Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison tells of the life of Milkman Dead. The novel is set in the northern United States during the late 1960's and early 1970's when discrimination between Whites and Blacks was a big issue. In this novel, Blacks are portrayed as poorly educated and are in the lower class of society. Discrimination led to hatred between races, mistreatment, and even acts of violence. "Ain't no law for no colored man except the one that sends him to the chair". Violence could be heard of or witnessed almost daily in Milkman's life, and helped shape him into the person that he was in the end.

After coming home from a Catholic Communion, Ruth and Macon get to talking about the embarrassment that she went through that day. By the end of this conversation, Ruth is talking about being her dad's daughter. As soon as this was said, Macon came across the table hitting Ruth in the jaw. Milkman didn't know what to think, and couldn't stand it any longer. "Before his father could draw his hand back, Milkman had yanked him back of his coat collar, up out of his chair, and knocked him into the radiator. You touch her one more time, and I'll kill you". After this fight between Milkman and his dad, Milkman learns about where his name came from, knows now that his dad is not invincible, knows that he is a man, and finally realizes that he has no more feelings for Hagar.

All his life, Milkman had one friend that he could talk to about anything. Guitar and Milkman were friends for a very long time, they knew everything about each other, and they even trusted each other. "It all started in 1920, when a private from Georgia was killed after his balls were cut off and after he was blinded when he came home from France in World War I." Guitar belonged to a group called the Seven Days, which

consisted of seven men. These men were willing to take risks and they did not initiate anything. "The only time that they strike is when a Negro child, Negro women, or Negro man is killed by Whites and nothing is done about it by their law and their courts". The Seven Days randomly selects a similar victim and execute him or her in a similar manner as the White person was killed. "If the Negro is hanged, they hang; if a Negro was burnt, they burn; raped and murdered, they rape and murder." The point behind all the violence and killing was "numbers, balance, and ratio, and the earth, the land". Guitar thought that any man, woman, or child lived for five to seven generations. Every death led to the death of five or seven generations. Each time that Blacks were killed, five to seven generations were gone. Guitar's day for killing was Sunday, and on one Sunday, four colored girls were blown out of a church. While coon hunting in the woods at night, Guitar snuck up on Milkman and got wire around his throat. "The wire cut like a razor into his fingers, tore into his skin so deeply that he had to let go". "Your day has come," said Guitar. This was the famous saying right before death that the Seven Days said to their victims that they were about to kill.

After meeting Hagar, Milkman and her got into a relationship. Eventually, Milkman moved on, but Hagar still longed to be with him. When Milkman moved on to other girls, Hagar tried to kill him. "In her hand was a butcher knife, which she raised high over her head and brought down heavily toward the smooth neck flesh that showed above his shirt collar. The Knife stuck into his collar bone and angled off to his shoulder. Hagar raised the knife again, but found she could not get her arm down". After learning about Hagar's death, Milkman thought about how bad he had treated her. He wondered "why he never sat down and talked to her". "He had used her-her love, her craziness-and most of all he used her skulking, bitter vengeance". This made Milkman look like a star, made others think that he was a cool guy, and looked like women were crazy about him.

Growing up, Milkman had always heard that his "Papa was shot five feet into the air" protecting his land. Also, his father told him that he killed a man, but Pilate must have left gold with his body. All of this led to Milkman going to the cave in Montour County, Pennsylvania. After coming up empty handed with the gold, Milkman headed to Danville, Pennsylvania where he met Reverend Cooper. Reverend Cooper tells of his father, "your dad was four or five years older, but everyone around here remembers the old man" and also tells Milkman of how the Butlers killed his grandpa. After learning his family roots, Milkman hurries back home to tell Pilate that the bones that she carried were her father's and she must bury them properly. By learning about his family heritage, Milkman showed that his interest in his own people, not just the ones he met, had been growing. He actually had feelings for the people that surrounded him. While burying Jake's bones, Pilate is shot by Guitar. "Blood oozed from her neck", but Pilate's last words were, "Sing a little somethin for me". After Pilate's death, Milkman stood up to Guitar and then "leaped" toward him. It was as if Milkman was flying just like his relatives had done before, Milkman was "surrendered by air, you could ride it".

At the end of the novel, Milkman is a changed character. He now cares for his family and the people that he comes in contact with each day. In the beginning of the novel, Milkman relied so much on the things of the world such as women, alcohol, and money. By numerous life changing events of violence, Milkman changed into a better man, one that cares for people and especially his family.