So let's talk about:
> magical realism in Song of Solomon
>what you think of the book so far
Personally, I think the book is very, very well written. The story is engaging. The characters are interesting. But one problem I have with the book is what's up with the time shifts? One chapter, Milkman is a little kid, one anecdote later he's 12. Yet another anecdote later and he's suddenly 22. The next chapter starts and suddenly he's 31! Did anyone else have this issue?
Also, in chapter 4, was the "dream" sequence real? That seemed ambiguous to me. How did you feel about the "ghost" story?
Well, enjoy posting.
28 comments:
Love this book so far. I was surprised that I was able to sympathize with Macon- I mean to say that Ruth crossed many lines that should never be crossed is a gross understatement. I was seriously disturbed. There were two big things that I loved about Chapters 3-4. First of all, I was amazed by Morrison's ability to articulate Milkmans feelings and observations. After Macon confided in Milkman, the metaphor about the stranger on the park bench was perfect. My other favorite part of the reading was the scene with Pilate and the knife. I loved it how she so non chalantly put her book back, walked outside and threatened this man's life. Definitely my favorite character so far. Anyway, I agree with Ashish about the time shift, the 15 year jump was a little dramatic. And the magical realism with the flowers growing and smothering Ruth really didn't work for me. I like the little murder mystery coming into play- I don't think little Guitar is so innocent.
I'm also really enjoying how well written the book is - the imagery is so powerful that every scene, every emotion is just vibrant.
The time shifts are weird, but I think their speed emphasizes how Milkman hasn't really grown up yet, even though he's 32. He still doesn't know what he wants to do with his life (he's bored with numbers and only muses vaguely about marriage); he acts like a winey, conceited little kid when he's talking with Guitar; and there's always that contrast of Hagar as the "older woman". Milkman's arrogance is starting to wear on me... Guitar also acts older and wiser in that long conversation, when Milkman said he would buy a plane ticket to escape any uneasiness in the town, and he explained how he didn't save his mother from the tulips...
bringing us to that dream. I don't think it was real, though he says he "really saw it", because in the dream Ruth dies, and we don't hear about her "death" anywhere else; maybe Milkman is just admitting a sort of guilty thought he had, but removing it from himself to avoid shame in Guitar's eyes; there's definitely a tone of helplessness there... I guess it must at least be symbolic of something else that is smothering Ruth (and which Milkman isn't helping her with)...is it her duties as a mother and wife?
Anyway...food for thought.
I’m also enjoying the novel so far because it has so much in it. If there’s one novel that seems to incorporate every literary device or technique, I think this might be it.
There’s no doubt that the novel has rich description and imagery, which I mostly enjoyed. But like Marissa, I thought some of it was disturbing, especially when Macon tells Milkman about how Ruth was naked and sucking her deceased father’s fingers. Necrophilia much?
While I don’t think the novel can be categorized solely as magical realism, there are definitely characteristics of it. Except for the first scene, the events that occur seem to be epistemological because the setting is not fantastic, so it is up to the reader to perceive the fantastic. There is also a dream, which is another aspect of magical realism. About the dream—I agree with Rachel. While it’s possible to strap a pair of blue wings to you and jump off a building (hopefully no one’s planning to do that anytime soon), flowers don’t usually have an abnormally fast growth spurt and then go on to smother people.
When I was reading that scene, it seemed like the flowers were alive and moving like the tentacles of an octopus. And I guess it can be argued that it’s the magical element of magical realism, but it still seems like a bit of a stretch.
