Song of Solomon Chapter 7 Homework
Ok, let's do something a little different; I'm giving you a bunch of options. #1 is the same as what was on the hard copy of the assignment sheet. The others are based on some of what we discussed in both classes today.
1) Macon's advice to Milkman in Chapter 7 (and the belief underlying his whole story in ch. 7): "Money is freedom. The only real freedom there is" (163). How's that for parental advice? How would this advice have changed Willy Loman's life? To what extent do you think this is true? Can you provide examples from your own life?
2) Evaluate the likelihood and validity of Macon's story in Chapter 7.
3) Is this a novel about love? If so, which kind of love? What is Morrison trying to say about love? (which forms of love are good? which are destructive? or which forms are both?)
4) Even though Guitar seems to be quite radical in his actions, can we find any moment (s) where his motivation or thinking seems sympathetic, understandable, or rational? How and why?
5) The 7 Days : Biblical significance? Why would Morrison choose for this group of men?
6) Anything else you deem worthy of interest, notice, befuddlement, or exasperation? Tell us about it.
I was initially curious about Circe’s naming, because Circe is a mythological name, while most other characters in the novel are named for people in the Judeo-Christian Bible. Circe was a sorceress who lured Odysseus to her island and attempted to turn him into an animal, which she had done with the rest of her prisoners. The transformations that took place under mythological Circe could apply to the transition that Macon Jr. goes through while living with Circe. When Macon discovers the gold that lies by the white man, he saw “life, safety, and luxury fanned out before him like the tail spread of a peacock” (170). The peacock metaphor exemplifies the illusionary nature of Macon’s goals. A peacock is fairly ordinary looking for the majority of its life, but reveals the beautiful feathers for only a few brief moments. The momentary displays of wealth Macon sees cause him to become attached to a dream of excess wealth, and he therefore transforms from an unassuming farm boy into a money-hungry, aggressive, animalistic man. Macon’s transition stands in stark contrast to Pilate’s, as she desperately attempts to hang onto her past. Pilate cried because “she wanted her own cherries, from her own cherry tree” (167), and maims herself to attach her name to her body. Pilate’s morality is cemented because she longs for family, in the form of a relationship with Macon, and autonomy, rather than wealth. Therefore, the time Macon and Pilate spend with Circe is a turning point for both characters because it cements their disparate moralities and resulting paths.
ReplyDeleteMacon has always been a character that is obsessed with money. He is strict with his business and careful about how others perceive him. His first piece of advice for Milkman was to own things, and now he tells him that "Money is freedom, Macon. The only real freedom there is" (163). To a certain extent I do agree with Macon, because having enough money does provide relief. An individual wouldn't have to worry about food, shelter, or taxes if they had a lot of money. But at the same time, an obsession with money is the very thing that traps people. Macon himself is not free. He tells Milkman at the end of the chapter to "get the gold" (172). He is so obsessed with the idea of wealth that he can't focus on other, more liberating goals. We have seen similar scenarios with Willy Loman, who spent his entire life chasing after an image (being wealthy) and ultimately wasted away. Gatsby is also a counter argument against Macon. Gatsby was one of the wealthiest people in New York at the time, yet he was far from free. Old Money and his obsession for Daisy controlled him, even though he had achieved the lifestyle he dreamed of. Therefore, while I do think we need a certain amount of money to be comfortable, it isn't the "only" way to feel liberated.
ReplyDeleteSomething else that I noticed was how passive Milkman continues to be. Milkman briefly challenged Guitar's opinions in Chapter 6, but he seems defeated again. He realizes that "Somehow everybody was using him for something or as something" (165). We talked during Chapter 5 about what Milkman represented. He is Ruth's one triumph, but at the same time Macon's biggest downfall. He realizes that his parents are using stories to try and win him over, but not because they want him to understand them. Macon and Ruth seem to be playing a game, where Milkman is just another way to spite the other. And now that Guitar, "the one sane and constant person he knew had flipped" (165), Milkman seems to have detached himself from society and from caring in general.
