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Aq English 3rd Period
13 October 2012
Be a Milk Drinker!
The novel Song of Solomon features many characters and many of them go through major changes as the novel progresses, one of these characters is Milkman. Milkman's change isn't as obvious as some of the other characters, however he does change a lot of aspects of his life whether they be blatant or subtle. Throughout most of the novel, he is always filled with greed and seems somewhat lost as he searches for his family history. A symbol appears within the story and Milkman wonders about it which begins to change his characteristics in slight increments over time. Finally, Milkman makes the full transition into a protagonist near the end of the novel. Milkman's changes are subtle, however they are very major and very important to the novel.
In the beginning of this story, Milkman is very greedy. Milkman grows up in a wealthy, black family so his strive for more money isn't a surprise, however he is told of all the things he will never have by Railroad Tommy, “You ever stood stock still...... make you cry. And no Rothschild '29 or even Beaujolais to go with it.” (Morrison 60) Milkman is always about either the money or the excitement. Whether it be ditching school with Guitar or going on a quest for gold, he always gets something out of everything he does, this is very apparent with his relationship with Hagar. He and Hagar have a fourteen year sexual relationship and he just takes her for granted, not even respecting her one bit, he even refers to her as “the third beer” because she doesn't really matter, she is just there, “She was the third beer. Not the first one, which the throat receives with almost tearful gratitude; nor the second, that confirms and extends the pleasure of the first. But the third, the one you drink because it's there, because it can't hurt, and because what difference does it make?” (Morrison 91) Later on in the novel, Milkman comes up with a plot to steal the gold that is in Pilate's possession because he simply wants it. He would rather steal the gold from his aunt's than to earn it. His greed masks his feelings about his family and it overcomes everything, “That's why she got it. She can't use it, and she can't report it's being stolen since she wasn't suppose to have it in the first place.” (Morrison 174-175) Milkman's greed plays a major part in his character, but it plays an even larger part in his development seeing as he changes as the novel progresses.
Milkman's greed begins to change as a certain symbol first appears in the novel. A peacock emerges and he begins to wonder why it can't fly. The peacock is hinted at symbolizing Milkman as the novel progresses. In his current, greedy state he can't get passed this block that is up, he isn't a very likeable person he just is “pretty” on the outside, like a peacock, “How come it can’t fly no better than a chicken?’ Milkman asked. Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can’t nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.' The peacock jumped onto the hood of the Buick and once more spread its tail, sending the flashy Buick into oblivion.” (Morrison 179-180) The peacock could also represent a test for Milkman, maybe a test to get him past his greed, so maybe the peacock would represent the possible kindness inside of him, but since he and Guitar try to catch it he fails that test and the Peacock leaves without showing