In the novel “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison, folklore, myths, and biblical presence help explain and express the origins, destiny, and cultural concerns of a young man named Milkman. Throughout history, humans have turned to legends to explain the unexplainable. "According to Mircea Eliade, myth is sacred history, the breakthrough of the supernatural or divine into the human to explain the origins, destiny, and cultural concerns of a people. Man, then, has always turned to myth to explain the inexplicable and to tie narratives into larger cultural and perceptual framework." (A. Leslie Harris pp. 69-76). The protagonist in the novel, Macon Dead III (otherwise known as Milkman) has been on a journey his entire life that began with a flight and ended with one. Milkman has always lacked a sense of self, from the denial of his name due to a childhood incident, a lack of connection with either of his parents and the age gap between his siblings. Milkman never felt as if he was a part of his community, or knew who he really was. All he was concerned with was making sure he was never like his father. But by discovering the folklore of the flying Africans it had let him realize who he truly is, and what he is apart of. It was the missing piece to the puzzle. …show more content…
The human race has turned to myth, and legends to understand themselves, in Morrison’s work she shows how an understanding of one’s heritage and ancestral past helps one to unite with their own community. Song of Solomon contains many allusions and references to African folklore. The folklore that is mentioned in the beginning, and several other points in the story is the story of Milkman’s heritage. Such as the story of the slaves that fly out of slavery and back to Africa for freedom. This legend is crucial to help understand Milkman, as he learns to understand