Song of Solomon | Toni Morrison | Cliff Note Books
Song of Solomon is a novel written by Toni Morrison, published in 1977. It tells the story of a young African-American man named Macon “Milkman” Dead, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, exploring his family history and heritage. The novel is set in Michigan and Pennsylvania, spanning multiple generations of the Dead family.
The story begins with an African-American community in Michigan, focusing on the life of Macon Dead III, nicknamed “Milkman.” He is raised by his parents, who have a loveless marriage, and his sister, who is distant and aloof. Milkman grows up feeling disconnected from his family and the world around him.
Milkman embarks on a journey to discover his family history, tracing his lineage back to his great-grandfather, who was a slave. He travels to Pennsylvania, where he meets his aunt Pilate, who becomes an important figure in his life. Pilate is a strong, independent woman who challenges Milkman’s beliefs about race and identity.
Along the way, Milkman discovers a hidden family treasure, a sack of gold, which he believes will help him escape his mundane life. However, his pursuit of the gold leads him down a dangerous path, and he must confront the violence and corruption that have plagued his family for generations.
In the end, Milkman discovers the true meaning of family and community, and learns to embrace his African-American heritage. The novel explores themes of identity, family, and the search for self-discovery, as well as the history of slavery and its impact on African-American culture.
QUOTES
“You wanna fly, you got to give up the thing that weighs you down.”
“Love is never any better than the lover.”
“If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.”
“The freedom of the slave is the beginning of the story of American Negroes. He who could not live in a world without freedom took the first successful step in the long march toward dignity and humanity for all oppressed peoples.”
“She was fascinated with words. To her, words were things of beauty, each like a magical powder or potion that could be combined with other words to create powerful spells.”
“She was one of the few people he had ever met who could make him feel stupid and special at the same time.”
“You can’t own a human being. You can’t lose what you don’t own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You don’t, do you?”
“What’s the world for you if you can’t make it up the way you want it?”
“In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.”
“She looked like the world was created for her.”
AUTHOR
Toni Morrison was an American novelist, editor, and professor. She was born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio. Morrison attended Howard University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1953, and later received a master’s degree in English from Cornell University.
After graduation, Morrison taught at Texas Southern University and Howard University before becoming an editor at Random House in 1965, where she worked for many years. She published her first novel, “The Bluest Eye,” in 1970, which was followed by “Sula” in 1973 and “Song of Solomon” in 1977, among other works.
Morrison’s writing often explores themes of African American identity, family relationships, and the impact of racism and discrimination on individuals and communities. Her works have won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Nobel Prize in Literature. Morrison died on August 5, 2019, at the age of 88.
CRITICISMS
One common criticism of “Song of Solomon” is that the book is unnecessarily complex and difficult to follow. Some critics have also argued that the novel can be overly didactic at times, with Morrison using the characters and plot to make overt political and social statements. Another criticism is that the book perpetuates harmful stereotypes about black Americans, particularly in its portrayal of women. However, many readers and critics also praise “Song of Solomon” for its poetic language, vivid imagery, and exploration of themes related to identity, family, and the African American experience.
SUMMARIES
Chapter 1: The first chapter introduces the protagonist, Milkman Dead, and his family. We learn about the history of the Dead family and how they acquired their wealth. Milkman’s father, Macon Dead, is cold and distant, while his mother, Ruth Foster Dead, is emotionally fragile. We also learn about Milkman’s Aunt Pilate, who has a distinctive birthmark on her face.
Chapter 2: In this chapter, we see Milkman as a child, growing up in the wealthy black community of Southside, Michigan. He is raised by his parents’ maid, who tells him stories about his ancestors, including his grandfather, who was said to have flown back to Africa.
Chapter 3: As an adult, Milkman works in his father’s real estate business, but he feels unfulfilled and disconnected from his family and community. He begins an affair with a married woman named Hagar, who becomes possessive and jealous.
Chapter 4: This chapter focuses on Milkman’s relationship with his best friend, Guitar. They bond over their shared sense of alienation from their community, but they have different views on how to address their feelings of disenfranchisement. Guitar is part of a secret organization called the Seven Days, which seeks to avenge racial violence by killing white people.
Chapter 5: Milkman decides to go on a journey to discover more about his family history and find the gold that his ancestor supposedly brought back from Africa. He travels to Pennsylvania to visit his father’s sister, Pilate, who he believes may have information about his family’s past. He meets Pilate and her daughter, Reba, and becomes curious about Pilate’s mysterious green bag.
Chapter 6:
Milkman travels to Virginia to visit his aunt Pilate and her daughter Reba. He discovers that Pilate possesses a bag of bones that she believes are her father’s, and she insists that Milkman take the bones back to their home in Pennsylvania. Milkman agrees to take the bones and learns more about his family’s history.
Chapter 7:
Back in Pennsylvania, Milkman gives the bones to Guitar and they discuss the possibility of using the bones as leverage to extort money from the wealthy white people in the town. Milkman is not interested in this plan and decides to continue his investigation into his family’s past.
Chapter 8:
Milkman goes to visit his father’s sister, Corinthians, and her husband Porter. They tell him about the relationship between his grandfather and a woman named Sing, who was also his grandmother’s slave. Milkman becomes more determined to learn about Sing and his family’s connection to her.
Chapter 9:
Milkman travels to Shalimar, Virginia, where Sing and her daughter Hagar live. He learns more about his grandfather’s relationship with Sing and the violent history of his family. Hagar becomes infatuated with Milkman and declares her love for him, but he rejects her advances.
Chapter 10:
Milkman returns to Pennsylvania and finds out that his best friend, Guitar, has become involved in a group called the Seven Days, which seeks to avenge the deaths of black people by killing white people. Milkman tries to talk Guitar out of it but is unsuccessful, and Guitar becomes increasingly radicalized. Milkman continues his investigation and finally learns the truth about his family’s past, which changes his understanding of himself and his family.
Chapter 11: In this chapter, Milkman returns to Michigan from his trip to Virginia. He is greeted by his friend Guitar and is surprised to see that Guitar has joined a group called the Seven Days, who are dedicated to killing white people in retaliation for the violence that black people have suffered. Milkman is shocked by Guitar’s beliefs and actions, but Guitar insists that he is doing what he must to survive.
Chapter 12: Milkman visits his Aunt Pilate, who tells him the story of his grandfather’s flight from slavery and his journey to Pennsylvania. Milkman learns that his grandfather was a wealthy man who owned land and a successful business. Pilate also reveals that she has a mysterious green bag that she refuses to open or explain.
Chapter 13: Milkman sets out on a mission to find his family’s roots in Virginia. He travels to Danville and meets a man named Guitar who tells him about the town’s history of racial violence. Milkman then goes to a local bar and meets a woman named Sweet, who helps him understand the complex relationships between black and white people in the town.
Chapter 14: Milkman visits his ancestral home, the farm of the Dead family. He meets a woman named Circe who tells him stories about his family’s past, including the story of his grandfather’s flight from slavery. Milkman is fascinated by the stories and begins to feel a sense of connection to his family’s history.
Chapter 15: Milkman returns to Michigan and tries to reconcile with his girlfriend, Hagar. However, Hagar is still angry and resentful towards him, and their relationship ends in tragedy when Hagar tries to kill Milkman’s new love interest. Milkman is devastated by Hagar’s death and realizes that he needs to come to terms with his past and his family’s history in order to move forward.