hero in the novel, and he implies that Morrison purposely placed this hero to show her criticism of the male centric monomyth. Brenner states in his…

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “When the little boy discovered, at four, the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier-that only birds and airplanes could fly-he lost all interest in himself” (9). In this example, Milkman is feeling a similar imprisonment as Smith and Solomon, feeling trapped within his community and family. This leads Milkman on a mission in life to take flight and escape the reality that he has been forced into. After Milkman has grown up a little, he and his friend Guitar come across a peacock one day and “Milkman felt again his unrestrained joy at anything that could fly” (178). In fact, Milkman actually longs to be like the peacock, so Guitar tells him “Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down”, and Milkman does just that (179).…

    • 947 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Each and everyday the interactions we have with people mold us to be the person we are today. Interactions influence our personality, and the paths we chose in life. Relationships such as parents, relatives, and even ex-girlfriends, can have the most profound impact on our lives. It has been proven that parents play an important role in the emotional development for children. In Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison uses the relationship between Ruth, Hagar, Pilate, and Milkman to demonstrate how the women influence our lives greatly.…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The change from the Pharaoh’s daughter finding the baby to the Pharaoh’s wife plays an important part of the story line. This makes Ramses Moses’ brother, as well as a rival. Whereas in the biblical story, Ramses was Moses’ uncle.…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The author Dorothy H. Lee gives us in her work a different interpretation that we were lacking, she uses the words of Toni Morrison to make emphasis on what was not obvious “Toni Morrison seems to tell her readers that Milkman’s flight may be duplicated by all who can abandon the frivolous weights that hold them down and, in so doing, ride the air” (H.…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    At first glance, Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon portrays Ruth and Pilate as complete opposites. Morrison describes their differences as, “One black, the other lemony. One corseted, the other buck naked under her dress. One well read but ill traveled. The other had read only a geography book, but had been from one end of the country to another.…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Song of Solomon is a richly textured novel in which Toni Morrison uses poetic language as well as a variety of literary devices to ultimately make her novel unique and with a certain level of depth. The passage above is particularly interesting because it incorporates many of the literary devices that Morrison uses such as metaphors, similes, oxymoron, allusions, and a variety of imageries. The excerpt also reveals Macon Dead’s personality through the other characters and his role in the household. This type of narrative, where the characters are discovered mainly through the other characters, is consistent throughout the whole novel. Ruth's character, for example, was shown to be isolated from the black community and thought of as a wanna-be white women from the appearance of the others and their actions during Mr. Smith’s suicide leap.…

    • 1102 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I am learning the stages of being an adult and also been through puberty. The learning of my childhood turn me to the person I am. The stages of Identity is not just finding what you want to be but finding who you are. After , finding who you are you have to accept it be proud into the person you grew up to…

    • 1240 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays