Hello all,
Time to cultivate a little levity. Let's make this post an alphabet soup. Take the initials of your name- for example- mine are JDS. Now, find a literary element/word that describes an aspect of the text and justify it. For example, Juxtaposition- in specific scenes, Milkman's status as "other" is juxtaposed with the rest of society- walking down the street etc. Dead- the naming of the main family is particuarly interesting as Macon is "dead" to the rest of the African American world. Self-Actualization- clearly there is a progression of character in Milkman as he searches for himself this is illustrated by.... Initially,(pun intended) this may seem easy, but take some time to really think about the text in relation to your name.
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JSH-
J stands for Journey. Each character is on a separate journey in the story. Milkman's is to find out who he is, where he came from. Ruth's is to understand why it is she feels so attached to her father and to Milkman. Also, what has happened with her marriage. Hagar is on a journey also of self-realization, but in romantic terms and homicidal terms. Macon seems on a journey for money and hate for others, and Pilate seems to be desiring something that I can't quite put my finger on yet.
S stands for setting. Where characters are, where they want to go, and where they run away from are all important places to keep in mind. For example, Pilate's attempt for find her people, and a family that she belongs to during her middle teen years is an important facet of her character. It represents her understanding of family ties, and the importance of being surrounded by the ones you love and the ones who love you. Milkman and Guitar's discussion of "North" and what it really means is also tremendously important, for it reminds us that these few African-Americans are living in an area that is predominately white, and also in a time period that champions white supremacy openly, and secretively.
Finally, H stands for history. Many remarked that the changes in time during the narration, along with the telling of past stories was confusing. But it is essential to the main theme of the novel: understanding the past in connection with who you are in the present and who you will become in the future. Hence, we await Milkman's history, the history of his family, the history of character around him which we are getting bits and pieces of, and also, the history of his people, African-Americans.
ESS
E is for Exiled- Pilate is the one person who is independent, powerful, and open; however, she is the exiled one. Morrison portrays her as a supernatural, unkempt woman with no naval— “something god never made.” Pilate tells Ruth the story of her childhood, how she tried to work but was driven out of each location because people were afraid of the woman without a navel. Because Pilate was alienated, people avoid or shun her.
S is for Selfish- Both Hagar and Ruth are selfish in their self interested or self seeking actions involving Milkman. Hagar’s obsession with Milkman is selfish in that although she has made “attempts” to kill him for the past six months, she never could because she would actually do anything to make him want her again. She needs him to be alive and is completely dependent on Milkman’s affection. Morrison shows Ruth’s concern for Milkman, but also emphasizes her concern primarily because he is her “passion” or miracle baby over Macon Jr.
S is for Suffering- In almost every character so far one can see pain, anger, or misery. Guitar is clearly angry with the white race and past slavery, and views himself as a black man who suffers because of the white mans actions. Hagar suffers to an extreme in that she torments herself and others, in complete insanity, over her brooding love for Milkman, trying to seek some type of revenge. Ruth suffers from the loss of her father. Milkman suffers from the unkown of his family’s history. Macon distresses from undesirable thoughts of his wife, his son, and so on…
MRS...
M--movement--Just as we've seen in other novels from the class, many of the characters seem to define themselves and their status by where they are, or where they are going. For David, in Call it Sleep, his life in the same apartment building as Annie was cold, dark, and filled with fear. While his insecurities weren't completely fixed after he moved to the East Village, for the first time the reader was able to seem him in a more indepent light--a boy able to go places on his own and not live in fear of his fellow tenants. In Song of Solomon, Macon defines himself by his location and where he can go. His desire to buy a beach property isn't necessarily for the financial benefits, or the desire to live on the beach. Rather, it's his ability to be able to move or go wherever he wants. Think back to the early scene where the entire Dead family is in the car. They aren't in the car to go anywhere...Macon simply drives around because he CAN move. Macon uses this power to elevate himself above the rest of society and praise his accomplishments and lifestyle more than other successful community members.
R--repetition--When I first began the book, I found myself becoming confused as to whose parents were alive, how they died, etc. While Ruth and Macon are portrayed as complete opposites, devoid of any affection towards one other...the repetition in the novel provides a connection that holds their union together. Both Macon and Ruth are living without a father. For Ruth, her Dad was her best friend and his death marked an uncanny and sexually explicit scene that for me, atleast, was a major shock. For Macon, he witnessed the murder of his father, again portrayed in a dark and mysterious way by Morrison. This subtle connection and repition in the lives of the members of the Dead house unite the seemingly distant family.
S--surprise--Just as Faulker left us guessing about future events by his constant changes of time...Morrison, too, leaves many questions unanswered leaving a sense of surprise and the unkown in the reader. I'm living proof that she employs such techniques, and Ms. S can vouch for me by my constant, rather irritating questions of "DO WE KNOW THIS YET" or "WHEN ARE WE FINDING THIS OUT?" Morrison achieves this effect by hinting and scenes and scenarios, but waiting to develop answers. I, personally, think that this is an amazing element to have in a book because it keeps the reader digging for answers and constantly thinking.
RRT -
R is for rhythm. As we've discussed plenty in class, Toni Morrison is gifted with words. The beauty and lyicism of the language enhances the mystical quality of the magical realism. The style of writing seems to fit the subject matter very well.
R is for racism. Milkman was born as a defiance of racism, the first black child born in the "white" hospital; foreshadowing? Even in the first scene racism is seen by the white nurse who speaks with Guitar. Now, we've seen the tensions rising: the barbershop discussions, and Guitar's extreme group, the Seven Days. Racism is fueling the plot, and it seems as though it will be part of the decision that decides Milkman's ultimate fate as he experiences his "coming of age".
T is for tragic flaw. Milkman's biggest flaw is his apathy. When his mother was almost suffocated by flowers, he did nothing. When Hagar was trying to kill him, he lay still. He tells Guitar that if his town became a center of racial conflict, he would flee rather than fight. In his 30s, he still lives at home and works for his father. Now, as he leaves home, hopefully his transformation and growth have begun to change this.
AM, those are my initials, much to my dismay. I've always wanted a middle name so it wouldn't seem like my parents were morning people.
Anyway...
A- Action. Milkman refuses to act up until chapter 7 when he decides to leave home for some reason or other. He doesn't understand the actions Guitar seems to be undertaking either. Action, or the lack thereof, seems to be a very important underlying theme to this novel or, at the very least, to Milkman's character. I find myself constantly wondering what happened to the little boy who wanted to fly. Perhaps that shall be his action: flight. From ignorance, from home, from boredom, from inaction, from indecision. He shall take flight.
Motivation- As Milkman muses in chapter 7, everyone seems to be using him for something. Everyone has their own hidden motives and agendas. This is a stark contrast to Milkman himself who seems to have no motivation whatsoever.
That's pretty much all I got. On a slightly less relevant note: I've never had alphabet soup, is it any good? Am I missing out on something amazing? Or is it just hot water with letters in it? Because, if that's the case, I might as well eat some Alphabits cereal. At least that has marshmallows. It's like the educational rip-off of Lucky Charms with significantly less sugar-coated semi-racism.
LRL
L is for lyricism. Faulkner's influence is hard to miss in Morrison's writing: she likes using long sentences and repeating pieces of phrases to create this beautiful musical quality in her writing. It makes some of her short sentences really stand out, and the one that stays with me is on page 129 when Milkman wakes up and sees Hagar: "Die, Hagar. Die. Die. Die." It mimics the repeated stabs she could make with her knife but chooses not to.
R is for retribution. It's at the core of Guitar's group: for every black person killed, a white person must be killed to balance out the population. There is no question because these men feel that this is their duty to society, to set the world right when the white people ruin it. I also think the man Macon murdered in front of Pilate was done to revenge his father's death, even though that man had nothing to do with it. And Pilate executes her vengeance in the opposite way by giving Macon a son when he doesn't want one. Hagar, of course, has the intention of killing Milkman, but in the crucial moment, she can't follow through.
L is for Luck. Reba talks about her unnatural luck (which could tie in with the novel's magical realism), and if you think about Pilate's backstory and how she built up from nothing, she was extremely lucky to always have enough to survive. Milkman is lucky that Macon's abortion attempts did not work, and Guitar is lucky to be surviving his dangerous work. But there's a fine line between luck and fate, and I think there's a greater force than coincidence that led to Milkman's birth. His unusual circumstances, age (it's not 33, but 31 is very close), and the fact that he's surrounded by Biblical names could easily make him a Christ figure. So I think the idea of a higher power (be it magic or God) and fate will play an important role in the events to come.
AHM-
A: Alienation: Milkman is alienated from black society from the very beginning. Milkman is born into a rich family, the Deads, who are in a superior class than most black families. Both Ruth and Milkman dress better than most black residents. His father, a property owner who collects rent, is hated or disliked by most black residents. Milkman is always known as the son of Macon Dead; hence, he struggles to create his own identity separate from his father’s reputation. For example, when Guitar and Milkman went to Feather’s pool hall, Feather tells both Guitar and Milkman to get out of his hall. Although Milkman is nothing like his daddy, Feather states “He ain’t got to be like him—from him is enough”. Milkman struggles to be accepted into regular black society because of his father’s reputation and his social status. Furthermore, Milkman lacks direction even as an adult because he is alienated from society. His diminishing friendship with Guitar and his ruined relationship with Hagar only help to distance him from the society which he lives in. Milkman receives little love from his parents (his father did not want Milkman from the beginning) and he loves no one. Milkman seems to be alone in the world. His alienation causes his lack of friendship, a true relationship, and a purpose in life.
PD-
P stands for peril; the risk that Guitar takes by joining Seven Days. It's inevitable, that while Guitar feels he's supporting a just cause, that his campaign to "even out the ratio" won't end well for him. For me, this scene with Guitar was the first time, Milkman actually cared about an issue that didn't regard his own well-being. He also finally took a stand and tried to convince Guitar of the consequences of his actions and that in his mind, it really would achieve nothing. Milkman was able to see both blacks and whites as people and acknowledged that no matter what crimes had been committed against his own race, Guitar's victims were innocent people. After Guitar reveals that he's joined Seven Days, Milkman loses Guitar as his voice of reason.
D stands for disconnect. The entire Dead family is set apart from society and also makes sure that it separates itself from its African american culture and history. Even though they're referring to their own race the Deads call everyone else "negroes," setting themselves apart from the rest of the race. Ruth and Pilate are, especially, on polar ends of the spectrum. With Ruth, we see someone who has everything she needs, but no one cares for her. And in order to get the care she think she deserves, she resorts herself to incest, causing her to be even more of an exile in her own family. Pilate on the other hand, doesn't really strive for that attention, she's comfortable in her own skin and is the most aware of her roots. This awareness naturally makes her an outcast among the Deads and among the rest of the people in their town - she is the only one who doesn't want to be pulled away from her African heritage. Pilate is also an outcast because of her lack of a navel - to everyone else around her it's unnatural. It doesn't matter if someone is missing a leg or a arm, but not having a navel was unacceptable and other worldly.
MLB-
M is for magical realism. Morrison constantly incorporates magical realism into the text. The setting is attached to a deep history, the ideas of slavery and inequality are mentioned throughout. Time frequently reverts to the past and oral tradition is a key component to uncovering the characters. As readers, we are able to see into the character's thoughts, specifically Milkman. The most glaring examples of magical realism exist when Milkman witness Ruth being attacked by flowers, and in the opening scene of the novel.
L is for loss. Loss is experienced by every character in this novel. Ruth loses her father, and in turn, loses herself and any purpose she had in the world. Hagar loses Milkman; Pilate and Macon witness their father's death and by the turn of events, they lose each other. Milkman experiences a loss of innocence when his parents reveal the secrets of their past and when he realizes that he cannot fly. The black community as a whole as experienced loss, a loss of identity and sense of self; and literally, members of the community have been taken from them. That which is lost is the motivating force behind the revenge, hate, and fear in the novel.
B is for the bible. Most notably, every character is named after a biblical figure. This gives each character a distinct tie to history, a strong, permanent name and it also gives universality to the text. The title of the novel, is derived from a biblical story; as the bible represents an eternal message, the themes of this novel are eternally embedded into a culture and place in history. You could also say that certain characters in this novel, such as Pilate, take on a mystified, almost God like presence. Furthermore, the idea of flight can be traced back to the bible; the black community believes in flight, as they have flown from slavery and oppression. Milkman doesn't think he can fly, but will he ever find his flight?
AZ-
A stands for Allusion. As was evident from even before we opened the first page, Morrison loves allusions and uses them extensively. There is really no need to point out all of the Biblical and historical allusions throughout the text, but it is necessary to discuss their effect. These numerous allusions all add to the richness of the text, and curiously add to it both a degree of credibility (with the historical allusions), and of mysticism and faith (with the Biblical names). I am interested to see to what end Morrison will eventually use the biblical allusions, aka what will be their true meaning and purpose?
Z, after much deliberation, stands for Zealous. The definition of Zealous I found is "foolish; embarrassingly enthusiastic; idiotic", which I believe is a pretty good description of Hagar's actions. She constantly tries to kill Milkman, stalking him in the streets, coming to him with butcher knives. And yet she is too caught up in her emotions, in her desire to kill him and yet have him, that her attempts do not only fail but also make her an extremely foolish and weak character.
Sorry, here is the H and the M
H: Hate: Feelings of hate and consume many of the characters in the novel. Many of the characters in Song of Solomon characters have experienced many negative events that have left them only with hatred and anger. More importantly, the characters do not attempt to rid themselves of their feelings of hatred; instead, they allow themselves to become consumed with hate. As a result, they ruin relationships and lead miserable lives. Guitar, a man who has seen many white crimes against blacks unpunished, joins the Seven Days. His frustration with these unpunished crimes leads him to hate all white people, not just white murderers. He believes all white people have the possibility to kill for fun. He is consumed with hate for white people. His hate does not allow him to realize that he will become exactly what he hates. He truly hates those who kill the innocent; however, he looks to blame white people for the all murders. Another example of a character who is consumed with hate is Macon Dead. Because past occurrences, Macon hates both his wife, Ruth, and his sister, Pilot. His anger against both of these women develops into hate, and Macon allows his hate to augment and grow without end; and as a result, he is so far unable to forgive neither Ruth nor Pilot. His hatred for his wife almost makes him kill his son (when Milkman was still unborn). He does nothing to try to control his anger and hatred.
M: Mood: The mood in this novel is very agitated and dark. Her word choice creates an uneasy and dark atmosphere. Phrases such as “indifferent cave of flesh” and “the cord stump shriveled, fell off, and left no trace of having existed” use a lot of negative words such as indifferent, shriveled, etc. She also uses many hard images such as “armless women, one-legged women, razor-torting women, hunchbacks, and blind women, drunken women”. Lastly, in some of her passages, she uses positive images to create a dark mood.
“Now he saw her as a faril woman content to do tiny things; to grow and cultivate small life that would not hurt her if it died: rhododendron, goldfish, dahlias, germaniums, imperial tulips. Because these little lives did die. The gold fish floated to the top of the water and when she tapped the side of the bowl with her fingernail they did not flash away in a lighting arc of terror. The rhododendron leaves grew wide and green and when their color was at its deepest and waxiest, they suddenly surrendered it and lapsed into limp yellow hears. In a way she was jealous of death.” In this passage, she uses positive images (gold fish, flowers) and turns them into dark imagery by placing death on them. The color of the leaves and talk of death really
creates a dark and negative mood.
EMM
E is for the Electra Complex. Ruth's disturbing attraction to her father, especially when coming from Macon's point of view, falls into this easily. The father-daughter intimacy is a prime example of Freud's work, and enough to make anyone's stomach turn uncomfortably. Morrison really outdid herself.
M for muddled. Milkman's confusion over his family is clear enough in his actions. He hardly knows what to think with all the conflicting points of views and crazy stories swapped around. After his father revealed some very strange things about his mother, Milkman walked out of the house and around town in a daze. Totally lost without anything to hold on to and clarify things. Muddled could also stand for his own little world. He doesn't know what to do anymore and just lives life in a blur. Nothing has great meaning for him, not even his own death. Hagar's attempts on his life are the greatest excitement of the day for him, and even then he's not bouncing off the walls.
M for magical realism. Morrison's use of it is evident all over the place. The flowerbed scene, chapter one's opening scene, and carried by the characters like Pilate. Magical realism brings a lot to the story and gives a lot of definition for characters and a sense of what to expect from Morrison's style of writing.
C is for Complexity. As discussed in the last blog, the plot is thick and interwoven, the characters possess complicated histories, and the relatioships between these characters are complicated and complex. The purpose, themes, and elements of this novel also support this idea of complexity. Morrison interweaves magic realism with strong racial tension and animosity to create a brilliant but complicated work of fiction.
