Many of the most influential and
memorable characters in the first three chapters of Song of Solomon are fathers. From Macon I, who appears only in
memories yet played a major role in the lives of Pilate and Macon II, to Ruth’s
father, a disturbing force of imbalance in her current family life, I have been
struck by the importance of the father in this novel. The third father figure,
perhaps the most important, is Macon II, a polarizing figure in Milkman’s life,
serving both as a role model and as a daily antagonist to Milkman.
Early
in the novel, when Milkman first meets Pilate, she tells him about his
grandfather Macon I. Macon I was killed when both Pilate and Macon were still
young, but he still seems to have been a positive force in their lives. It is
mentioned that though he was robbed of his name (and his identity as a man?), he
built up his farm from nothing, a model of a hardworking and respectable man. Entering
the realm of superstition that pervades her house, Pilate tells Milkman how her
father’s spirit protected her and Macon II when they were lost in the woods.
Dr.
Foster, Ruth’s father, is a far less admirable character in the novel. After
Macon hits Ruth at the dinner table and Milkman retaliates against him, Macon
tells Milkman a sordid tale about Ruth and her father that shocks and confuses
Milkman. A figure of authority in his community, Dr. Foster seems to have had
some dark secrets in his family life, particularly in his relationship with his
daughter. It is clear that, despite his outward appearance of “respectability,”
Dr. Foster is largely responsible for all the tension in Macon’s relationship
with Ruth.
The
most developed father-son relationship in the novel is certainly that between
Milkman and Macon Dead. Macon is in many ways an enemy of Milkman, full of
resentment and suspicion—it is mentioned that in his adolescence Milkman did
everything he could to be the opposite of his father. And later in the story,
Milkman physically assaults Macon in defense of his mother. However, at the
same time Milkman is certainly appreciative of his father’s work and the
opportunities that have been given to him through it. He definitely enjoys his
job with Macon, if only because it gives him time to see Pilate. He seems to
have genuine respect for his father as a businessman and a grudging sense of
his father’s worth in the community. All in all, the “coming of age” section of
Song of Solomon talks a lot about the
impact of fathers on their children. It
is by and large a patriarchal society in this novel, though we should also note
the importance of women particularly in Pilate’s household (but that could be
its own blog post!).