For an author who has been influenced by Faulkner, I found her novel so far to be very accessible and easy to read! After hearing horror stories concerning her prized book, Beloved, her prose seems straight-forward, and refreshingly action-packed. That said, it has been very interesting to see how the mood of the novel changes as Milkman grows older. Not knowing much of anything except for the backgrounds for all the Biblical names in the book, I find that with the rapidity of the time shifts comes a completely different feel to the novel. When Milkman is a boy, it seems that the novel will be centered around a boy's relationship with his cold-hearted father with the backdrop of social unrest between the black and white race in the town. But more pervasive was the sense of magic, an almost sinister fairy tale quality which was used to portray the three sisters, the town, and Milkman himself. He is described as a silent boy with a deep, almost unnatural quality which made the elders fear that he was being possessed by spirits. But as Milkman leaps into adulthood, and begins to learn of his mother's incestual behavior and other harsh truths, the characters alienate themselves from both the rest of the community, and even the reader, with their unnatural ways. Another thing that is established during this period is Milkman's overwhelming distrust of everyone around him, shown particularly in the scene where he is going against a crowd that is heading the opposite direction. Not only is Milkman overwhelmed by doubt, the reader must decide whether or not to believe any of the characters, including Milkman himself. However, the most abrupt change in the book for me was when he suddenly became 31, an aimless, jaded over-grown schoolboy with no real ambitions or desires other than instant gratification. Far from being the magical, surreal world painted in the beginning of the book, Milkman's existence seems dull and vapid, his character cold and insubstantial. His break from Hagar, an embodiment of Milkman's old sense of magic and wonder in his childhood, symbolizes this new man. Furthermore, the introduction of the murders makes the setting less like the dreamy town of rosepetals and blue wings, as the reader gets a sense of a sinister entity lying dormant, waiting for the opportune moment. At this point I don't know how Milkman's character will be redeemed, nor whether the novel will shift its focus to blood and terror. But either way, this is probably the most thrilling book we've read all year.
I really love the book so far too. Because I was behind I read the whole first four chapters today, and what I found in reading it in one sitting was that the time, as everyone mentioned, seemed wierd. It seemed a little off to me that he suddenly went from being a little kid to being a 31 year old man, with little change in his character. I agree with Rachel that Morrison probably did this to show that Milkman really hasn't grown up yet.
As far as Milkman's dream about his mother, I think that that is a good example of magical realism in the book. In class we said that an important part of magical realism is that even though it doesn't make sense, nobody questions it. When Milkman tells Guitar about the strange dream, Guitar doesn't question it, he just accepts it and asks Milkman why he didn't help his mother.
I think the reason that I like the book so far is that Milkman's emotions and reactions are so true to life. Even though the language that Morrison uses is really beautiful, the characters still come off seeming real. I could really relate to and understand Milkman's reaction after his father tells him the disturbing story about his mother, and instead of being really upset about it, he just wishes he had never known about it.
Also, Milkman's relationship with Hagar really reminds me of Bigger's relationship with Bessie.
I read chapters 3 & 4 in one sitting tonight and, like Rebecca, I instantly noticed the unusual time shifts. I finally understood the connection to Faulkner everyone was talking about (I miss the first day of discussion). I did not think the time issue made the book more confusing; it actually helped me understand why he hit his father and why he started questioning his environment and the people around him. In the first 2 chapters, as a child, Milkman is silent and resigned about everything-he doesn't even question where he got his name, Milkman.
Chapters 3 & 4 were much more exciting in my opinion. While I continue to be entertained by Morrison's unusual humor, her poetic/beautiful style, and the bizarre events of the book, I'm into the novel now and very curious about the murders and Guitar and Corinthian's possible connections-it seems like the there is so much death surrounding these characters. Part of me thinks that Freddie is just a crazy, drunk, old janitor, but another part thinks that Guitar is hiding something. After the discussion in class today, I was able to really understand the meaning of magical realism (i never read Bless Me Ultima)- the class was told that we would either love the style or hate it...so far i'm liking it.
I love Pilate! But, honestly, how can you not love a woman who doesn't have a belly button? I respect how strong of a woman she is and how she will do anything for the people she loves, like stabbing the man who hit her daughter. Conversely, I was very disturbed by Ruth and her strange/ INCESTUAL relationship with her father. What is with the books we read in this class? There's always incest!
