Comparing Milkman Dead And Song Of Solomon Research Paper

Generations of authors have used the allure of the supernatural to draw readers of various backgrounds into their constructed worlds, evoking feelings of curiosity, fear, and admiration through their depictions of the unknown. William Faulkner and Toni Morrison are two such authors who utilize and expand upon commonly used supernatural elements and stories of folklore to create intriguing characters and complicated events that advance the plot and invite readers to confront the mystical and embrace the captivating. Morrison masterly weaves features of magical realism and fables into the narrative of Milkman Dead, a young man on a decades-long journey of self-realization and a familial legacy discovery. Her use of the supernatural world is meant

Both characters experience a significant shift in their view of the world around them, but have drastically different endings in each respective novel. Ike repudiates his patrimony and disgraces his family name for the sins and horrors his ancestors committed in the past but ultimately achieves nothing as he cannot truly leave behind the controversial values instilled in him during his early childhood. Milkman eventually realizes how his selfish personality and harmful acts affect those closest to him and uses his newfound connection to his family’s history to be reborn into a caring man with a more optimistic outlook on life. Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon is an insightful response to Faulkner’s Go Down, Moses. She uses the central elements of her work, the existence and pervasiveness of the supernatural and the moral growth and change of the main character, in her own but instead dives even deeper and connects them to the larger African American experience and allows her main character, Milkman, to grow beyond his original characterization and into a heroic man reborn from understanding his

The presence of the supernatural in this realistic environment adds a layer of richness to the narrative that conveys profound themes of historical and cultural importance. The concept of Black flight is continually brought up and can be attributed to multiple different characters. Solomon, Pilate Dead, and Milkman Dead each experience flight, whether literal, metaphorical, or spiritual. Flying means one has the ability to transcend the limitations and constraints of their physical bodies and earthly existence. Solomon, Milkman’s great-grandfather, secures his legacy with the song that is sung about his supposed flight back to Africa, in which he finally achieves liberation and escapes confining circumstances. Pilate Dead is known to fly without leaving the ground, a metaphor for the innate freedom she holds in her soul. Pilate is not constrained by a desire for immense wealth, not concerned or ashamed of her appearance or profession, and does not require the presence of a man. Pilate does not need to escape her situation as she is already emotionally and spiritually free; she attempts to bring this sense of salvation to others but is widely ignored. Milkman undergoes a journey of self-discovery that culminates in his ability to perform