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Self-Discovery In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

1454 Words6 Pages

Self-discovery and becoming a better person are something that anyone can do if they really want to. If someone is going on a journey like that, it will most likely occur in three different stages. In Toni Morrison’s novel “Song of Solomon”, Milkman embarks on a three-step journey toward self-discovery. We are introduced to Milkman as someone who is very arrogant and narcissistic. In the second stage, we see small changes in Milkman's personality and finally, we see the big change for Milkman. Toni Morrison uses change to show us how much Milkman has evolved as a person over the course of the novel. She emphasizes this course of change through a three-step process.
The first part of Milkman's journey is when we are introduced to him and his …show more content…

In this stage, we see how far he has come and how his views and motives have changed. The first noticeable change in the third stage is in chapter 11 when Milkman is in a state of pain and restlessness. “Finally Milkman could take no more; he had to rest. At the next tree he sank down to the ground and put his head back on its bark. Let them laugh if they wanted to; he would not move until his heart left from under his chin and went back down into his chest where it belonged” (Morrison 275). According to the opening statement, "Finally Milkman could take no more; he had to rest," Milkman has been exerting himself past his breaking point and has come to the point where he is unable to keep going on. The second sentence, which reads, "At the next tree he sank down to the ground and put his head back on its bark," emphasizes Milkman's physical tiredness from his journey. The line "his heart left from under his chin and went back down into his chest where it belonged" is Milkman's attempt to achieve feelings of balance and composure. Signal phrase. “He was only his breath, coming slower now, and his thoughts. The rest of him had disappeared. So the thoughts came, unobstructed by other people, by things, even by the sight of himself. There was nothing here to help him–not his money, his car, his father’s reputation, his suit, or his shoes” (Morrison 277). This quote implies that Milkman is having a similar moment of reflection, free from outside distractions and concentrating only on his breath and thoughts. As Milkman is able to see past the surface-level intricacies of his life and develop a deeper understanding of himself and his place in the universe, this could be seen as a turning point or a revelation for him. Milkman is starting to realize that all material assets, including money, vehicles, and reputation, are no longer useful or significant. To conclude, the third and final stage of Milkman's journey is

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