Character Analysis of Milkman and Pilate in Song of Solomon, a Book from the Hebrew Bible

Identification can be found in many forms. Some aspects are predetermined, and others are chosen by the individual. People often self-segregate into communities of those who look and act similar to themselves. Typically, race and class are the broadest, fastest, and most discriminatory labels assigned. As these are usually the most visible, people tend to divide and identify strongly with these categories. In addition to these broad group identities, there are personal identities, such as a name. Names function as both a label and an identifier and are among the most critical decisions parents make for a child because a name lasts a lifetime.

The combination of race, class, history, and name forms the first identity everyone is given. Although many are thrust into identities unsuitable for them, Milkman and Pilate from Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon escape from confining social norms and familial expectations by metaphorically learning how to fly. This shows that individuals, regardless of their birth circumstances, have the capability to change themselves and societal perceptions.

Milkman is never given the chance to develop his own identity, so he embarks on a journey of self-discovery to the South. The origin of Milkman’s identity comes from his grandfather, Macon Dead. Filled in by a careless, drunken Yankee, the name Macon Dead was “…scrawled in perfect thoughtlessness…” and handed down through the generations, resulting in it being adopted by Milkman (18). With the same name as his father and his grandfather, Milkman grew up depending on their identities and people’s perceptions of that identity, instead of creating his own. In one recall, when Milkman’s older sister Lena picked flowers, he would turn around when he heard her footsteps behind him. He began to develop a habit of focusing on the past rather than the future: “…there were no future to be had”. This concentration on the past, his father’s past, and his grandfather’s past, indicates that Milkman never gave himself the chance to live his own life (35).

Even as a young child, Milkman felt that he had no future to look forward to. Constantly focusing on his past and that of his father’s and grandfather’s, he resigned himself to the possibility of becoming just like his father. He never got to experience a childhood because he was always viewed in the same light as his adult father. Macon is a landlord, making him one of the city’s few wealthy black men; therefore, he mingles with wealthier black people and whites. As a result, Milkman grows up in two conflicting worlds. He is perpetually trapped in a universe where he feels he doesn’t belong, and escaping this restrictive world created by his family and society becomes Milkman’s ticket to freedom.

In his trip away from home, Milkman escapes from his demanding friends and family, as, “In the air far from real life, he did not hesitate. Yet on the ground… the wings of all those other people’s problems flapped in his face and restrained him.” (221) His father wants him to succeed him, his mother wants him to stay with her forever, Hagar wants him to love her, and Guitar wants his money, trapping him. He spends his life trying to please all these people, and Milkman decides it’s time to figure out what he wants in life, and so he leaves home. After isolating himself from their influence, Milkman gets the chance to reflect on his life and what he wants, not what everyone wants from him. His journey of escape serves as a self-discovery journey. “I just know that I want to live my own life. I don’t want to be my old man’s office boy anymore. And as long as I’m in this place, I will be.” (221-222) He decides that he will no longer be under his father’s control, who keeps Milkman compliant by making him dependent on him for money. In the process of finding himself, Milkman uncovers the story of Solomon, who he believes is his direct ancestor. He continues to unravel the story of his family’s past until he is content and decides to return home, now certain of who he is, because he has a complete understanding of his past, his present, and his future.

Pilate Dead overcomes the unfortunate circumstances of her birth and her naming by taking control of her life and ignoring the judgement of others while acting as a role model to Milkman. The original Macon Dead chose Pilate’s name from the Bible and, “…since he could not read a word, picked a group of letters that looked to him strong and handsome; saw in them a big figure that looked like a tree hanging in some noble yet protective way over a row of smaller trees.” (18) Ironically, Pilate is named after the Roman magistrate who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. However, Pilate surpasses the association with the Roman Pilate and establishes an identity of her own. She takes the original reasons her father chose the name and becomes the “strong and handsome”, “noble”, and “protective” tree that watches over the “smaller trees”, Milkman, Hagar, Reba, and Ruth. She becomes the motherly figure that she did not have as a child.

Pilate’s mother passed away while giving birth to her, so Pilate raised herself. With agency over her own life right from the start, she made the choice to be born and live. Perhaps Pilate’s most remarkable skill is that “Without ever leaving the ground, she could fly.” (336) Here, the “ground” symbolizes the world in its current state. Pilate’s flight is her escape from societal conventions. Despite being marginalized as an African American, a single mother, and a winemaker, Pilate refuses to let these hindrances affect her worldview. She embraces everyone she meets and has moved beyond feelings of hate, anger, and jealousy. Consequently, she “flies” freely like a bird, refusing to fret about societal expectations. Her name also phonetically matches the word “pilot”, reinforcing her self-determination and adaptability.

Utilizing flight as a metaphorical escape from the judgmental society that surrounds them, both Milkman and Pilate forge their own identities rather than accepting societal dictates. Raised in a racially polarized society, Milkman struggles to find his place. To the white population he is inherently inferior, while within the black community, he is seen as superior to his less affluent peers. Inspired by his aunt Pilate’s ability to break free of societal conventions, Milkman learns to metaphorically “fly”. He distances himself from toxic relationships, rejects a systemically racist society, and embarks on a journey to understand the world and himself. Milkman’s journey to maturity illuminates the struggles African Americans faced pre-Civil Rights era as they negotiated a world that was reluctant, if not outright hostile, to accept them. The narrative suggests that it often required isolation and a complete rejection of societal norms for black people to freely express their identity.

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