The color white is used in important and interesting ways in this chapter. When Pilate and Macon hide in the unused rooms of the mansion in which Circe works, it is one of their first interactions with white culture. They feel oppressed and even disgusted by the “stillness, the walls, the boredom” after having lived “wild” and free (166). The sky is blocked out by “ivory curtains” (167). The word “ivory” is interesting in this context because curtains are normally soft and flowy, but ivory is hard and unmoving. This connotation makes the curtains seem more like an obstacle, something holding Pilate and Macon back from flying. They are disgusted by the “soft bland food white people ate,” and Pilate cries when she has to eat “white toast and cherry jam” (167). This reminds me of how Guitar becomes physically ill when he sees or thinks about sugar, which in his mind is linked to the way the white man gave him candy after his father was killed. Maybe the food makes Pilate so sick because it is linked in her mind to her father’s murder. It is also interesting that the man who Macon kills in the cave is described as “very old, very white” (169). Is he a white man? If the murder were discovered, the penalty for a young black man killing a white man would be even more severe than the standard punishment for murder. It would most likely be death, either through the legal system or through white vigilantes outside the formal system (probably the KKK).
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about the significance of Circe’s name. In Greek mythology, Circe is a sorceress who tricks men and turns them into animals, particularly livestock. Circe is, in a way, tricking her white employers by harboring fugitives in the spare rooms and bringing them food. It was interesting that Pilate “thought she would die if she couldn’t hold her mouth under Ulysses S. Grant’s teat” (167). Considering the story behind Circe’s name, it seems significant that the cow is named after a man, and that the man is Ulysses S. Grant.
In chapter 7, I noticed the several different types of metals mentioned. Undoubtedly, the gold in Macon’s story represents wealth, and he describes it to be “like the tail-spread of a peacock… he stood there trying to distinguish each delicious color” (170). Gold is only one color, gold, yet the fact that Macon describes it to be “deliciously” colorful shows that Macon knows the different sides to money: security, freedom, luxury, confidence, etc. Gold actually appears earlier in the chapter when Pilate is described to be getting her ear pierced: “Circe got a Negro blacksmith to solder a bit of gold wire to the box” (167) with which Pilate makes an earring. It seems rather strange to use such precious metal as gold for a whiny, homeless girl’s jewelry, especially since the rest of the accessory is brass. Brass already looks like gold and is generally more accessible, thus it would seem more reasonable to use brass for the wire as well. It seems as though Pilate is desperate to have her ear pierced, and when Macon hits her, she “cupped [the dangling brass box] in her hands for a moment” before she pounces on her brother as if the box is more important than her anger. Pilate is described to wear the little brass box to “house her name” (167), and we have yet to know what the significance of the brass snuffbox is, but I’m curious to find out if it serves any purpose.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the most interesting quote from this chapter is Milkman's reaction to his father wanting to tell him about the conflict between him and Pilate. Milkman feels as though "everybody was using him for something or as something" but "nothing he wanted was a part of it"(165). I think he is portraying his situation accurately-- everyone seems to depend on Milkman in one way or another. Is this because he is generally neutral and passive about life? I am not sure. Macon's reasons for "opening up" to his son are fairly simple; to obtain or maintain power and wealth. When Milkman slaps Macon, Macon realizes he can no longer maintain power using force anymore. Therefore, he tells the story about Ruth in an attempt to win pity and respect for Milkman as a way to maintain power over him. In this chapter, he tells the story of Pilate to win Milkman's favor (over Pilate, who Milkman has been partial to) and gain his support in getting back the gold. Hagar is emotionally and financially dependent on Milkman (as can be seen in the way she seeks stability). Now, the only other independent "sane and constant"(165) individual, Guitar, is dependent on Milkman to keep his secret, so Milkman is left with no one to rely on. But I am confused as to why Ruth "opens up" to Milkman. Is it emotional dependence? A desire to be superior to Macon? It is also interesting how her words impact him the most ("What harm did I do you on my knees?" is repeated several times).
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Macon’s advice that “Money is freedom. The only real freedom there is” (163). I think that when we are young and immature that may be true, but as we grow older, it is not valid that money is synonymous with freedom. Often, or at least when I was little, money seemed to represent freedom because to me it seemed like the barrier keeping me from complete independence. It seemed as though if I had money to spend I could do anything I wanted. When I began to receive allowance, however this was not the case. I could buy my chocolate bar or save up to buy something slightly bigger, but it never completely changed how I lived my life. I think that the same holds true in adulthood. I think that money allows for people to shift and vary their lifestyles, but they cannot be free while they are still tied to the obsession with having more and more money, as Macon Dead II is. For Macon Dead III, money is not freedom, money is something that his father is holding over his head so that he will do his bidding. In this chapter, he says to his father, “Let me use some of it now, when I need it” (163). He wants his father to relinquish some of his money to him now so that he truly can find freedom, rather than being hypnotized by some false imagination provided by his father of what money could bring him in the future.
