Milkman abandoning his old life
In Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, Morrison asserts that Milkman's transformation into a new identity is complete and his previous actions leave him only with regret and remorse for his friends and family that he hurt along the way, "While he dreamt of flying, Hagar was dying." (332) This assertion becomes a reality as Milkman travels home from his quest from finding the gold, his family history, and himself, and transforms him into an even wiser young man, "What could it be, what else could he have done that would turn her against him? Something had happened to Hagar?"(332) Utilizing the previous assertion, we can assume a sense of questioning Milkman makes towards his past character to establish purpose for his new identity, "The cords of his neck tightened...he had hurt her, left her, and now she was dead." (332) This thought process creates a tension between the past, present, and future.