1. Song of Solomon Chapters 6-10

2. Flight  Image of the Peacock = money/gold  “Can’t nobody fly with all that shit” (179).  Milkman soils his expensive clothes and loses his suitcase  Image of the Peacock = money/gold  “Can’t nobody fly with all that shit” (179).  Milkman soils his expensive clothes and loses his suitcase

3. Flight  Milkman enjoys the luxury and exhilaration of the plane ride  He is tired after the grounded bus ride  Milkman enjoys the luxury and exhilaration of the plane ride  He is tired after the grounded bus ride

4. Identity  Corinthians calls herself an “amanuensis” to protect her identity  “Sing” becomes not a command but an identity  Corinthians calls herself an “amanuensis” to protect her identity  “Sing” becomes not a command but an identity

5. Identity  The gold becomes Milkman’s obsession  He smells, hears, and sees money as an apotheosis  Ownership of money/gold becomes ownership of a name/identity  The gold becomes Milkman’s obsession  He smells, hears, and sees money as an apotheosis  Ownership of money/gold becomes ownership of a name/identity

6. Identity  Milkman trades the search for treasure for a search for identity  His father grasped after “a bit of filling” (63) from the white man’s pie, but his grandfather took hold and grabbed something more significant  Milkman trades the search for treasure for a search for identity  His father grasped after “a bit of filling” (63) from the white man’s pie, but his grandfather took hold and grabbed something more significant

7. Identity  With the Seven Days, Guitar becomes “Sunday”  Death becomes an act of love and preservation for the black race  Despises Pilate’s submission to whites  With the Seven Days, Guitar becomes “Sunday”  Death becomes an act of love and preservation for the black race  Despises Pilate’s submission to whites

8. Identity  Guitar is a “natural-born hunter” (85).  He must kill little girls yet he protects the “does”: Ruth and Hagar  Guitar is a “natural-born hunter” (85).  He must kill little girls yet he protects the “does”: Ruth and Hagar

9. Coming of Age  Milkman declares “I want to be on my own” (163)  His identity is purely as Macon’s son  He pleads a year of independence to find his own identity (sound familiar?)  Pilate and Lena inspire shame in him  Milkman declares “I want to be on my own” (163)  His identity is purely as Macon’s son  He pleads a year of independence to find his own identity (sound familiar?)  Pilate and Lena inspire shame in him

10. Fathers and Sons  Macon buries his own father  Pilate and Macon see visions of him  Macon’s father’s body returns to the cave  Macon buries his own father  Pilate and Macon see visions of him  Macon’s father’s body returns to the cave

11. Fathers and Sons  Milkman is regaled with legends of his grandfather (Macon Dead/Jake)  Milkman embellishes the legends of his own father  Marriage to the best black woman  Attempt to purchase the Erie- Lackawana  Milkman is regaled with legends of his grandfather (Macon Dead/Jake)  Milkman embellishes the legends of his own father  Marriage to the best black woman  Attempt to purchase the Erie- Lackawana

12. Singing and Songs  The stories become the songs: Reverend Cooper and the old black men preserve the oral tradition  Milkman glows with pride for his exceptional family history  The stories become the songs: Reverend Cooper and the old black men preserve the oral tradition  Milkman glows with pride for his exceptional family history

13. Female Roles  Circe is a midwife who delivered every black child  She is apparently an immortal witch with power over beasts  Circe is a midwife who delivered every black child  She is apparently an immortal witch with power over beasts

14. Female Roles  Pilate is so connected to the earth that she cries indoors  She possesses sorceress capabilities of shape-shifting into a diminutive “Aunt Jemima”  Pilate is so connected to the earth that she cries indoors  She possesses sorceress capabilities of shape-shifting into a diminutive “Aunt Jemima”

15. Female Roles  Corinthians represents the over- educated black woman  Doomed to sterility, “unfit for eighty percent of the useful work of the world” (189), she is a “doll baby” (196).  Corinthians represents the over- educated black woman  Doomed to sterility, “unfit for eighty percent of the useful work of the world” (189), she is a “doll baby” (196).

16. Female Roles  Milkman’s sisters are defined as either virgins or whores  Corinthians swaps her pride for a fulfilling sexual awakening  Magdalena merely staves off insanity  Milkman’s sisters are defined as either virgins or whores  Corinthians swaps her pride for a fulfilling sexual awakening  Magdalena merely staves off insanity