A is for Autonomy. Characters try to achieve this sense of autonomy, and try to gain an independance all throughout the novel. This enduring theme especially lies with Milkman. Growing up in a confused environment, he has not yet grasped this sense of "self". He wants to live freely, away from the stability of his father's job, and truly find his place in society. All of the characters in a way experience this sense of autonomy. They seem disconnected and confused, struggling to achieve this sense of "self" and gain an independance.
P is for punctuation. The syntax and other structural devices Morrison incorporates, combined with beautiful language, allow the novel to flow smoothley. This novel is beautifully written, and Morrison's effective mastery of language allows the novel to gain this fast paced, enjoyable reputation.
Characterization. Morrison’s characters are what make the story, but more notable than the characters is the way she describes them. She doesn’t just tell us how she envisioned these characters to be. She doesn’t say, “Ruth is a woman longing for love” or “Milkman never really grew up.” She tells us stories from their past, their relationships with others, and how they act in certain situations, and lets us decide, after reading all that, what we want to think of them.
Milkman. His nickname, created not from affection or humor but from mockery, has stuck with him for thirty-something years. He couldn’t get rid of it if he tried. This odd nickname represents how he doesn’t fit in anywhere. Not with his family, not with Guitar or Hagar – he never truly feels like he belongs. There is only one Milkman in the world, and it’s him.
Coming of age. Milkman is in his mid-thirties and as of the end of Chapter 7, he still hasn’t grown up. But I think he will. He has seen Guitar move on with his life, and though he may not agree with what Guitar is doing, I think it made Milkman realize he must do the same. He sees Guitar’s has a greater purpose in life, while Milkman is just bored with everything. In chapter 7 he shows he desire for change when he asks his father for a year off from the business. I think this will jumpstart a change in Milkman for the better.
RJC
R-Racism: Racism is an important part of Song of Solomon. Milkman lives in an extremely racist society, and although everyone around him is very aware of it, he is oblivious to it. He really doesn't seem to identify with his race at all. While Guitar and his friends are very passionate about the issue, Guitar going so far as to join the Seven Days, Milkman doesn't care. Maybe it is because he is immature, or maybe it is because he is self-obsorbed, but Milkman is completely disconnected from the racism issue.
J-Jarring. Jarring is a good way to describe Song of Solomon because so many unpleasant, unexpected events occur. The plot seems to be going along like any other book when something extremely jarring and disturbing happens like finding out about Ruth's relationship with her father, or how Milkman got his nickname, or Guitar's involvement with the Seven Days.
C-confused. Confused describes how Milkman feels about his family, his past, and his relationships. He doesn't understand his mother's crazy relationship with her father, He doesn't understand his father's relationship with Pilate. He doesn't understand his relationship with Hagar. And he doesn't understand Guitar even though he is his best friend. Even though Milkman is very confused, he doesn't try to resolve his issues and figure things out.
K stands for Kinesics. Although the plot is driven mainly through the use of dialogue, unspoken language also is crucial to characterization and plot movement. Kinesics is the analysis of how body movements can communicate meaning. It is important to not only analyze what is being said, but what is implied by a character's movements and expressions during dialogues and other scenes. With this in mind, the relationships in the novel gain more complexity.
J is for Jungian Psychology. Jungian Psychology refers to the theories of Carl Gustav Jung. One of his theories, the collective unconscious, is a shared collection of transcultural archetypes that resonate powerful within the human psyche. These are used in order to face similar problems the subject's ancestors faced. The characters in the novel must face the same social issues that their ancestors had such as race, class, and financial status. Each character exemplifies a specific archetype, like Macon Dead as the stern father-figure, Guitar as the artist-scientist, and Pilate exemplifying the animus.
L stands for lament. Each character laments a specific aspect of their life. For Milkman's mother, she laments her loveless relationship with her husband and the loss of her father. Guitar laments the status of blacks in society. Milkman laments his inability to form "healthy" relationships with any of the other characters thus far.
Well after having to follow-up Ken's response, mine will look like shit, but here goes:
M - M is for motherhood. Motherhood is one of those things in this novel that isn't glaringly off, but something there just isn't right. The way that Ruth views Milkman, as her child, but almost as a younger version of her father, or his father. There is a strange attachment that Ruth has to her children, while at the same time, after learning about Hagar's travels during the early years of Reba's life, that relationship does not seem as strong as it once did in the novel.
A - A is for attached. As we learn more about each of the characters in this novel we find that more and more of them are hung up on things. Ideas of from the present, and events from the past. Macon Sr. hates Pilate for her stealing the gold back after their father died, he is a slave to this grudge and has contributed and furthered his lack of a loving family. Ruth, as has been discussed previously, is still very much attached to her father, his presence and his role in her life. Another facet of attachment in the novel, that we have been newly introduced to, is Guitar's attachment to The Seven Days. His clinging to this belief can only spell bad things for the future of his friendship with Milkman, and the future of his life.
U - U is for unreal. Often referred to as the technical term of "magical realism", the unreal elements of this novel abound. The latest example, for me, is The Seven Days brotherhood. Although, and I am not sure on this, there may be some historical fact to back this up, the whole idea that there is a group of black people, lynching white people at random and getting away with it, in some nowhere town (in Pennsylvania? Michigan? haven't figured that one out yet) just seems like a reach to me. The fact that Milkman doesn't really question the legitimacy of the group, just why would Guitar belong to that group also shows that as a reader I am not supposed to question this group, however, I can't let this one go. The black KKK does not just "level the playing field", as it was explained to Milkman, with a workforce of seven. No way, no how.
ZG-- I'm another of those poor children whose parents were not creative enough to endow a middle name.