From the start of the book, even with the beautiful imagery in the first scene, I’ve had this eerie feeling, as if something was just not right. Since that initial scene it has grown darker and even though it has made me a bit uncomfortable, I have been pulled into the story completely. Each character is so well defined and I love when we find out more and more about them so that we are able to understand why they each act the way they do. I agree with Rachel that the time shifts really highlight how Milkman has not been able to mature since his childhood. Also, agree with Beck that what Macon told Milkman really scarred him and that he did not want to know that secret about his mother. He could not understand it and it frightened him so he has had to detach himself from everyone around him. For example, when he is talking to Guitar, he says that everyone around him is serious, and he does not want to be serious, he just wants to go out and have fun. He loved his mother, but after hearing about her lying naked with her father, I think he felt somehow betrayed. This idea of his mother’s inappropriate sexuality haunts him, which can be seen by the “dream” he has.
As most of the other people that have posted, I have grown to love Pilate, and become angry with Milkman. Pilate so far, is one of the strongest female characters I have ever read. She just exudes this power that is both authoritative, but also loving and affectionate. I had to stop myself from really hating Milkman after he laughed at Freddie’s story about his mother’s death. I actually found myself believing Freddie, and Milkman’s disbelief seem really cruel to me. Also, I was annoyed with his ignorant behavior while talking with Guitar, but for some reason, I think that part of him understands what Guitar is saying, but he wants to ignore it and doesn’t really want to comprehend it. It’s as if he doesn’t want to understand anything. This kind of reminds me of how Ruth has this strange desire to have pain, and to experience death. Sorry for the rambling post, I kind of just threw a bunch of ideas out there.
Its always refreshing to read a book with such real and off-the-page imagery like Song of Solomon. I think we can all agree that the book is well-written and the characters come to life. They are not only believable people, but are also powerfully described to us, so much so that I think most of us are already relating to them in the first few chapters of the novel. Something besides my reaction to the style of book that I wanted to discuss in class, but here as well, is the influence of Faulkner. I see a connection between the characters of Jason in the Sound and the Fury and Milkman's father in Song of Solomon. Both overly concerned with business and money that it seems to drain them of any happiness or warm emotions. Likewise, just as Caddy was a sexualized character, so too is Hagar and Ruth. I think I see a little bit of Benjy in Empire State, seeming how Milkman believes he cannot talk, and possibly a little bit of Quentin in Milkman? Ms. Seigal told me that Milkman develops into a type of person we wouldn't expect, so I am making an early prediction that it is someone like Quentin. He already remarked how the world was dulling him, and how things seemed to be boring. I'm taking this as a precursor to future Quentin-like behavior, or as I first saw it, Holden Caulfield-like. I'm not quite sure what sparked this connection, maybe the repetition of the word "boring." Also, there was a part of the novel that expanded on the metaphor of driving a car while looking backwards, a metaphor that was applied to Sound and Fury in the article we read in class. I think we can see this connection as the book pushes onward through time, while looking to past events, memories, and dreams as the source of characterization, plot progression, and conflicts. Naming, or the importance of a family's nomenclature, is another similarity I picked up between the two works. In both stories, names are tremendously important, as is the naming of someone after a past family member. (Continuance of "Dead" and "Quentin/Jason/Maury") Finally, both books give the reader a view of the characters when they are younger, as well as when they grow up and become adults. This might just be a coincidence of styles, not necessary suggesting that Morrison is mimicking Faulkner, but it is interesting to think about nonetheless.
I think Pilate is my idol.
After reading that scene with Pilate and the knife, I just found myself smiling and feeling bizarrely empowered. I think she is the goddess of this novel, and I have a feeling that she is going to be a crucial figure in the events of the book and Milkman's development. I think I see her connection to the Bible Pilate-- she recognizes that she has the power to condemn a man to death, and she is not afraid to use it. I just cannot wait to see how Morrison uses Pilate with the magical realism that really presented itself in the last two chapters.
