The Past and its Impact

Song of Solomon is an incredibly complex book because of how the past is intertwined with the future. It’s intriguing to see how the family history plays a role in everyone’s life in this book. One of the themes that seems to be prevalent throughout the book is that you can’t ignore the past, no matter how much you might want to. The past drives the future in ways that nobody can predict, and the best way to be at peace with the past is to embrace it, and learn to accept it. One of the manifestations early in the book is the first time Pilate tells the story of Macon Sr.’s death compared to the first time Macon Jr. tells the story. When Pilate discusses the events after her father’s death, she talks about the fact that she and Macon saw their father’s ghost. When Macon reminisces about his childhood later on, he omits any details of his father’s ghost while telling a similar story to Pilate’s. This contrast shows that Pilate is better at accepting and understanding the past than Macon is. It seems like Macon is hiding from his childhood, remembering only the things he wants to as an effort to distance himself from a painful time in his life. Pilate seems to have accepted what happened to her dad, and it doesn’t affect her attitude. Macon is portrayed to be a much more compassionate and caring person by the people in Danville, Pennsylvania, when Milkman visits. Macon sees his father killed by material possessions and it drives him to care only about what killed his father. Macon only sees the shortcomings of his father that led to his death, and seems to be trying to avoid them by leading a materialistic life where he aggressively pursues money and power. Pilate is in many ways a clear opposite from Macon, but the past still had an effect on her. While she has accepted the way Macon Sr. was killed, she doesn’t become detached or cold like Macon does. Instead of relentlessly pursuing and protecting her material possessions, she develops a reputation for protecting her daughter Reba and granddaughter Hagar, destroying everyone who hurts them. She is still affected by Macon’s death, but it drives her closer to her loved ones whereas Macon is driven farther from emotion for people and towards a materialistic life driven at escaping the perceived shortcomings of his father.

Milkman’s transformation in this book is very heavily based on his family history. From the beginning, he has everything handed to him and as a result isn’t concerned with the past. When Macon Jr. and Ruth tell him their sides of the story in relation to Ruth’s father, Milkman ignores them, because he really doesn’t care. Guitar sees Milkman’s upbringing as too easy and luxurious for him to be mature enough to take something seriously. However, once he sets out to find the gold and has to be on his own for an extended period of time, it changes something inside of him. The new sense of independence and being on his own helps him find a purpose larger than himself. In this case, his pursuit of his family history and who they were inspires him to become a more selfless person. In many ways, the second part of the book is a coming of age story, despite the fact that Milkman is clearly in his 30s by the time this event occurs. By the time he has completed his trip and returned to Michigan, Milkman has come to the realization that it is important to understand his ancestors. After beginning to understand his ancestry, he also views his parents in a new light. Milkman understands that each of them have also been scarred by tough events in the past, and as a result he is able to judge them in a much more objective light and at least begin to see their perspective in a way he couldn’t hope to do in part 1. Milkman’s understanding of the past makes him a more selfless person and drives him to take into account other people’s history before judging them, showing that everyone is a product of their own life experiences and environment, no matter how much they try to avoid them. Much like Macon Sr, ghosts from the past can’t be escaped. Instead, as Milkman realizes, it is critical to understand the past to gain a better understanding of the present and the people who live around you.