Song of Solomon

Description: 

Song of Solomon begins and ends with unsuccessful flight attempts: Robert smith's begins the novel; Milkman's ends the novel . . . That the structure is circular suggests the absense of a solution, the failure of the protagonist (and his precursor) to share the liberating knowledge he has gained in order to create an environment free of oppression. That is, the unsuccessful nature of both flights reflects both men's lack of responsibility to the African community. [Pilate] understands the power of naming; the only name her father wrote hangs in a little box from her ear. She becomes quite literally Milkman's pilot or guiding force. She challenges his indifference and initiates him into the legacy of which black womankind are the guardians, a legacy of wisdom and beliefs. Pilate's lack of a navel associates her with Eve, source of innocence and, paradoxically, of primal knowledge. VIVA MODERN CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS presents the best current criticism on the most widely read and studied poems, novels and dramas of the Western world, from Oedipus Rex and the Iliad to such modern and contemporary works as William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and Don Delillo's White Noise.

Target Audience:

Students of Literature, English Departments & Libraries.