I was reading Rachel's comment about how Milkman grows up (physically) in the space of only four chapters. He kind of reminds me of Peter Pan: he knows the scenery so well that it bores him, so he needs to find another lover or another diversion just to keep him on his toes. Like Peter, Milkman doesn't take death seriously. In the weird sort-of-dream-sequence, he does nothing to stop the tulips from taking over his mother. He's disconnected from her. I think chapter three is about Milkman learning about the betrayal that exists in the human condition, and he applies that when he's a man in chapter four. He doesn't want to hang on to someone because he knows what happened with his mother and his father. He knows that it's easier to just use people for gratification than to form a connection with them.
I'm really enjoying this book. And to make a confession: I went through an Agatha Christie stage in the sixth grade, so I love a good murder mystery. With the magical realism and this cast of characters, this is going to be amazing.
Although i was not in class for the discussion on magical realism, i can definately see the magical part of Morrison's writing. For example in the beginning of the novel when Morrison is describing the wings of the insurance angent, they are portrayed with almost a surrealistic, magical, angelic glow which fools the reader, into thinking just for a second, that the wings are magic and can fly. This thought is quickly abandoned as the insurance agent tumbles to the ground, then the magic is gone and the reader is forced back into reality. This has happened at many times throughout the novel so far, especially during the flashbacks of the novel. Sometimes her language gets o flowery and magical that the reader actually gets caught up in the flashback and forgets where she is in the novel, then, the flashback suddenly stops, and Morrison brings you back into the novel. This can be a bit annoying at times but the information divulged in the flashback is actually extremely vital to understanding the novel.
Anyway, I am absolutely in love with this book. Pilate is my favorite charcter so far becasue for me she is almost the ideal woman. She is strong, caring, and makes the best of every situation. I am so excited to see what happens to Milkman as the book progresses, and to figure out what age he is going to be the next time i pick up the book :)!
So by reading everyone else's comments it’s fair to say that this book is really enjoyable. I agree with Claire in the sense that the book is so easy to read compared to her influence's novels (Faulkner). I did notice the drastic time changes, but I think she cut those parts out to either emphasize them later or they had no importance to Milkman's tale. I loved Pilate in this last chapter; she is the strongest character in the book and she knows how to show it. Its hard to say who really killed the white boy, but I think there is definitely a reason Empire State and Guitar are being so secretive. Besides the fact I was freaked out over Milkman and Hagar’s relationship, I was so mad at him for blowing her off. Guitar's argument over his life style is valid.
okay I absolutely LOVE Songs of Solomon so far. I think it's written incredibly well and I honestly can't put it down so far. The thing with Ruth totally creeped me out, and I now understand the foreshadowing with the fingers in her mouth from the first chapter. At first, I thought Macon would be a lot like Albert from Call It Sleep, but he isn't as hard and cold as Albert, or as unfoundedly mean. Macon's marriage is terrible and his relationship with his sister is terrible. It does seem as though he's opening up to his son, which is still a bit surprising to me given how ardently he despised Milkman before.
Guitar seems really suspicious, and he makes me uncomfortable although I do agree with him for some of the things he said about Milkman, like his indifference toward everything. Like Milkman said, though, Guitar doesn't really have a right to be calling Milkman out when they both are products of similar environments.
One thing that made me laugh about the book is when Morrison writes that Ruth loved to go to hospitals and she considered them hotels. That just shows how Morrison's style is an amalgamation of humor, beautiful language, and a plot that keeps the reader hanging on her every word. She has clearly mastered the English language. I say, if she wants to be cocky, let her be cocky. She's incredible!
LOVE the book so far. The characters are incredibly captivating and each seem to have their own past that is slowly being unraveled.
Chapters 3 and 4 both have their insanely creepy and disturbing moments, yet they're still believable (minus the tulip scene), which adds to the magical realism of the novel. I also like how Morrison, like Faulkner, plays with time. However, Morrison does it in a much more accessible, fluid way. The jumps in time make the novel move quickly and keep the reader interested. But, I don't really like older Milkman so far. His "boredom" (laziness) and pompousness are starting to get annoying. He needs to grow up.
