Song of SolomonSong of Solomon

Chapters 1-5Chapters 1-5

FlightFlight

Pilate sings the titular song at Mr. Smith’s flight, just before Milkman’s birth

“O cleave the air fly away home/My gran, he, flew back to Africa”

Pilate’s father tells her “You just can’t fly off and leave a body” (147).

Pilate sings the titular song at Mr. Smith’s flight, just before Milkman’s birth

“O cleave the air fly away home/My gran, he, flew back to Africa”

Pilate’s father tells her “You just can’t fly off and leave a body” (147).

(Hayden)

FlightFlight

Canonical Afro-American folklore legend of the “Flying African”

Loss and disappearing Transformation and revolution Nostalgia and return

Canonical Afro-American folklore legend of the “Flying African”

Loss and disappearing Transformation and revolution Nostalgia and return

(Hayden)

FlightFlight

Mythological basis in Icarus and Daedalus, father and son

“O Daedalus, Fly Away Home” Drifting night in the Georgia pines. . . ”

Icarian heights overreach Daedalus is successful

Mythological basis in Icarus and Daedalus, father and son

“O Daedalus, Fly Away Home” Drifting night in the Georgia pines. . . ”

Icarian heights overreach Daedalus is successful

(Hayden)

FlightFlight

Milkman is born the day after Mr. Smith’s flight

“O Sugarman done fly away/. . . Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone home” (6).

Milkman loses interest in himself when he learns he cannot fly (9)

If Mercy were Montgomery, he’d buy a plane ticket

Milkman is born the day after Mr. Smith’s flight

“O Sugarman done fly away/. . . Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone home” (6).

Milkman loses interest in himself when he learns he cannot fly (9)

If Mercy were Montgomery, he’d buy a plane ticket

IdentityIdentity

Naming has the power to form identity

Who has the power to give names? “Niggers get their names. . . the

best way they can” (88).

Naming has the power to form identity

Who has the power to give names? “Niggers get their names. . . the

best way they can” (88).

IdentityIdentity

Macon Dead = drunk Yankee’s mistake Milkman = unnaturally prolonged

childhood Guitar = passion Bible names = Providence (Pilate, Ruth,

First Corinthians, Magdalena, Rebecca [Reba], Hagar)

Macon Dead = drunk Yankee’s mistake Milkman = unnaturally prolonged

childhood Guitar = passion Bible names = Providence (Pilate, Ruth,

First Corinthians, Magdalena, Rebecca [Reba], Hagar)

IdentityIdentity

The white world gauges worth by money and possessions

“A nigger in business is a terrible thing to see” (22).

“Own things. And let the things you own own other things” (55).

Milkman leaves Hagar a note and money

The white world gauges worth by money and possessions

“A nigger in business is a terrible thing to see” (22).

“Own things. And let the things you own own other things” (55).

Milkman leaves Hagar a note and money

Coming of AgeComing of Age

Milkman is the victim of a prolonged childhood

Nursed by his mother for tool long Kept out of WWII by his father’s

influence Held back by father for 31 years

Milkman is the victim of a prolonged childhood

Nursed by his mother for tool long Kept out of WWII by his father’s

influence Held back by father for 31 years

Coming of AgeComing of Age

Milkman senses the restlessness of change

Concentrates on things behind him, “[a]lmost as though there were no future” (35).

Walking in a different direction than everyone else

Milkman senses the restlessness of change

Concentrates on things behind him, “[a]lmost as though there were no future” (35).

Walking in a different direction than everyone else

Fathers and SonsFathers and Sons

Macon Dead is orphaned at a young age

Father had been a slave Father had established “Lincoln’s

Heaven” Tricked by the white man’s greed

Macon Dead is orphaned at a young age

Father had been a slave Father had established “Lincoln’s

Heaven” Tricked by the white man’s greed

Fathers and SonsFathers and Sons

Milkman is born into purposeless privilege

Father attempts to abort him Milkman follows his father’s

business Milkman strikes out against his

father

Milkman is born into purposeless privilege

Father attempts to abort him Milkman follows his father’s

business Milkman strikes out against his

father

Fathers and SonsFathers and Sons

Guitar is fatherless, raised by a grandmother

Father is killed in a grisly sawmill accident

The white man gives him candy as recompense

Finds identity and purpose among the Seven Days in the barber shop

Guitar is fatherless, raised by a grandmother

Father is killed in a grisly sawmill accident

The white man gives him candy as recompense

Finds identity and purpose among the Seven Days in the barber shop

Singing and SongsSinging and Songs

The “flying African” folklore is preserved in song

Macon is drawn to Pilate’s siren song

The ghost of Pilate’s father tells her to “Sing. Sing” (147).

The “flying African” folklore is preserved in song

Macon is drawn to Pilate’s siren song

The ghost of Pilate’s father tells her to “Sing. Sing” (147).

Female RolesFemale Roles

Wife and mother = life giver and sustainer

Ruth nurses Milkman for too long, yet she cannot cook

Pilate gives birth to herself and is marked as preternaturally different

Hagar sees Milkman as “my home in this world” (137), yet she tries to kill him

Wife and mother = life giver and sustainer

Ruth nurses Milkman for too long, yet she cannot cook

Pilate gives birth to herself and is marked as preternaturally different

Hagar sees Milkman as “my home in this world” (137), yet she tries to kill him

Female RolesFemale Roles

Sorceress and healer = power over creation

Pilate gives Ruth an elixir to seduce Macon and create life

Pilate protects Milkman with voodoo sorcery

Both Ruth and Pilate derive meaning from the (D)ead

Sorceress and healer = power over creation

Pilate gives Ruth an elixir to seduce Macon and create life

Pilate protects Milkman with voodoo sorcery

Both Ruth and Pilate derive meaning from the (D)ead

Female RolesFemale Roles

Queen or courtesan = powerful empress of men’s fates

Macon jealously kills Dr. Foster to possess Ruth

Pilate nearly kills Reba’s lover Hagar is paralyzed and unable to

kill the resigned Milkman (D)ead

Queen or courtesan = powerful empress of men’s fates

Macon jealously kills Dr. Foster to possess Ruth

Pilate nearly kills Reba’s lover Hagar is paralyzed and unable to

kill the resigned Milkman (D)ead

Works CitedWorks Cited

Hayden, Robert. Collected Poems. Ed. Frederick Glaysher. Noew York: Liveright, 1985.

Hayden, Robert. Collected Poems. Ed. Frederick Glaysher. Noew York: Liveright, 1985.