What Is The Connection Between Milkman And Guitar In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

As Toni Morrison’s novel “Song of Solomon” advances, Morrison frequently includes Milkman’s best friend Guitar into the scenes as an aid to the protagonist. In a myriad of ways, Guitar guides and advises Milkman before and during his journey to discover himself. Acting as a foil to milkman, the juxtaposition of these characters helps Milkman find his way to freedom. Morrison’s use of tones ranging from serious to hostile, and introduction of opposing ideas assist in conveying the thought that the path to spiritual freedom derives from enlightenment.
The introduction of a rather serious tone between Milkman and Guitar occurs well into their friendship, and is used to ignite the journey for spiritual freedom. Being adults, they begin to exchange

Tones change from serious to virulent, and conversations are replaced with arguments. Nevertheless, Guitar’s rebuttals continue to guide Milkman, and prove to be helpful words that liberate Milkman from his materialistic prison. While Milkman describes himself as, “A man the refuses to live in Montgomery, Alabama,” (187), Guitar educates Milkman by telling him, “No. A man that can’t live there. If things ever got tough, you’d melt. You’re not a serious person Milkman,” (187). Guitar shows that he has had enough of Milkman’s reckless and careless life. Milkman thinks he can just do as he wants and run away from all of his issues by buying his way out of situations. By calling Milkman out on his cowardice actions, Guitar once again teaches Milkman on how to cope with the real world. Exposing Milkman for who he is enlightens the protagonist, further expanding his spiritual freedom. Because Guitar lives like the average lower-class African American, he understands the importance of prioritizing spiritual aspects of life over the materialistic ones. Milkman on the other hand has lived a life of material and has been taught that the only important aspect of life is money and owning things. As a result, Guitar despises the mindset of Milkman, and wants to change it. However, his attitude towards it deteriorates their friendship and impacts their encounters in the

Eventually, Guitar goes mad over the gold he thought Milkman had taken for himself, showing a reversal in ideals between the two characters. Milkman ends up being a spiritual man much like Pilate, and Guitar becomes greedy for money and material, much like Macon. As a result, when Guitar attempts to take Milkman’s life and ends up killing Pilate, Milkman faces Guitar like a man and shows no fear when facing death. In addition, Milkman tries to comfort the dying woman by singing, “Sugargirl don’t leave me here/ Cotton balls to choke me/Sugargirl don’t leave me here/ Buckra’s arms to yoke me,” (573). These actions of comforting Pilate and confronting Guitar shows he has become the complete opposite from whom he once was. He transformed from the man who never understood other people and their feelings, to the man who sung to the singing woman in order to relieve her. Then, from the man who ran away from all issues because he wasn’t a serious person, to the man who looked down the barrel of a gun to fight for his and Pilate’s life. This shows how he freed himself, and how Guitar’s subtle advice paid