I loved the scene with Pilate and the knife. My respect-level for Pilate just seems to grow as the novel progresses.
Well by the time you are reading this Milkman might be 47 or 62 or 106. Nevertheless, as Rachel said, I believe his age spurts reflect his physical development without corresponding emotional and mental development. Rather than dealing with problems, he would rather blot them out, (like Bigger), and ignore them. I find Milkman to be a very compelling character in that each of his actions and emotions are if not logical, understandable. His social awkwardness, like when he laughs at Freddie's story about his mother's death, makes him even more fascinating to me. Also, on a unrelated note--I believe the Milkman's fascination with flight is not really about a child's dream of being able to fly, but instead is more about his able to leave his problems behind (racism, social turmoil, his family's instability). This may be too bold of a statement, but knowing how Morrison perceives herself and her writing ability (don't get me wrong, she is an incredible writer), I think it’s probable that she would establish this theme early in a thin guise.
Jasper stated in his post that Milkman is going to transform into something very different from what we perceive him to be. I believe he will ultimately be able to reform his ways--hence the concentration on redemption. Or maybe I’m just hoping that the male protagonist will be psychologically and emotionally complex. I always like a good Holden. Hopefully, Milkman's emotional and mental maturity will catch up to his age--even if it takes some magical realism.
It's funny that Laura compared Milkman to Peter because after I finished reading I felt the same way as well. I felt like he was stuck in the same mentality he had as a child, things are changing around him and everyone is growing older, but MIlkman can't ever be "serious" or mature. He tries to escape having meaningful relationships by looking to Hagar and he just didnt absorb any of what was going on outside of his own world, like the murder of Emmet Till. I just didn't think that certain things resonated with him. I mean he found out his mother was committing incest and he might have been disturbed by it for a certain period of time, but after words he just didnt care anymore, he was wondering why his father even told him about it. And how can he not be concerned after that dream he had of his mother?! He just sat there and watched her die and he wasnt even bothered by it at all...kudos to Guitar for confronting him about it.
and i absolutely love Pilate...that scene with the knife was amazing...i love the fact that her family thinks of her as completely insane and basically trash, but she definitely is the strongest character - she knows exactly who she is and doesn't care what others think of her.
Like Carly, I read chapters 3 and 4 in one sitting. I really think that it is one of the best books we have read so far (I did like Native Son probably because of the content more than the writing itself). In Song of Solomon I think we can all agree that the images are very powerful and that the plot, although sometimes confusing, is one of the strongest ones I have ever read. Morrison's power over language makes ever character seem ever more interesting than they originally are (I don't know how you can make a character named "Milkman" any more interesting but she does it).
I have to agree with Ken on the time shifts. I hated Sound and the Fury because of that. The only good thing is that Morrison's shifts seem more flow. I think that it's somewhat comparable to “Call it Sleep” in the "in-between" chapters, where the reader really doesn't know what is happening.
In terms of magical realism, Morrison blends the real with the unreal better than I thought she would (having read "Bless Me Ultima," it's a big relief that Morrison can make the novel more realistic than I thought it would be). Because of the importance of religion and the numerous allusions to the Bible, the technique of magical realism works very well for the novel.
I also agree with Claire that as the novel progresses there seems to be a growing isolation of sorts. We see that even the community of blacks, which many think is so close, has its share of internal struggles. Morrison uses both the struggle between the blacks and whites alongside the problems of the blacks against the blacks. I am still left wondering why Macon won't let Milkman go to Pilate's house. He could probably learn a lot about inner strength, something he really doesn't show too much of. Even when he hits his father, he doesn't keep fighting. Instead he hears about his mother's "weird" (I was left speechless when I read it) relationship and is confused for the rest of the chapter. Like Elaine said, this novel has a series of mini-plots to it. I thought the rest of the novel would be about Milkman and his struggles, but there is a whole new dimension added to the plot because of this new theory that Empire State might have committed the murder. The time it took me to the write this, Milkman is now probably 75, talking to his grandson (I won't even guess the biblical name he'll give to him). The one question (I have a lot but this is the one I really probably need to now and don’t) is why have the time shifts?
