Song Of Solomon :: essays research papers

From Beginning to End     Toni Morrison begins her novel Song of Solomon in a very unconventional way. Instead of introducing a setting or characters, she retells an incident that without elevate reading is for the most part incomprehensible. As readers we notice later on in the story the references made throughout the book that relate back to the preliminary pages. Some of the main themes such as oral traditions, naming, and especially flight argon introduced in the first six pages and are further developed in a very similar format throughout the book.     One of the outstanding themes, oral tradition, is used to retell events throughout the book in a look consistent with the beginning. On the first page we are introduced to an insurance agent by the name of Robert Smith. We shortly there after(prenominal) learn that he will " tent flap" form the top of Mercy Hospital. On the Wednesday of his flight a group of fifty people gather a round the building to witness this event. While hold for his "flight" or jump a woman in a contralto voice begins to sing the words "O Sugarman done fly outside(a)/ Sugarman done done for(p)/ Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone home&8230"(6) This lady simply describes Robert Smiths flight "home" which we later learn is in truth him committing suicide. Much later on in the book Milkman is listening to a group of children singing "O Solomon done fly away/ Solomon done gone/ Solomon cut across the sky/ Solomon gone home."(3) In this song Sugarman, or Robert Smith, is replaced by Solomon, or the Great Grandfather of Milkman. The song describes his "flight" from Shalimar, his home town, and the events that happened after his "flight." In general, oral traditions are used in this book to retell past events for both our understanding and for the characters. They take the form of song, story, and fairy tale and are very important to the meaning of the story because they are a major medium of narration.     Naming is utilized throughout the book for the purpose of creating identification and symbolization for the characters and places. On page four a brief description is given about the history of Mains Ave., or non Doctor Street., as called by the Southside community. It is called Not Doctor Street. because a prominent black doctor had once lived there, and the people living there always referred to it as Doctor Street.