ReplyDeleteI also don't agree with Macon's advice about how "money is freedom." However, I also think that Macon Dead is trying to give solid advice to his son because to him money actually does means freedom. Given the way they both grew up and the society that they live in, I don't think it's bad advice for Macon. Even if Macon hadn't gotten advice from his father about money meaning freedom, I still think he would believe that to be true. While Milkman and Guitar are thinking about how the money that they could have from the gold, Milkman says, "I need it to get away. I told you, man. I got to get out of here. Be on my own" ( 181.) In order to become independent from his dad and start his own life, Milkman needs to repay him all the money that he owes him. In this case, for Milkman money does equal freedom. I don’t think that it’s good advice for Macon Dead to give Macon, but I think that in their situation it makes sense.
DeleteI want to discuss the validity of Macon's story. What was really interesting to me was that for the first time in the book, a story from the past was told through the narrator instead of first person from the character himself. Macon's earlier story about Ruth and her father was told through his lens, and we found that maybe he was not telling the whole truth. This story, however, is interesting because maybe having the narrator tell the story suggests that it is from a completely objective standpoint. Honestly, who even knows if this is the story that Macon told Milkman? We, as the readers, are left to believe that Macon is telling the same story as the narrator, but I guess we really cannot know for sure. Maybe Macon is twisting some of the details in the hidden dialogue while Morrison is giving us the whole truth. Maybe it's the other way around. What would be the point in having the narrator tell the readers a lie, though? One thing that makes me think Macon may have been leaving out parts of the truth is at the very end when Macon tells Milkman to go get the gold from Pilate's house. He "lick[s] his lips" (172) as he does so. Whenever I think of someone licking their lips, I think of the Joker from the Dark Knight. Someone who is trying to conceal some sort psychopathic obsession or desire for a certain thing. The licking of the lips is a nervous or anxious reaction, almost as if Macon can already taste the gold.
ReplyDeleteI agree with JK,
DeleteSomething about the way the entire story is represented is quite ominous. To me there is no way that the entire story was simply: gold was in a cave, Pilate took it, and now Macon wants Milkman to get it. Morrison throughout this book has revealed facts in a twisted unclear way, and I believe we very soon will find out that there is something more to this "Gold Story." However, in this specific chapter Morrison wanted to give us the truth on a superficial level, in order to eventually build us up to the climax. However, valid or invalid this story sheds light on Macon as a character. At the end of account Macon tells Milkman "I figured she spent it all in the twenty or so years since i'd seen her, since she was living like poor trash when she got here" (172). This clearly shows that when Pilate first got to town Macon was immediately pondering where the gold had gone. When he discovered how badly Pilate was living he let himself believe that the gold was gone, leading him to build such great animosity towards Pilate. Macon, was not at all concerned by the fact his sister was living in terrible conditions but by the fact she had lost the gold.
Macon does not own his money, Macon’s money owns him. From the beginning of the book we see Macon as a character who copes with his sadness through taking advantage of others in his community to attain wealth, which leads to his sense of personal worth. The obvious answer to whether or not Macon telling Milkman, “Money is freedom. the only real freedom there is”(163), is good parental advice would be no. Children should not have to equate wealth with personal worth at such a young age. Although Macon is able to use money as a means of freeing himself from racial issues, he is not able to attain any emotional freedom through his wealth. Macon is consumed by his obsession to get as much money as possible. Once he finds out that Pilate had kept the gold, he says to Milkman, “Macon, get it and you can have half of it; go wherever you want. Get it. For both of us. Please get it, son. Get the gold.”(172) The freedom Macon seeks causes Macon to be so obsessed that it imprisons him.
ReplyDeleteMacon’s bad parental advice, may be becoming more and more true in our modern day society. Money does not bring happiness, some of the best things in life are free and there are plenty of poor people who live happily. Yet Money does equate with freedom. If you do not have a lot of money, you do not have the freedom to travel, receive good healthcare, and receive a good education etc. If you have money, you can do all of these things and live comfortably.