I'm not so sure I like the magical realism elements of the story. Maybe I have to read more of the story to see where Morrison goes with it, but I felt like the whole flower "dream" was out of the blue. I hadn't really gotten any sense of the supernatural before then, and just a few pages later was the story of Freddie's birth from a white bull. Yeah, there was the bizarre story of Pilate's birth, but at least I felt like that had a purpose - it helped define Pilate as the larger than life character she is. But the roses and the white bull, I don't really get. I guess I'll just have to keep reading.
Also, maybe it's just me, but I feel like some of the characters' names just don't fit. Pilate was the man who knew Jesus was innocent, yet condemned him to death anyway. In other words, he is not the good guy. But Morrison has portrayed her Pilate as this strong, admirable woman. In the bible, Ruth was the perfect wife - dedicated and giving, though forever an outsider. I just can't picture Morrison's Ruth in the same way. Yes, she is an outsider as well, but she is no where near being a perfect wife. She has secrets and honestly, she kind of creeps me out.
Going with what Claire said and a few others - this book is pretty accessible. Morrison has a pretty voice and her sentences have a pleasant flow to them. It's hard to miss her short sentences, they are way effective.
I was actually thinking of the whole Faulkner, Virginia Woolf connection to Morrison's style while I was reading this. With stream-of-consciousness, i feel we are normally presented with a narrator who is unreliable. I trust Toni, though. Perhaps when she bounces into Milkman's head and describes what he is thinking. One scene I'm recalling is when Milkman punches Macon and he feels that the pyramids of Egypt have lost a certain appeal to them. It makes sense, and it doesn't make sense. the consciousness is just weird.
The novel has it's magically realistic moments, but I felt they were lacking in the third chapter. It had the major time change, but i didn't feel no deeper, unexplainable, mystery thingamajigs.
The time jumps seem natural to me--for some reason, I'm not quite surprised that Milkman is growing up so fast, since this is a fast paced novel. The lack of transition in his growth also shows how childish he still is. Truly, there is no transition between "child" and "adult." He jumps from one milestone to another without truly understand or savoring his experiences.
The flower dream scene also bothered me. It seemed quite ridiculous and, in conjunction with the credibility of the rest of the story, makes the story more frivolous.
Milkman's personality distresses me. Such a child! He's so defensive whenever someone suggests that he might possibly be fallible, and he takes Guitar's friendship for granted. I'm sure Milkman will grown up gradually in the course of the novel, but right now he has the mentality of a mere child.
Remember how Macon said that Freddie never lies? If he never lies, then Guitar would be linked with the murders and the friendship between Milkman and Guitar tested.
Poor Hagar. She's approaching middle age and the only one in her family not to have an illegitimate child! She really needs to catch up on the family tradition. Sadly, Milkman is too childish to value her worth. Though he insists that he's old enough, he's really not. He can't quite handle the deepness of Hagar, and the possibilities she brings.
...Christ-figure much?
Well actually, more of an anti-Christ at this point (Milkman, I mean). Especially in Ch.4 --- he's 31, the age at which Christ was crucified (I'm pretty sure...), he's Christmas shopping (possibly the anti-Christ element here in that he's playing into the commercial rather than the spiritual aspect of the holiday), and, as Laura noted, it has been revealed that Pilate is capable of killing a man. Possibly (and this is PURE CONJECTURE) the man who dumped her granddaughter with gratitude (I thought that was one of the strongest images in the novel so far). Milkman is kind of the opposite of what Christ was meant to be --- he's jaded, childish, and just plain doesn't care. Which is why it's incredibly funny that he thinks Hagar is spoiled. Anyway, I'm almost getting the feeling that Morrison has flipped her good and bad characters; the ones with the names that should stand for goodness are really quite creepy (Ruth, the Dead sisters...), while Pilate is starting to stand out as sane or justified in her actions at the very least (or good...).
