The People Could Fly

You won’t ever find another novel with more interesting character names.

  • Milkman Dead
  • First Corinthians
  • Ryna
  • Guitar Bains
  • Sing (Singing Bird)
  • Magdalene Dead
  • Hagar

Ok. That last one is in the Bible. Still, you don’t find many modern characters with such memorable names. Many things are memorable about the brilliant piece of fiction by Toni Morrison entitled Song of Solomon. She infuses her work with such strong themes and motifs from other writing that it’s hard to separate the two and for that, these characters leave an indelible mark.

Readers can never forget that Milkman’s nickname comes from a janitor who catches his mother nursing him when he is well past the age of being appropriate. I mean really past. Way past. But it’s her attempt to reconcile a sexless, loveless marriage from which she cannot recover. The unreturned affections from men is another of her themes that make it difficult to like the characters and it’s not just the men. I am all at once outraged and full of commiseration for the women in the book who shortchange themselves and sacrifice a true love.

Issues of determination of the characters notwithstanding, it’s a story of demise of a culture, a class, a race that cannot seem to find its way out unless they are at rock bottom. In reality, we all experience that. Maybe that’s why I forgive Milkman for finding the only worthwhile relationship in a prostitute, Sweet. It’s the only time when there is any reciprocity in a bond between man and woman in the story.

Shash commented yesterday that she wrote her own two cents about censorship and I found out why Song of Solomon had been challenged in the first place. There are more books to be found here if you are interested, but here’s what I learned:

The book has been accused of being filthy, inappropriate, sexually explicit (Hello? Yeah. I’m reading that.), uses language degrading to blacks (I didn’t feel slighted in the least and that was, perhaps, with the knowledge that TONI MORRISON IS BLACK) and it’s been referred to as “trash” and “repulsive”. That I learned here. Song of Solomon not only brings to mind several Biblical accounts, but also African and Greek mythology. Issues of flying, literally and figuratively, out of a situation spur on the fight in these characters and makes you want them to cease all self-destructive behaviors just because you want them to get out of those situations, but you feel that it’s nearly fruitless for them to try.

Morrison doesn’t make it easy, either. The self-loathing and complexity of issues that the black characters have to face makes you want to hold your breath for them. When I first read this as part of a class I took in college for my minor degree of African-American Studies I recall having a day to finish before our final discussion. Perhaps it’s because I was young and didn’t see the climax coming, but I recall vividly having to miss the final class because of the impact it had on me.

It’s the first book I finished with an audible gasp and then closed the book to wail because I could hardly breathe. Never before had I needed a day (a whole day - I didn’t attend any classes the next day) to recover from reading such a powerful book, but this is the one that did it to me. When I called my professor to apologize, she said that many students missed that day and that she expected it. She knew of the power it beheld and allowed us to experience it so fully that she held off class that day and sent the few students home who showed up. Wise professor, that one.

Earlier this year in May the New York Times Book Review named her novel Beloved the best novel of the past 25 years. When you look at the picture from that link you have to be reminded that the Western canon has been a list predominantly held by dead white European guys. Of course, they held the prominent position of being banned as well.

In the company of gentlemen is the illustrious Toni Morrison. Fly on, sister. Fly on.

*The People Could Fly is the title of a collection of black folktales by Virginia Hamilton for children.

September 26, 2006 @ 10:01 pm | Filed under Books I Love | |

13 Comments

  1. Caffeinated Librarian Said,

    September 26, 2006 @ 10:17 pm

    *grin* I’ve finally learned the secret. I have to be awake at 1 am to get first dibs on your comment box.

    Keep up the good work, Lady.

  2. Owlhaven Said,

    September 26, 2006 @ 11:07 pm

    Ever read “Stars In My Crown”? A kid in the book is named Chloroform because of the utter bliss his mother experienced in labor when she was finally given chloroform. Now there’s a name.

    Mary, mom to many

  3. dragon-mum Said,

    September 26, 2006 @ 11:27 pm

    Okay, I can see where this is leading. I am going to end up emptying my bank account buying all these wonderful books, aren’t I? Not that buying books is a bad thing, it never is. I can just see me going broke real quick at this pace. I don’t know if my wallet can handle the pressure this week :) LOL

    Love Yvonne

  4. Jeannie Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 5:29 am

    You could write about absolutely anything and still find a fan in me! Love this entry!

  5. Tanilan Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 6:22 am

    I remember sitting on my bed, absolutely astounded at this book. My husband asking me what the crap was wrong with me…I just couldn’t answer him. I think I was in a state of shock. Once again you’ve gone and hit it right on the money.

    Please tell me you have read Beloved. I had to read it twice back to back to get understand what I was reading (and when I did I cried). I read it for a class, and I just want to know what you think about it.

    Love Tanilan

  6. VENTL8R Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 6:29 am

    I have not heard of this one. I think I’m going to have to keep a list of “Mocha recommends.”

    I did forget to mention something in yesterday’s post….a friend of mine from college is Larry Ratledge. Freshman year I started calling him “Boo” as in Boo Ratledge (Radley). 14 years later, I still call him Boo.

    And he still answers to it.

  7. Betsy Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 3:07 pm

    This is one I haven’t read. Toni seems cumbersome at times, but I will have to give this one a try. I trust your taste in literature!

  8. Shash Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 5:43 pm

    Mocha should have a sidebar of “Mocha Recommends” books that she updates after a while. Kind of like a “Mocha Book Club” :)

    I WILL be checking this book out from my local library. Believe it.

    Shash

    P.S. Thanks for the linky love! :)

  9. Big Guy (on a Bicycle) Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 6:49 pm

    Oh, um … “heads up”.

  10. Dana Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 7:09 pm

    Oh! Now I’ve got more titles to add to my “Must Read List”…thanks, Mocha!

  11. Keis Said,

    September 27, 2006 @ 8:12 pm

    My English professor gave my class one word of advice when tackling “Solomon”: read it twice and then, read it again. The last page or so takes my breath away. And I’ve never enjoyed an assignment reading in my life.

  12. mizangie Said,

    September 28, 2006 @ 8:14 pm

    Oh, poop. You just like it because Toni Morrison is black. I bet if y’all ever hang out (because, in case you didn’t remember, all black people know each other) you’ll sit around listening to rap and hip-hop music. HAHAHA!! Okay, the devil made me say that. I don’t know what got into me except pure meanness. In all honesty, you’ve made me want to go to the library tomorrow to get this book for the weekend.

    True story: My mom was a schoolteacher. She had a set of twins one year named Lemonjello and Oranjello, pronounced Li-mohn-juh-lo and ore-ahn-juh-lo.

  13. lildb Said,

    October 3, 2006 @ 9:09 pm

    can I confess to not having made it through Beloved — because I was too frightened?

    (I never could get through Willy Wonka, the original film, when I was young, because the girl who turns into a blueberry terrified me. I have a problem with fear, I fear.)

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