Song of Solomon (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Toni Morrison
- First Published: 1977
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
- Time of Work: The mid-twentieth century
- Setting: The urban North and rural Virginia
- Principal Characters: Macon “Milkman” Dead, Pilate Dead, Macon Dead, Ruth Foster Dead, Guitar Baines, Hagar Dead, Circe
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman, Impressionistic literature
- Subjects: African Americans, Family or family life, North America or North Americans, Self-discovery, United States or Americans, Racism, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, Midwest, Oppression, Folklore, Michigan, Flight, Terrorism or terrorists
- Locales: Detroit, MI, Danville, PA, Mercy, MI, Shalimar, VA
The Novel
Song of Solomon is the account of Milkman Dead’s physical and spiritual journey to maturity. The quest for his Aunt Pilate’s gold leads him to his ancestral home in Virginia and the far more significant wealth of his personal and family history. Milkman’s journey is paralleled by Pilate’s long search for her father’s body and the meaning of his ghostly words. The novel turns on the conflict between two estranged households: that of Milkman’s parents, who embody materialism, and that of his aunt, who represents family.
The novel begins on...
[The entire page is 3106 words long]
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