I thought the scene with the flowers growing was cool (sorry Linda), but I think my favorite magically real scene so far is the one where Milkman's walking down the street and everyone is walking in the opposite direction --- and the other side of the street is completely empty. I feel like that scene applies more symbolically to someone who actually goes against the crowd in some way, rather than a spoiled rich playboy Peter Pan like Milkman...I'm assuming that at some point it's actually going to apply to his life?
Anyway, I really like how this is going...and am curious about Empire State and Guitar...
Sorry for the disjointedness of my thoughts, but I always end up writing these things when I'm about half awake (i.e. when it's approaching 6:30 and the sun still hasn't come up so it feels like I should be sleeping).
Again, as everyone else is saying, i absolutely love the book. I just mainly absolutely love her writing. I was able to read both chapters in one sitting, and really pretty easily. I guess I always had this stereotype of Morrison using dense, flowery language that would probably leave me clueless. Instad, the beautiful writing of the novel does exactly the opposite; it gives the novel this wonderful fast pace.
Again, I also have a slight problem with the time shifts, but now that I think about, I think this automatic transition is pretty imperative for the story itself. Macon, as Claire and others have been saying, is isolated from society and even from himself. The main hint of this isolation that jumped out at me was the powerful sidewalk scene. He is walking alone on the "crowded street" watching everyone running in the opposite direction, pushing him over, and not sure where everyone is going. This is right after hearing his father's haunting story, which leaves him confused about his own existence and sense of self. The time shifts are important because they are sudden and unexpected; they reinforce this idea of confusion in Milkman's life. Not everything is an orderly sequence that makes perfect sense.
I also completely agree with Hamsinini about the irony of the names. When I first started reading, I expected Pilate to have this inner evil nature. Instead, she seems so far to be possibly the "hero" of the story. She defies society, acts boldly, and protects those she loves. While the knife scene was a little much for me, it truly showed the extent of Pilate's brave character. Ruth I feel serves like a foil to Pilate. She is scared, disconnected, and hides many painful secrets. The most powerful imagery that struck me was how Milkman describes how he had never considered his mother a separate person; this truly shows the weakness of Ruth's character. But, isnt she supposed to be the model woman figure?
I find the magical realism in the novel extremely effective, and these components certainly help propel the novel forwards. From the end of chapter four, it seems the novel is going to transition into something more serious, and that Milkman is going to more seriously experience his disparity with the rest of the black world. I really can't wait to see what happens next.
I think we should talk more about the role of race in the novel. Obviously, it plays an integral role in the setting of pre-civil rights 20th century America, but it also plays a large role in defining the characters in the Dead family. The family does not belong to either racial society. We see this multiple times in the first four chapters. Descriptions of Ruth and her daughters make it sound like they have light-colored skin, almost as if they are not black at all. In the opening scene, Ruth seems out of place because of her nicer clothes. The Deads live in a very large, nice house and own a lot of property, including the Packard which clearly distinguishes them from among the blacks where they live. Milkman is not allowed to drink in the bar like everyone else when he is young because his father is feared for his authority. Macon seems to believe the doctor wanted to be white and behaved like a white man. Macon himself does not seem to identify much with blacks either. Instead, he values property, wanting more to earn the "slice of pie" white people are able to earn. Milkman acts like an outsider when he spends time at a beach house. He does not identify with the civil rights cause or associate with black strife. It struck me that he said he would leave if his town became like Birmingham. It shows he has no solidarity as part of the black community and really doesn't care to be part of it at all. I think it is notable that Milkman was the first black baby born in "No Mercy" Hospital, and I'm speculating that this is an important indicator for how the character will end up at the close of the narrative.
This is definitely my favorite book so far. I don't mind the time shifts at all; especially after Call It Sleep, it is refreshing not to see every single thoguht and footstep that Milkman or anyone else takes. I love the constant characterization and adding of layers to the character of Pilate; the scene with the man and the knife was especially powerful in showing that she is not just a weirdo, but a woman who is truly deserving of being called a tall African tree.
