Flight In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

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The desire of gaining power over others and our communities seems to be one of the strongest human motives. Toni Morrison’s usage of names, flight as a means of escape, and the complex interplay of race and gender portrays Milkman’s search for his history, identity, and focuses on the African American community. In her novel, Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison uses flight as a means of escape, the function of names, and symbolism to convey how Milkman struggles to free himself from the power of others. In the narrative, the theme of flight is used to convey characters’ quests to escape confining circumstances. Throughout the novel Milkman goes through the most important journey inside his soul and transforms from a selfish young man who is inconsiderate into an empathetic young adult. Morrison conveys that the generations of slavery and abuse have played a role in developing Milkman’s personality. She states, “Milkman stood before…show more content…
at his reflection; he was … unimpressed with what he saw. He had a fine enough face …., but it lacked coherence, a coming together of the features into total self … trying to make up his mind whether to go forward or to turn back” (124). The author’s employment of biblical allusions, names, and flight as a means of escape portrays Milkman’s search for his history, culture, and identity, focuses on the African American community in Michigan, and the everyday white oppression. This ensued Milkman’s realization that he should overcome everyone and the environment in need to free himself from ignorance, racism, wealth, etc. Milkman’s escape from Not Doctor Street in Michigan enabled him to free himself from the metaphorically dead environment that he lived in.
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