Z is a horrible letter, isn't it? I had to actually move out my seat and grab my obsolete dictionary (with inches of dust from year of neglect) to find a "z" word. I conclude my epic journey with "zenana," which means "the part of the house in which the women of the family are secluded." In Song of Solomon, the women are secluded from so many things; Pilate seems to be the only one who is able to keep her identity completely intact. Yet to do so, she hacked off all her hair and lost her feminine charms--to fight the world head-on as a woman is a difficult task. The rest of the female population, Hagar, Ruth, Reba, Magdalena (called Lena), and First Corinthians, live stifled and limited lives. All full growth adults, Hagar, Reba, Magdalena (called Lena), and First Corinthians have never married. It is a curious thing, considering that they are all eligible and pleasant women. But perhaps their zenana prevents them from venturing out into the world and searching for their own identity.
G is for greed, the greed that instigates trouble. Macon is the one most full of greed, wanting more than his share of life. His greed for money never fills, and his hand is always reaching for more. Hagar is greedy for Milkman, wanting him for herself disregarding his feelings. Guitar is greedy for revenge, and his bloodthirst to see white people suffer is sure to bring trouble. Milkman is greedy for freedom, the freedom to escape from his parents and from the town. Ruth wants her father, in a rather sickening way. Her obsessive desire for him overwhelmed him and left him with no will to continue living.
AFT:
A is for alone. Milkman and his family seem to be very alone in their world. They do not fit in with the black world, yet they do not fit in the white world. The Dead family live in their own isolated world. Milkman lets other people into his world, but he never seems to let people all the way in and when they get too close he pushes them away (ex. Hagar). This feeling of alienation also contributes to the magical realism of the novel.
F is for freedom. Milkman feels trapped in his town and he wants to escape, which at the end of chapter 7 he does. He wants to be able to fly, which is the most freeing thing of all. What is interesting though is that he has plenty of money, which gives him the freedom to do whatever he wants. However, it takes him over 30 years to finally leave and begin his own life. The other characters also struggle with freedom, except most do not have the option to escape like Milkman does.
T is for time. Time is clearly an important element in Song of Solomon and contributes to the magical realism of the novel. I like how Morrison, like Faulkner, distorts time and plays with the past, present, and future, but Morrison, unlike Faulkner, makes it easy for the readers to follow the jumps in time. Her transitions between different period in time are fluid and smooth and add interest to the novel.
This is difficult because my parents lovingly gave me two middle names. So oh boy here we go:
JMWS
J is for jumbled. Milkman's entire family history is jumbled up, completely convoluted. Each character's perception of other characters is deeply embedded in a maze of issues. Macon hates his wife for all of these different reasons, most of which don't have any validity. We find out that Ruth wasn't lying naked with her father, but was sitting on the floor next to his bed. And she wasn't sexually attracted to him, but believed he was the only one who cared about her.
M is for middle. Milkman is caught in the middle of his family's problems. He hits his father because he hits his mother. His father believes Milkman has defied him by visiting Hagar, who Macon doesn't speak to. Much of Milkman's feelings of anger come from the fact that he is often put in the middle of problems that initially don't concern him. But, once he gets involved, he becomes the center, bombarded with information about his parents' relationship, as well as the relationship between Hagar and his father.
W is for wishes. I found it interesting how all of a sudden we find out that Hagar is trying to kill Milkman when she gets his letter about wanting to end the relationship. However, we find out that she doesn't hate Milkman. She loves him, which comes out during her discussion with Ruth. It's interesting how her wish for his love in return becomes completely irrelevent and she instead obsesses with the idea of killing him. And, the incident we see obviously is not the first time this has happened.
S is for silhouette. We find out that our initial perceptions of the characters are not what they become. Macon is not evil and unfoundedly angry. Guitar is not innocent and jolly. Ruth is not a sex fiend. Pilate is not numb to her isolation. We are on a journey as we read this book. We are constantly uncovering information. Next week, we'll know even more. But (I'm hoping) more of what we initially understood of the characters is proven wrong. It gives the book a mystery feel. I love that.
MLD
M is for mystery. The insights into the past through dream sequences and memories are constantly revealing new information to readers about the characters and their actions. But we never know the whole story. We are always left with questions.
L is for love. This also relates to the relationship discussion. Love is supposed to exist in marriage, friendship, companionship. But it is often absent from the character relationships. The question of where love actually exists in Song of Solomon, versus where it should, contributes to the novel's message. (Things are not what they seem: love is often absent where you expect it, but can be found in extraordinary places.)
D is for diction. The diction in this novel is so effective. Each word that Morrison chooses is chosen for a specific purpose, and it livens the text. The diction in Song of Solomon is one of the many reasons why the writing is so enjoyable to read.
That was fun!! :)
ELR
Equal - This is an antonym (I know I'm cheating a little bit here) of the characters in the novel. There is such a lack of equality that it becomes an important theme in the novel. The women are lower than the men and the African Americans are lower than the blacks and the Deads' are beneath everyone. This social hierarchy shows an interesting contrast between the Dead family and the rest of the community. They seem to be isolated from the rest of the world.
Lack - There is a lack of everything in the novel, in terms of feelings. There is no sympathy for the death of Macon Sr., no (apparent) love between Ruth and Macon Jr., no emotion from Milkman, no understanding or acceptance for Pilate. Love is also something that is missing from some of the relationships (I know I'm using the other post) in the novel. Hagar and Milkman, Ruth and Macon Jr., Guitar and Milkman are lacking (I know) love. Secrets and confusion fill these relationships.