Like some other people, I don't like Milkman very much. The way he treats Hagar is disgusting, going out 'seriously' with other girls while calling her not even a rival. There was also a striking contrast between Guitar and Milkman. Whereas Guitar is outraged about the stamped kid, Milkman is still stuck in his little world. And although it is understandable on some level because people never care that much about strangers, but the way Morrison wrote the dialog between Milkman and Guitar does make him seem like a little child. Guitar, on the other hand, both by how he acts and what he says to Milkman, is truly an adult.
By the way, I'm glad Morrison explained so early on what the fingers in mouth thing was, but EW! Whereas Ruth seemed before to be a slightly weird but still normal and loving mother, to me she now is a complete and total creep. There is no way that I can now hate Macon Dead because at least he stayed with her after that.
Like most other people, I have also enjoyed this book so far. As one person said in class yesterday, the book flows very well. Even her descriptions seem to flow. There really is no spot in the book (until the end of the chapter) where the reader has to take a break. I love how Morrison constructs the relaitonships between her characters. With the end of the every chapter, it seems the reader wants to know more and more.
Naming is very important in this book. It is interesting to see how some characters really like to possess their own name. Pilate literally takes the piece of paper from the bible and makes earings out of it. The fact that she wears her name shows the importance of naming.
The character of Milkman is very interesting to me. Even in chapters 3 and 4, he still seems just like a kid. He is arrogant, and seems to have no goals in life. I do believe his name haunts him. The memory of his breast feading sessions with his mother
could have haunted him through his adult life. In addition, the truths Milkman learns about his mother's immoral habbits also has a negative effect on him. He seems to become more and more distant from the people around him; as a result, it seems he becomes more distant from the reader.
As many people have mentioned, this book is a pleasure to read because Toni Morrison's writing is beautiful. She has a unique way of saying everything, which makes her language entirely her own. I feel like I would know Morrison's writing anytime I see it. Although I am not particularly passionate about many of the characters, although I am a little bothered by the Ruth's sexual abnormalities to the point of discomfort, I enjoy reading Song of Solomon because of Morrison's power with language. Also- magical realism is perhaps my favorite literary genre that we have encountered this year. I love realism, and I also love fantasy, so what more could I ask for? My favorite passage, that demonstrates Morrison's beautiful language and use of magical realism, is still the description of the water mark. I am envious of Morrison for creating this marvelous text!
Like most people have said, this has been a very enjoyable read so far. Despite the occasional confusing bits of magical realism, the novel is compelling and flows really well. Everything seems necessary and meaningful, and all the descriptions are written in a manner that isn't overwhelming even though Morrison is putting a lot of imagery in there. Milkman feels realistic even though he is placed in a somewhat supernatural environment, and this conflict between character and setting makes for an interesting situation.
I agree with Ashish on the time shift issue; time jumps forward pretty quickly. It's not jarring and doesn't detract from the flow of the novel, but nonetheless it still seems odd. Also, the descriptive images of a naked Ruth and her dead father were definitely...wrong, and the flower dream was weird and confusing.
I did love Pilate's moment though. All novels could use more strong characters like her, male or female.
So I decided to read these because I was bored and... well... this is what I do when I'm bored. So I skimmed over what everyone said and I just got up to Hamsini's post and I was like "WTF?! HELL NO!" First of all, Christ was crucified at 33 (hence the Christ imagery in TSatSF when Benjy turned 33). Second of all, the Anti-Christ is supposedly a great orator, barring all else, it's one of his supposed characteristics. He uses this characteristic to gain followers and eventually take over the world. There's also the images of "the beast" which would likely come first. Unless Milkman suddenly becomes an amazing speaker and actually decides to have some GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS (even if they do include world domination and creating a new Hell on Earth) I don't see him turning into the Anti-Christ.
In short: No.
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