Song Of Solomon

SONG OF SOLOMON
by Toni Morrison

 Awards: National Book Critics Circle Winner 1977, Nobel Prize Winner 1977

 Date Read: September 16, 2019

 I am truly in shock that I didn't love this as much as I had hoped I would. I think Toni Morrison is a national treasure and have savored  The Bluest Eye and Beloved. Having passed away only last month, I sat down with this novel at a truly strange point in my own life and I had hoped more of it would resonate with me.

 I can only marvel at the lack of communication in the Dead family. Milkman knows so little about his past and everyone seems to come to their own conclusions about the inner workings of those most close to them. Milkman begins to unearth his family legacy when he defies his father and introduces himself to his Aunt Pilate. To me, the main thrust of this story is searching for identity when the past seems hell bent on erasing it.

 While the search for the gold is a fool's errand, the gold Milkman finds is his own self-awareness and family history. Through this journey, Milkman is able to orient his own past with the paths his ancestors had walked. He visits his father's hometown and is able to fully embrace how strong his grandfather and father truly are/were. Overcoming slavery, poverty, illiteracy, losing their name and their fathers, these men still had the tenacity to keep on striving. In Virginia, Milkman finally stumbles onto the legacy of Solomon and through part fact, myth and fantasy, Milkman learns the name that was stolen from his father and the history that was stolen from him throughout his life. 

 The imagery and symbolism throughout is truly astonishing and woven in only a way that could only come from Morrison's mind. What threw me for a loop was Guitar hunting him down like an animal, never succumbing to reason. While I thoroughly disagree with the conclusions, the reason Guitar has for becoming one of the Seven Day's is, honestly understandable, however, I thoroughly disagree with murder. For a character that has committed himself to such an intense ideology, I found it difficult to swallow that he would become so distracted and motivated by pure greed. 

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