Racism - There is a lot of it in the novel. It is the reason that a drift arises between Milkman and Guitar. Guitar has such strong feels for racism that he even shuns his own friend. It is the reason that this novel is so powerful. Combined with religion, racism fuels the hate in the novel. In both Native Son and this novel, racism is a vehicle that both authors use in different ways to convey a message about the mistreatment of African Americans. It fuels murder, rape, and many other bad things that happen in society. It can make a community come together under a common cause. Morrison, however, takes a different perspective on this. She takes a family (the Dead’s) who has been shunned by both the white community and many of the African Americans. Their story is one of isolation and racism.
My initials are EJS.
E is for equilibrium. Okay, maybe it's not huge, but I feel we've covered exclusion and the like enough. (Again I go with the qualifier.) Pilate's equilibrium "overshadows her eccentricity" (138). She is willing to confront Macon, which puts her above any other character in the novel. Similarly, she understands why it makes equal sense for Hagar to want to murder Milkman and Ruth to want to kill Hagar. Not only is this situation typical of her, because, perhaps, as the text hints, because of her dissimilarity or her eccentricity, she can sort out conflicts, but she understands an equilibrium--the forces on opposing sides are the same. Equilibrium also shows up in Guitar's new life (more on that later) because the idea behind it all is maintaining equilibrium.
J is for justification. Song of Solomon depicts several characters attempting to justify ostensibly wrong acts. (I say there are several as a precautionary measure. I have the second Macon and Guitar in mind, but there's a decent chance that there are a few more who fit that description.) I'll start with Guitar. He's a member of the Seven Days, which you all know the gist of because you read like responsible, mature AP students. It seems as though he's found the most extreme combination of his two raisons d'etre--barbershop politics and barely coherent, excessively rationalized, logical-in-his-own-convenient-way screeds. He feels his acts are justifiable according to the philosophy of the Seven Days. According to them, through their concept of maintaining the ratio of black people to white people (which, ironically enough, but not really if you actually give it any thought, seems similar in essence to Hitler's concept of racial purity), they can bring justice that America's legal system will not allow. They hang onto the belief that virtually all white people are "unnatural." Despite Milkman's objections, Guitar insists he's right about this, even though their differences are largely due to the fact that, basically, Milkman knows more about white people than Guitar ever will.
Macon justifies his treatment of Ruth by explaining that her father, and her relationship with him, sometimes drives him to a point where he cannot contain his anger. While it seems somewhat reasonable, it appears, if one wants to give Ruth's side of the story some credit, that Macon's emotions take him too far. Oh and I just remembered Ruth. She dodges the matter of her breastfeeding Milkman late into his childhood, instead pleading with him and saying she prayed for him and did him no harm on her knees, which I guess is another one of those cryptic passages of Morrison's I should keep in mind. Also, probably more importantly, she has a similarly elaborate story to Macon's that justifies her bizarre behavior.
S is for sexuality. That's awfully broad, and I wish my last name were hyphenated so I could talk about something to the effect of sexual abnormality. (S is for shucks.) There is something still deeply suspicious about Ruth's relationship with her dead father and how it manifested in her relationship with Milkman. She balks at his question about breastfeeding, she talks about her father's "beautiful hands," and she begins visiting his grave after Macon no ignores her sexually, as though that filled the void. There is also something suspicious about Macon--one would think that he would also feel the effects of no sex life. As far as I can remember, there's no mention of any mistress, only his suspicion of his wife's infidelity, so it sounds as though he simply drifted into celibacy after he stopped lusting after his wife. Finally, there's Milkman's relationship with Hagar, which is incestuous (a very obvious example of sexual abnormality) and sends her out of control. He haunts her, and she feels the overwhelming need to end his life, yet at least part of what stops her from killing him in her last attempt is the sight of his face, which strikes her as beautiful.
A- Abolitionist literature . (I had first found archetype, started writing this long thing on it, and then realized that Ken had written about the same thing).. But alright, Abolitionist literature was used in the 1800s to abolish slavery and emancipate the slaves. I chose this word because Song of Solomon is dealing with history as it continued from the Abolitionist path. Guitar and Milkman represent different “generations” of this growth from the age of slavery. Guitar sees the world in black and white, that all white people are the same- unnatural, and that all black people would never commit murder like white people do. He thinks that white people still treat African Americans like slaves, and that the only way to fight back is to even out the score. Although Milkman is ignorant to much of the murders and does not really identify with the black community, he does recognize that Guitar’s violence is wrongly directed. It’s a very difficult issue, and I found it similar to Mr. Max’s speech in Native Son. Guitar, like Bigger, is filled with this intense anger and hates an entire race because of it, and is willing to murder for it.
R- relic- the physical remains of something I guess usually religious- and religious imagery is used throughout the novel. But I thought of this because of the sack that is hanging in Pilates house. It brings up so many questions: Are we sure that it’s the gold? Or is it possible that it could be her fathers actual bones? If so, has she ever used the gold? Relics are supposed to hold the spirit of a saint after their death, which relates to how Pilate continually sees her father’s spirits, and she hangs his relics in her house. Pilate also keeps the relic of her name/ her family’s history hanging on her ear. Hopefully I’m not using this word completely wrong.
G- Geography – Many of the characters seem obsessed with their geography: Guitar talks about the real idea of the North and the South.. “For example, I live in the north now. So the first question that comes to mind is North of what? Why, north of the South. So North exists because South does. But does that mean North is different from South? No way! South is just south of North…” This demonstrates Guitar’s inability to understand the complete difference of the worlds of the North and the South and why they are so separated, when really they are both part of the same nation. Pilate also carries around with her the Geography book because it gives her the path to Virginia to find her family, and it gives her direction, strength and hope. When describing Hagar and Ruth, Morrison also used their perspectives on geography: “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.”
