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 resultant that without further reading is for the most part incomprehensible. As readers we notice later on on in the story the references made passim the book that strike back to the introductory paginates. Some of the main themes such as viva voce traditions, naming, and especially evasion be introduced in the eldest six pages and are further developed in a very similar initialise throughout the book.     One of the outstanding themes, oral tradition, is use to retell events throughout the book in a manner consistent with the beginning. On the first page we are introduced to an insurance agent by the name of Robert Smith. We presently thereafter experience that he will "fly" form the pass along of Mercy Hospital. On the Wednesday of his flight a group of fif ty wad gather around the building to witness this event. While waiting for his "flight" or jump a woman in a contralto voice begins to sing the words "O Sugarman done fly absent/ Sugarman done gone/ Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone household&8230"(6) This lady simply describes Robert Smiths flight "home" which we later learn is really him committing suicide. Much later on in the book Milkman is hearing to a group of children singing "O Solomon done fly forward/ Solomon done gone/ Solomon cut across the sky/ Solomon gone home."(3) In this air 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 dissipate the form of song, story, and fairy tale and are very important to the subject matter of the story because they are a major medium of narration.     Naming is use throughout the book for the purpose of creating identification and symbolism for the characters and places. On page four a brief description is given about the account statement of Mains Ave., or Not medical student 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 financial support there always referred to it as Doctor Street.