An integral part of Song of Solomon is the multitude of colorful characters discovering or developing a certain sense of self. For some, they are confident in who they are and don’t care what others think. Others believe themselves to be weak and care too much about status. One of these characters, is Milkman’s mother, Ruth. Throughout the beginning of the book, Ruth stays in the background; secretly spurring aggravation and anger from Macon, trying to get some sort of emotion out of him.
Song of Solomon, a novel written by Toni Morrison in 1977 spans over the course of 30 years during which the protagonist, Macon Dead, embarks on a quest for cultural identity. In a small excerpt retrieved from the novel’s first chapter, we see how Macon observes his estranged sister Pilate, along with her daughter and granddaughter, through a window. Through the narrator’s vivid descriptions, symbolic setting, and witty comparisons, Morrison conveys a conflicted relationship between the observer and the observed. In this piece, Morrison utilizes vivid diction that works on multiple levels. For example, in the text he uses specific phrases to create a image and representation as if we (the readers) are present.
In the novel “Song of Solomon,” written by Toni Morrison, a character named Milkman is heavily affected by his past in many instances throughout the text. This is constantly shown through both his father and his general past. It can be interpreted that not only is he a different person because of this, but also because he does not feel the need to be in the moment. His father, Macon Dead, was a huge influence on him throughout his life.
Many of the characters in Song of Solomon are named after individuals in the bible, and Morrison does this in order to reveal a deeper understanding of the characters and their experiences in the novel. For example, the biblical Hagar is Abraham’s concubine Sarah’s handmaiden, and bearer of Abraham's first child who is later ostracized with her son and forced to leave due to Sarah’s jealousy and bitterness (“Hagar”). The Hagar in Song of Solomon has a somewhat similar experience. Her relationship with Milkman starts off strong, but the more she loves him, the more he just uses her to appease his sexual desires instead of establishing a strong, loving relationship with her. Milkman eventually grows out of his former feelings for Hagar, and then abandons her, leaving her distraught and heartbroken.
Unexpected breaches of trust are a recurring theme in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. For example, Milkman attempts to plunder Pilate’s house, despite his close connection with and adulation for her, to cater to his selfish desire for gold. Similarly, Guitar nearly murders Milkman due to his delusions and his own ambitions to obtain the gold. However, one instance of this idea is arguably the most prominent: Macon’s discovery of Dr. Foster’s foibles, and the incestuous relationship between Dr. Foster and Macon’s wife, Ruth. Through the drastic changes in Macon’s personality this leads to, this subplot demonstrates the effects of a betrayal of trust.
There are numerous chapters that we have covered in the Harper Collins Study Bible that spark my interest but my mind keeps traveling back to the book of Ruth. Although the book of Ruth only contains four chapters, which all flow together equally, chapter 3 intrigued me more than the rest. The chapter opens with Naomi explaining how she needs to find security for Ruth, her daughter-in-law. Naomi begins to speak about her closest relative Boaz and persuades Ruth to “…wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes…”
In the Color of Water by James McBride, Ruth and James both grief over Hunter Jordan’s death in different ways. Hunter is James stepfather but he sees him as his real father because he was always in his life, until he passed away. Ruth didn't care to communicate much with others. She wouldn't even talk to her neighbors. She was a white women in a black neighborhood, so i take it, she didn't have much respect.
Instead of giving in to the man’s racist ways, Ruth holds her ground and honors her husband by displaying her pride for him and their relationship publicly. She was undeterred by the possible negative outcome of her bold actions, which is key in an effective leader. Her courage and confidence lead her to making daring decisions, like marrying a black man, moving away from home, and helping her husband create a church from scratch. “‘What color is God’s spirit?’ ‘It doesn’t have a color,’ she said.
Before looking into the Birmingham church bombing case I did not fully understand how the two connected. Once I researched more into depth, I found that Guitar would have be the man that needed to avenge the four girls deaths by placing a bomb and killing four young white girls. This would mean Guitar had to find enough money to set the bombs in place. Finding the gold to Guitar was not just for greed but to fulfill what he believed was his moral duty. In order to fully understand Guitars intentions in the Song of Solomon I believe that the reader must read about the Birmingham church
Jeremiah and Roxanna had much love for each other and was a lovely love story. Rebecca and Isaac were described,as a love story in the article written by Bible Gateway authors. One similarity between the two husbands is that in Genesis 26:18-25 it describes how Issac would do anything to avoid a fight. The same situation happened to Jeremiah, where his former boss had just fired him and was inadvertently attempting to start a fight, where Jeremiah responded by “touching Holgren’s face and pulled away. It was the oddest little slap you ever saw.”
The desire to escape can be overwhelming. Such desires are present in the common African American folklore about “the flying Africans”, where a select few enslaved Africans are able to escape from slavery through their ability to fly. Escapist desires such as those are also present in Toni Morrison’s novel, Song of Solomon. Morrison’s, Song of Solomon, follows the path of one such family of “flying Africans” as they discover their family history and their abilities of flight. She utilizes the motif of flight to prove man’s escapist desires in regards to the avoidance of responsibility, abandonment of women and freedom from burdens of racial inequality.
However, unfortunately it is a reality that many women today face situations just like Ruth did thousands of years ago. Today people still have spouses pass, but it is also very common for marriages and relationships to break down. In this way, many people today are searching for a redeemer; for someone who will help in times of need. God sent Jesus so that we could live out the great and amazing plans that He has for all of our lives when we follow him (Jeremiah 29:11 ). Ruth may have wondered why God let her first husband die, but God knew the plan all along because through marrying and starting a family with Boaz, she became the ‘great grandmother of David’ who is later on the family line of
Yet, at home, she devotes love and curiosity to her family. This contrasts to multiple other characters, as the relationship between Ruth and her single mother is inspiring. Accordingly, she respects her mother, who provides encouragements like, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” With pure gratitude, Ruth seeks to apply her mother’s words. When bullies trouble Philip, Ruth can empathise with him.
Real Love can’t freely thrive when the participants are unsure of their identity. Fruitfulness requires each person to understand, appreciate, respect and honor their role without competing with the other. In the book of Ruth, we see what happens when a woman truly respects, a man she loves. As opined by McLaughlin (1998) “she will be happy to surrender her personal freedom to him knowing that she can trust that he will not abuse it.
The message of Torah is one of the most significant aspects that help in teaching Christians about morality. The biblical teachings of the Old Testament are mainly concerned with shaping human behavior through implementing laws that touch on their daily activities. The first five books of the section contain laws commonly known as the Torah that comprises of the rules that the people were expected to follow according to God’s will. The Torah outlines the morality laws that people are supposed to observe such as illegal possession of the property, adultery and dishonesty (Exodus 20: 1-17, English Standard Version). It also contains the administrative aspect of the law that indicates the judgment that results from committing the unlawful acts.