Jason F
I completely agree with you Jason. Macon's has his priorities mixed up in terms of what he should value. Money/Wealth is on an untouchable pedestal next to any other importance in his life. Macon Jr. hasn't been a terrific father to his children or husband to say the least. I think he would be a happier man if he accepted less money and put more energy into recuperating his relationship with his family. This chapter also shows contrast between Macon Jr and Pilate. Macon is greedy and selfish, he wanted to take the gold without hesitation. Pilate shows her more respectable, righteousness by telling Macon not to take it. It's strange that Pilate ended up with the green bag though. It's a possibility there isn't any gold in the bag. Like JK mentioned, we have to question how valid the story is coming from Macon Jr. To me it seems odd that a stranger walked in the cave with a bag of gold to stay for the night, after Macon Jr and Pilate had already settled in. Also, it doesn't add up that Pilate had been saying to leave the gold, but then ended up taking it. Unless she is very dishonest and created a plot to get the gold, those actions contradict each other.
DeleteAs for the "7 Days", the initial biblical significance is that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh; by naming themselves "7 Days" they imply that now God is "resting" they are completing his work, and thus further justifying their murders by attributing them to God's will. It is an interesting juxtaposition to the fact that the KKK are also a religious organization and are acting out of "God's will" - the two organization are, obviously, in no way comparable, but it is interesting that groups with complete opposing viewpoints and ideologies are using the same motive for their actions. It is also interesting that Morrison chose this particular symbol because it is a testament to God's power more than anything, that he took what was endless chaos and created the whole of existence, whereas the 7 Days themselves are humans who take matters into their own hands and creating their own world, therefore belittling God. I would also like to point out that while the members of the 7 Days adopt a very righteous and pure title, they are all committing sins such as premarital sex, and in Mr. Smith's case, suicide; it is also ironic that seven days, or a week, are a very short period of time whereas the 7 Days have been around for decades and are still unfinished. I think Morrison wanted to show the juxtaposition between ideology and reality by giving the group a very chaste title but having them commit crimes both religiously and legally.
ReplyDeleteI think Macon’s action of killing the white man is a microcosmic example of Guitar’s practice of persecuting innocent whites. The man is described as “very old, very white, and his smile was awful” (169). The pigment of his skin is specifically pointed out, followed by a negative comment on his smile: giving the man and the scene to follow a very eerie feel. Though the man’s intentions are not clear, especially due to Macon’s unreliable story telling, he was--after all--an innocent man who Macon had never talked to. Even though Macon thinks he sees the man mutter “What for?” he continue to stab the man over and over again until he is surely dead. Though Macon mainly killed the man out of fear, this is still unjustified murder, just like how the members of the 7 Days kill innocent whites in order to main the ‘ratio.’ I imagine “what for?” to be the same last words of those killed by the 7 Days.
ReplyDeleteI was also intrigued possible symbolism in the passage at the bottom of page 165 having to do with the red ball that Macon throws to the little girl before starting his story.
I agree with Kako's point about the connection between Macon's killings and everything that Guitar said about the 7 days in the previous chapter. It seems that this "awful smile" was just created in Macon's highly impressionable young mind. Little kids are often afraid of people who are different than them and tend to transpose evil attributes to those people for no reason. The "eerie feel" that Kako mentioned follows along with the "terrible" night (168) described by Morrison earlier. The environment in which Macon found himself, terrifying to him because he was so young and inexperienced, fueled his excitement and allowed him to kill that man without knowing him. I think this connects to Guitar's justification for killing innocent white people because the social environment in which he finds himself, characterized by murders of people that look like him and no justice from the white-dominated government, allows him to target his sense of purpose towards creating this so called "balance" with his killings. Although I agree with Milkman in thinking that Guitar's sense of "balance" and "justice" is pretty warped, Guitar's logic in the context of his experiences seems very human. Both Macon and Guitar act because they believe they are defending themselves from true evil. Their logic would be correct IF it was certain that the people they kill truly are as bad as they think; however, it's the fact that we/they don't know for sure what kind of person these seemingly innocent victims are that makes Macon and Guitar's quests seem wrong.
