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The Search For Freedom In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

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Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The search for freedom is exemplified in Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. One of the main protagonists, Macon has the ideology suggesting freedom relies on materialistic values. He teaches this idea to his son Milkman (the other protagonist), in which he learns throughout his encounters of life, that his father’s ideology of money being freedom is not what brings a prosperous life but himself going on his own journey experiencing his own enlightenment on life, so that he may have a personal understanding of freedom. Thus, the validity of “money is freedom” is not valid, due to understanding freedom can be subjective. Macon is a firm believer in the idea of the “American Dream.” Macon also suggests that in order to achieve this idea of the American dream, he must erase his memories of the past. When it comes to the idea of wealth, Macon states that the purpose and benefits of wealth define who he is and compensates for his race. Implying that due to being black, he is at a disadvantage on how society views him and his race. Macon makes it well defined that he has no time for anyone that is beneath him, socially and economically. This is made evident with his sister Pilate, who has led an independent life in a state of relative poverty. Macon despises Pilate due her indifference and refusal to conform to a modern society. He is ashamed of his sister’s poverty. Macon tells his

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