I left out an example of equilibrium. Guitar and Milkman balance each other out through their differences, and the acknowledgment of these differences improves their friendship because there's "nothing to pretend" (114).
EJW
E -Escapism. Where the heck is this book. Man, sometimes I just loose myself in the story. THis book isn't realistic, it's magically realistic. MAcon's story at the end of chapter 7 really took me out of the whole novel. I think it was how the narration felt disattached from the narrator. Or how about when Pilate told her life story? That was it's own little breathing thing.
J - jaw dropping = cliffhanger! I'm really just motivated to keep reading. THis novel has tremendous momentum, and something new is always piled on. Come on, killer Hagar, the Seven Days, the inheritance! This stays fresh, the worst thing about fiction is when someone doesnt know how to tell a story or how to make something up. It's possible to write a lot about nothing. thats not cool.
W - Whimsical! Yes, this is odd, strange, fantastic, and fun. Epistemological, this would've made a good "e" word. But the setting does feel real, it's missing some description to bring it together, and it goes from Virgina to I guess up north in Ohio. The range and the possibilities of it being urban or a forest adds wonder to the story. It leaves a place to shove in ghosts and nymphs like Pilate.
DLS
Discord- among the character perceptions of particular events in the book. The narrative itself is reliable, but much of the back story is provided through retellings of the past by different characters to Milkman. By chapter 7, it is unclear which characters can be trusted for the "real" story or if any of them can. The biggest clash is obviously between Macon's view of Ruth's relationship with her father and her own.
Lineage- obviously very important for these characters, particularly because it is largely unknown to the Deads. Their name has no ancestry behind it. Neither Pilate nor Macon even know what their mother's name was. They only seem to think she came from Virginia. Pilate spent a long time searching for family. Macon appears to have given up on it.
Song of Songs- very relevant in the context of the relationship discussion. Each chapter describes a love relationship from a different perspective. There are conflicting views of love for each character. I have been looking for references to the biblical passage while I've been reading. The most blatant allusion was Milkman's observations of the mural of the Michigan seal painted at the train station when Milkman follows his mother (p.122) He describes two deer and questions "Or were they does?" The actual state seal includes a clearly male deer on the left and an elk on the right. Ruth also takes bus number 26. It is possibly a reference chpt. 2, verse 6: "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me." This could (I don't know) somehow describe the love Ruth seeks from men. I think it's more likely it refers the the 26th verse of the Song of Songs: "My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice." This would seem to make much more sense considering it falls around the same time as the state seal description.
T is for Temperament, as in Milkman's unusual personality compared to others in this world. Most people around him accept things the way they are, and do not see anything as strange or unrealistic; what is strange to the reader is the norm here. These magical aspects of the world do not sit well with Milkman in some cases - he doesn't believe his mother was attacked by flowers, and the fact that Pilate lacks a navel seems unusual to him. He also has an uncanny ability to control those around him, which is somewhat peculiar but, again, nobody really questions it. He possesses an attitude that is very different from everyone else, and he does not restrict his feelings and actions to fit in with the rest of society.
K is for Kinship, and the various issues surrounding it. The blood relationships are a very important aspect of the novel, as referenced in the previous blog entry. It all begins with Macon and Pilate's mother, and the his relationship with his Pilate, Milkman's relationship with his cousin, Ruth's relationship with her son, etc. are critical to the characterization and how the story unfolds.
...even with two this was a bit tough.
EQ:
E is for existentialism, which is a philosophy that focuses on the isolation of the individual experience and freedom of choice in a hostile world. The ideas of existentialism also suggest that human existance cannot be explained. A good example of this in Song of Solomon is Seven Days, the group of seven black men that kills a white man for every black murdered for racism. Through this method of retribution, Seven Days assumes almost a God-like role in the hostile and racist environment.
Q- First off, I must whine about how I really hate my last name right now. Like Linda, I actually had to pick up a dictionary, which I haven't used since I discovered dictionary.com. Anyway, I've finally settled on Quatrain. The song that we first hear Pilate sing in the first scene is organized by quatrains like a poem, fitting into the lyric nature of the novel as a whole.
JRS:
J stands for juggle. Throughout this novel, the reader is forced to juggle the different complex stories relating to each character. Morrison gives a taste of the story in the beginning, but as we read on, more and more is revealed for the reader.
R stands for round character. Pilate is definitely a complex character that surprises the reader without losing credibility. Yes, it is unusual that she has no navel, but it seems natural in regards to who Pilate is. Without any hint of Pilate being violent in the beginning, she attacks a man with a knife. Looking at the big picture, Pilate can do anything but still maintain her credibility.
S stands for syntax. I see most of what she writes as cinematic. Morrison is able to describe everything beautifully, and in my opinion, it is never over done. She has long flowing paragraphs, but sometimes uses short, out of place sentences. These sentences are purposely done to hint at something to come or emphasis a point. The syntax Morrison uses is well thought out and engaging.
C stands for characters. Although many spectacular and wondrous things occur throughout the novel, including some pretty trippy magic and some exciting plot twists, the most intruiging part of the novel are the characters. There is a perfectly balanced harmony between the characters, setting, and plot, and each blends into the other, making a truly interesting read. But as Laura mentioned before, no one wants to read about healthy relationships, and similarly, about mentally stable people (shout out to the berthas!) The fun-loving, immature, but completely lost Milkman, the charismatic and "crazy" Pilate, Hagar the Horrible, Guitar the Gruesome,the incestuous and very disturbed Ruth, etc... even without flying men and albino peacocks, the characters in this book truly make it.
