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Identity is a concept rooted in the cornerstone of every societal culture. During this time around the early 20th century, many African Americans were facing an Identity Crisis, and still are. Through slavery African Americans were forced to assimilate to the culture of their “Masters”. This forced cultural assimilation meant the destruction of their self-images and the psychological annihilation of all people carrying the color of black on their skin. Through the novel the reader learns that the main reason that African-Americans didn’t try to recoup their roots was so that they wouldn’t have to remember their monumental burdens. In the “Song of Solomon”, we are put into the machination of “Milkman’s” inner enigma. Readers learn that in order to be able to “fly”, you must go back to the beginning, to your original roots regardless of how beautiful or ugly it can be.

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At the beginning of the novel, the reader learns that growing up Milkman knew that people could not fly and that only "birds" and "airplanes" could. This realization sets a precedent for the rest of Milkman's life all the way through the end of the novel.

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Towards the end of the novel most readers can agree that Milkman has achieved "flight", and Milkman has learned that flight was never unachievable, contradictory to what he believed in at the beginning of the novel."Solomon done fly, Solomon done gone... Solomon cut across the sky, Solomon gone home."(303). it's unclear whether he he has perfected it. Morrison leaves this open to interpretation towards the end of the novel.

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The reason I chose to make this my central image was because it epitomizes the Harlem Renaissance also known as the "New Negro Movement", and African ancestral roots. The movement emphasized African American cultural expression and roots which can mean that this cultural boom in Harlem could've been an epicenter of what is known as "flight".

The image shown below emphasizes both African and African American culture which is an example of "Flight.

Lois Mailou Jones, Ascent of Ethiopia, 1932

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Emmanuel Turner, Identity, 2012

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At the beginning of the novel we learn that “Milkman” was born into this encumbrance, like many of the other people that lived in his community. Although Milkman lived a much higher class life, he comes from a long line of “Macon Deads”, and the only reason they had that name was because the Freedman's Bureau mistakes Jake’s(Milkman’s Grandfather) name, for his father’s origin and living status. What this indicates is that “Milkman’s” family's original surname died and so did their family history. This is a precedent that sets the tone for the whole novel and it is central to them of the novel in this “search” for “identity.

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When Guitar tells Milkman on 179 that: “Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”, ironically Milkman learns that in order for him to “fly he has to distance himself from Guitar who is the antithetical representation of “flight”. Milkman starts to see this when Guitar starts to get upset that Pilate is connecting Milkman with his past, “the jeweled hatred in his eyes," (210). Pilate is tyhe only one that has seemed to have ytrancended and has almoThis is another example of Milkman’s step towards “flight.

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When Milkman disobeys his father and befriends Pilate, Milkman takes a step closer towards “flight”. Macon has told Milkman: “Although Macon has forbidden everyone in his family to associate with Pilate as he considered his sister "a snake, and can charm you like a snake, but still a snake" (55). The main reason behind why this is an example towards flight for Milkman is because although he’s been told many negative things about Pilate, he disregards them and still visits her and in a sense he faces his past.

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It Could All Mean Something Else... or not

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It Could All Mean Something Else... or not

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Of course, the "Song of Solomon", could mean something other than flight which is why she leaves the end open to interpretation. There are many other themes such as religion or racism in the song of Solomon, but the thing about all of these smaller themes is that they paint the way for the bigger picture which is this "Flight" for "Identity".

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After "Milkman"' , learned a lot about his father and Macon Dead I,  through Circe and reverend Cooper, he uses their mistakes as a paragon to change for the better. An example of this can be seen when Milkman started taking into account Hagar's feeling for him, and after he started treating Pilate better after he learned how crazy Ryna went once Macon Dead I(Milkman's Grandfather) left her.