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Milkman's Search For Gold In Song Of Solomon, By Toni Morrison

1063 Words5 Pages

Have you ever wanted to just pack up your things and just leave, no goodbye no explanation, and go on an adventure? Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison, centers on the spoiled only son in a family of sisters. The son, Milkman, goes on a journey looking for the lost gold from one of his father’s stories. While looking for the gold he has many different experiences and ends up finding himself instead of the gold. Toni Morrison uses Milkman’s search for gold to represent the ability of people to change and find themselves through experiences that are outside of their normal element. Morrison first portrays Milkman, as he starts his search for gold, as an extremely self-absorbed and ungrateful man. Therefore, he doesn't appreciate what people …show more content…

Instead, he starts trying to find out where his ancestors came from. Once again, Guitar’s insights on life and how to live it educates Milkman. Guitar passionately states, “[it's] not about living longer. It’s about how you live and why" (160). Guitar understands and highlights what Milkman needs to discover about himself in order to live a fulfilling life and make it a life worth living. Another time that Milkman shows that he is finding himself is when he is planning with Guitar about how to rob Pilate. He finally has found out who he is and how he wants to live his life. The narrator describes that Milkman “felt a self-inside himself emerge, a clean-lined definite self. A self that could join the chorus at Railroad Tommy’s with more than laughter” (184). The phrase “clean-lined definite self” proves that Milkman has finally begun to understand himself. He has discovered the part of himself that was unsure of whether to go forward or stay back. Milkman’s journey to find actual gold has led him to find himself. The hardship he has encountered on his journey has make him look inside of himself and discover how he feels and relates to the real world. He has finally discovered himself which makes him feel that he will now fits in more with his old friends and people that he never really felt comfortable

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