H stands for history. There is a lot of background incorporated into the setting of Toni Morrison's work, both real and imagined. Firstly, the tension between the two races particularly stands out, and the historical landmark events that signify this battle (the murders,) provide a sartlingly real character to an otherwise fictional novel, making it truly magical realism. As we discussed in class, the history of the town is incorporated strategically into the novel from the beginning, starting with the etimology of Not Doctor Street, and No Mercy Hospital.
A stands for allusion! Of course, most character's names are a biblical allusion, but other objects or occurances are allusions to both history and folklore. Specifically, the murders of black people sited in the novel are real events, and the folklore that appears throughout is directly taken from the African Griot tradition, including the Shalimar.
HSS-
Hosiery - The obsession Milkman shares with his father over socks and shoes.
Socks - (See above)
Sinuses - The things that are making my head hurt right now.
-------
That was fun. Now for the stuff that requires mental exertion:
Hallow - to render sacred, as Hagar does Milkman, and Ruth, her father. And as Morrison herself treats Pilate. Hagar venerates Milkman with a fervor usually associated with religion - the fervor of a fanatic, rather similar, as I think about it, to Guitar's belief in his Cause. And similarly, Ruth places the Doctor on a pedestal to which no one else can measure up, at least, according to Macon's interpretation. Finally, Morrison deifies Pilate. As Laura noted in class the other day, Pilate is basically described in the terms one would use to speak of a goddess. I'm just waiting for her to show her Humanity.*
Sensory - the details Morrison gives us are deeply grounded in the senses. Take, for instance, the opening scene: she appeals to sight (the red petals and blue wings against the snow), touch (the velvet of the petals), and hearing (Pilate's song), to create a multi-dimensional image. It is these details that enrich Morrison's writing, and give vividness to the more fantastic aspects of the novel. Moreover, this aspect of Morrison's writing ties directly to the actual Song of Solomon; it is through such details (frankincense, myrrh, apples, lilies, etc.) that their love is characterized by the beloved and the Shulamite.**
Self-portraiture - as each character reveals their story, we are given what is, perhaps, more important than the nitty-gritty details: their perspective. How each of them interprets their role in the events around them. For example, we've already received two markedly different accounts of the dead man's finger-sucking scene from Macon Sr. and Ruth. And we've also heard the Grandpa Macon Shot in the Air story from both Pilate's and Macon's perspectives. The different perspectives serve to show how each character views himself or herself, an important element of characterization in Song of Solomon.***
*Notice the insane skill it takes to begin and end with H-words.
**Admittedly, ending the sentence with Shulamite required some syntactical acrobatics that border on awkward, but now that I've started this double-lettering business, I can't stop.
***I know, how original, the title of the book. Sue me.
CAT
C is for contrast. Morrison uses contrasting characters to point out the differences in each other. For example, Milkman and Guitar are basically opposites. They come from different backgrounds (Milkman grew up rich, Guitar grew up poor), Milkman is an outcast and rejected by the black community while Guitar is accepted and fights for the African Americans. As best friends, when they are together the audience can see the differences and the differences in class, stature, etc within the black community is exposed.
A is for allusion. In the book there are many allusions to the Bible, specifically wen it comes to names: First Corinthians, Pilate, Magdalene, etc. And each name has a purpose; for example, Pilate is not just named Pilate because "it sounded strong" like it says in the text, she is named that because she IS strong like the name of the man who had the power to order Jesus's death. Her strength reveals itself in the chapters we just read, like her willingness to almost kill a man to protect her daughter.
T is for third person point of view. I noticed there was a change to third person limited point of view when we were learning of the cave and when Macon and Pilate found a dead man with a bag of gold, and Pilate ran away. I was confused.
LAW-
L: Love
There are many different degrees of love in this story. Hagar is desperately in love with Milkman. She would do anything for him and Milkman decides on his own accord when he wants to be with her and sleep with her. Ruth also gives her love to him freely. But Milkman realizes that he didn’t defend his mother after Macon hit her because he loved her, he did it purely to prove to himself that he was a man. Contrastingly, Milkman is devastated when learns that Ruth has another life besides being his mother. It seems all the love in this novel is self-serving.
A: Ambiguity
Ambiguous/Confusing. Milkman does not know a lot of things in the beginning of the novel. And as he grows older, certain events or stories trigger seconds of clarity, but Milkman is still not sure of his past. For example, when Macon hits Ruth, Milkman can’t imagine what on earth would make Macon hit Milkman’s mother. Right now, there is no one explanation to justify (or attempt to justify) this event. There is a lot of confusion. A short while later Macon goes up to Milkman to explain his reasoning for his action(s) against Ruth. For a moment, there is clarity. But later Milkman hears Ruth’s side of the story. The story completely contradicts and is not even remotely the same as the one told by Macon. All the lucidity that once lingered in the air vanished. With these two stories, Milkman’s mind is allowed to wander. Ruth and her father’s relationship is ambiguous; this in turn initially denies Milkman from fully understanding his past.
W: White(ness)
Most of the characters in this story are black. So when we hear about the white characters, it is in the company of malice. The African-American community is suppressed by the overbearing presence of the white culture. We are only made aware of the negative aspects of this presence. Macon Dead is not a very well liked man. Toni Morrison uses this characterization as a way to represent this. Though a black man, he is described like a white man (like above the black community) and has himself become 'oppressive' of blacks by the simple fact of attaining middle-class status in America. Negative events and symbols with white in them include Macon Dead’s father being killed by white men leaving Pilate and Macon to fend for themselves; Guitar’s father was killed during an accident at the mill and Guitar’s family was given no sympathy from his father’s white employers; we learn that a white bull caused Freddie’s mother to go into early labor and die at childbirth. The bull’s interference with Freddie’s birth equivocates the white man’s interference with the African-American world.
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