DeleteThe symbolism of white is the oppressive nature and interference of Caucasians in the African-Community during this time period. The white bull which caused Freddie's mother to go into labor and die is Toni Morrison's illustration of this characteristic. Realistic events that have occurred include the Birmingham Bombing in 1963 and Emmet Tills lynching. These two events are mentioned within the book and coupled with the fictional killing of Macon Dead I, the drastic effects of prejudice are illustrated.
ReplyDeleteWhite also represents the corrupting influence of greed. In chapter 8, the Peacock that was mentioned in chapter 7 causes Milkman and Guitar to dream of the things they'll be able to do with the gold. However to get the gold they have to steal and their intentions aren't pure.
The death of Macon Dead I sparks the transition that takes place in Macon Dead II because this leads him to the cave where he effortlessly kills a an old Caucasian man. The killing of his father by the Butlers, who are Caucasian, are most likely what drives him to do so though he isn't any real danger but only stricken by fear. The death of his father manipulates fear and turns this fear into hate; an excuse to kill another man. Had the man been African-American, this event wouldn't have occurred as it did. With the discovery of the gold, the first solution he finds to his troubles, his fixation on money begins to grow. The discovery of money, and consequently greed, separates both he and his sister. The relationship is an event that is caused by a contrast in regards to morals between Pilate and Macon Dead II; however, split in their relationship is also caused by their father's death which eventually leads them to the cave, where Macon kills a man, gold is discovered, and Pilate threatens Macon's life. The reason for these string of events is all sparked by the greed of Caucasian men, whose skin color is white, and thus symbolizes the interference of Caucasians within the African American race.
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I personally believe that Macon’s advice to Milkman in chapter 7 is not the best for his son. Macon says, “You’ll own it all. All of it. You’ll be free. Money is freedom, Macon. The only real freedom there is” (163). This idea is something that I disagree with. I believe that while money is important, you should value happiness over wealth. Macon might have a lot of money, but he never seems to have fun with it. He has a fancy car, but no one is even envious of it because he never has any fun with it. I think that this is the same problem that Willy Loman had in Death of a Salesman. Willy was so focused on wealth and status that when he could no longer make money at his job he didn’t know what to do with himself. Money gives you the freedom to do what you want to an extent, but at the same time it shackles you if all you think about is money. Better advice, in my opinion, would be to do what makes you happy, and not what will get you the most money. Macon also shows a greedy side when he asks Milkman to steal Pilate’s gold. Money consumes Macon to the point where he is willing to steal from his impoverished sister to further his already high social standing. I think that Milkman should follow Pilate’s ideals over his fathers.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter brought up gold, a motif that has shown up throughout the book. Morrison uses it to represent value, especially in people. The town crier, Freddie, has a set of gold teeth. When he is finished telling Milkman about what Guitar might be up to, "He flashed his gold merrily and was gone" (112) Freddie "flashed his gold" or showed his value. What is valuable about Freddie is his words. He can tell you the gossip on anyone in South side.
ReplyDeleteGold also shows up in the eyes of Guitar who is refereed to as the "golden-eyed boy". Guitar's most valuable quality or his "gold" is his insight. Guitar has the ability to see the world like no other character in Song of Solomon. Also throughout the book Morrison is constantly referring to Guitar's eyes and how they react to what he sees happening around him.
Ruth is also seen giving gold to Milkman when she is nursing him. The reason Ruth enjoys nursing Milkman so much is because she got to see, "golden thread stream from her very own shuttle" (14). Nursing allows Ruth to produce "golden thread", meaning something of value. As someone who is constantly shut out and made to feel subordinate to Macon, Ruth wants to feel like she still has something to offer. What Ruth thinks she has to offer is this "golden thread" she gives to Milkman.
In this novel all of the characters are on a quest to feel fulfilled and satisfied with their lives. Many of these characters attempt to achieve this state by gaining love.
ReplyDeleteHowever, up to this point in the book, it seems as though love is a destructive force after all: although it brings a sense of euphoria to the characters who are experiencing it, the relationships that involve love in this novel inevitably seem to end and are apparently skewed from the very beginning.
