Song of Solomon Precis
By: Dierra Lamar
Chapter 5-8
In the fictional book Song of Solomon (1977), the illustrious American author Toni Morrison implies that life contains little meaning without action and self discovery. She does this by highlighting existential thoughts that her characters develop. First, Macon uses the pun that he’s already dead, "My name is Macon, remember? I'm already dead" (118). This casually expresses his disdain for his own life because of his Hamlet like inaction. Later on he laments about death "Gradually his fear and eagerness for death returned. Above all he wanted to escape what he knew... (120)." Morrison goes further by having Milkman express his frustrations with living a dry daily life. He says, “[I’m] tired… of running up and down these streets getting nowhere (118). Third, Milkman looks forward to his impending murder viewing it as a means of escape. Morrison writes in contemplative tone in order to enhance the emotional connection between the reader and the character so that the astute audience will juxtapose their lives to Milkman and consider the meaning of their actions and existence through analysis of Milkman's behavior.
Chapter 9
In the chapter nine of acclaimed novel Song of Solomon written by Nobel Prize winning Author Toni Morrison, Morrison argues suggests that every person is capable of change by centering and developing supporting characters. In chapter nine the previously stagnant Corinthians, sister of Milkman Dead, challenges her norm of comfortable middle class life and acquires a job to sustain herself with, "Corinthians woke up one day to find herself a forty-two-year-old maker of rose petals she, suffered a severe depression which lasted until she made up her mind to get out of the house"(189). This change in a flat character demonstrates personal evolvement remains possible for all by way of determination. Lena, another previously quiet sister, undermines her brother’s (and overall male power and patriarchy) by ordering Milkman to reflect on the destruction that he has caused, “ Now he has knocked the ice out of Corinthians’ hand again and you are to blame” (216). Morrison gives the women in this chapter an assertive voice in order to communicate to the audience that change brews within the characters and that the “Dead” and inactive spirit of the family is coming quickly to a close.