One relationship that lasted longer than most was the one between Hagar and Milkman, but although that had a sense of excitement and perhaps passionate attachment at the very beginning, the enthusiasm that Milkman had for the relationship died down throughout the years while Hagar’s passion stayed constant. The relationship between them ended tragically, with Hagar becoming confused and insane over losing Milkman who she thought was her true love. However, from the start, there was no real love between them…they knew each other as cousins and they were on good terms, but their teenage relationship was more experimental then stemming from a deep understanding of two souls who have slowly come to realize their compatibility.
Ruth’s mother-son relationship with Milkman was also skewed from the beginning because it involved selfish love. She loved Milkman because Milkman gave her a sense of being loved and having some affection in her life, which she desperately craved. She never really cared about Milkman’s mental wellbeing or about how he lived his life. On page 133 she thinks, “But who was this son of hers? This tall man who had flesh on the outside and feelings on the inside that she knew nothing of”. She regards Milkman as her “single triumph” and to her she represents “the last occasion she had been made love to”(134). The only way she sees Milkman is that she can use him to maintain a positive emotional state, although she seems to believe that she deeply loves and cares for him.
I believe love brings temporary happiness to the characters of this book, but at the end it is something that acts as a distraction to the individual development of the people involved…Hagar is unable to become the strong woman persona that she admired in her mother, and Ruth is unable to find something to value within herself if she is devoid from the affection of others.
I thought the reason for such a bitter relationship between Macon and Pilate would be much more significant than Pilate stealing some gold. If she did steal the gold, why not just share it with her brother, her only living relative and the only person she really knows? Why is Macon so bent are getting the gold after all theses years? He is quite wealthy, as shown by his weekly drives around town in the family car. While we know he does prioritize his wealth from the scene with Mr. Porter, why would he give up an otherwise perfect relationship with his sister? He has money already, which he has gained over the years but his bitterness did not disappear with his impoverished lifestyle. I think Pilate did something else that was far more significant in order for their relationship to turn sour. I also think that there is a far greater value to that gold, otherwise Macon wouldn't want it so badly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the reason for Pilate and Macon's relationship being messed up by a sack of gold. They did have perfectly fine relationship before money came into the relationship. Macon cares so much about becoming rich that he would throw away family for it and if they get in the away of him getting it. Also this reason of hating Pilate makes it very likely that this story is true. He has no reason to lie to Milkman about this story. He is not trying to persuade him in doing anything other than staying and working for him but this came out spontaneously when Milkman talked about the big sack hanging from the ceiling. Macon would not lie about something so trivial about stealing money from him. He also wants the bag of gold really badly that he would want his son to steal it.
DeleteI agree that the relationship was ruined between Pilate and Macon by the bag of gold. When Macon saw the gold for the fist time he truly was expecting to get it for himself and this exemplifies Macon's first heavily materialistic tendencies. This bag of gold was the fist palpable material possession and he quickly became obsessed with making it his own. This ties back well with the life advice that he gave Milkman a few chapters back: "Let me tell you right now the one important thing you’ll ever need to know: Own things. And let the things you own own other things. Then you’ll own yourself and other people too” (55). He has convinced himself that through owning things that he will be successful in life, which is very similar to the ideology of Willy Loman who believed that amassing wealth is the only way to a happy and successful life. Knowing Willy's fate only bad things can happen with a man of such a mindset so Pilate must of understood what was going on in Macon's head and quickly fled, thus breaking off further relationships with him.
DeleteIt’s becoming clearer that Morrison is relating the three Dead women (those being Pilate, Reba, and Hagar) to snakes--or, at least, the two Deads that are more consistently depicted as similar to one another: Hagar and Pilate. When confronted by Ruth for her murderous propensities, Hagar is described as being “taken over by her anaconda love,” leaving her with “no self left, no wants, no intelligence that was her own” (137). An anaconda, of a very lethal breed of snake, is notorious for its ability to wrap itself around its prey, slowly contracting and tightening its grip to suffocate the kill before finally eating it. Hagar is not an anaconda herself; rather, it is her love for Milkman that is compared to the predatory reptile, suggesting that her love for him is at once her desire for his blood (hence the once-monthly attempts on his life) and the strangulating tendencies of the anaconda. This form of love that serves in part to asphyxiate Hagar from her “self” is one that is seemingly meant to give off an unhealthy impression of her love for Milkman.
ReplyDeleteYet not every snake is an anaconda. To compare Hagar’s desires to a snake is suggestive of the Biblical snake, residing in the garden of Eden to tempt Eve to eat an apple from the Forbidden Tree. Similarly, Hagar tempts Milkman a great deal--as with the first time they slept together and for many times afterward, Hagar is described as a tease, eager to deny Milkman of satisfaction (until she becomes dependent on him).
In Chapter 2, Macon calls Pilate a “snake” (54). Yet again hinting the serpent of Eden, Macon claims Pilate ran off with their father’s gold inheritance after their fight in front of the cave. He believes Pilate was tempted by the wealth as Eve was by the serpent’s apple. What’s more, in Chapter 7, Macon and Milkman seem to try to make sure that the reader knows that the sack in which Pilate stores the “inheritance” is green, a color common associated with reptiles/snakes. Macon, at the end of the chapter, tells Milkman to go to Pilate’s house and “Get it. For both of us….Get the gold” (172). Viewed simply, the mission feels somewhat similar to the serpent/Eve ordeal. Milkman, much like Eve, is retrieving money (a symbol of temptation) from a green mass (much like the foliage of the Forbidden Tree) that hangs off the ceiling in Pilate’s (the serpent’s) house.
I believe that this novel is very much about love. However the love or lack thereof seems to be warped in the way the characters perceive it. For example Hagar and Milkman, although Hagar loves Milkman with a passion she thinks it is appropriate to try to murder him. Then on the other end is Milkman his vision of love is also equally warped. He used to love Hagar, but once Hagar started to show the same enthusiasm he was he got disinterested and just suddenly stopped loving her. Next there is Guitar's supposed love for his community which leads him to become a murderer. One would think if someone possessed that kind of love they would not randomly kill innocents. This was also the case for Mr. Smith through his love he killed people. Then there is Ruth and Macon's love or lack thereof. It shows how warped their relationship is and it becomes understandable how Milkman grows to become such a twisted individual. Overall I would say the main motif in this book is how the relationships affect the individuals.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of how valid Macon's story is, I do believe that it has some truth to it. I believe this mostly because of his initial reaction to Milkman's comment about the green sack that hangs in Pilates house. His first reaction is an eruption of confusion, constantly asking Milkman clarifying questions about the sack he claims Pilate has, and as soon as he believes he has enough information to prove the sack is what he thinks it is, he begins, "smiling, but so craftily that Milkman could hardly recognize it as a smile"(164). This reaction allows me to believe that Macon does have some true feelings towards the situation that he and his son are speaking of and that parts of this story may be entirely true. And even if specific factual moments are not all exact, the main feeling and reason behind the story should be the same, if it causes such a visceral reaction in Macon Dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carla, however, I think Macon still is twisting the story for his own benefit. We see in the beginning his importance of keeping Milkman in the shop and how he tries everything except beg to keep him there. Trying everything except begging seems interesting because begging in a way would make them equal, and Macon still wants to be on top. Macon wants to use Milkman to "get the gold" from Pilate, maybe not for the money, but at least to show Pilate his power.Milkman even senses that Macon uses him "he felt used. Somehow everybody was using him for something or as something." It seems odd that Pilate would selfishly take the gold, but live in poor conditions all the time, which makes me think she has different motives for taking it (Milkman also never saw her take it). Macon is so focused on money and power that he wants to use this story to manipulate Milkman to get it for him.
ReplyDeleteI don't really trust Macon and his story and think that it is very likely that he is lying this time too. First of all Macon isn't a very honest person in general and has a pretty large lying experience. Also the story is told completely from narrator's point of view without Macon's interference. This isn't normal, because usually Morrison includes quotes from characters during a flashback. The reason for that could be the fact that the story is made up by Macon and never actually happened. On another hand, if Macon is telling the truth this gold situation makes Macon look very greedy, since he wants Milkman to go get it and split it with him. “Macon, get it and you can have half of it; go wherever you want. Get it. For both of us. Please get it, son. Get the gold.” The fact that he still wants that money after such long period of time even though he is rich now demonstrates how greedy Macon is. Pilate does't seem to care much about money, she simply plays a role of a keeper. Neither of them deserve that gold in my opinion. Pilate simply doesn't want it and Macon, even though he was the one to get it, is way too rich and greedy now to have even more gold in his pocket.
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