Dom Odden

Visions of Realism

Rick Cawood

The Haunting of Macon Dead

In the book Song of Solomon the author Toni Morrison shows the divide in the Dead family by reuniting different parts of the family through metaphors. After Macon Dead II Witnessed his father's death he comes to the realization that he doesn't want to love anyone like he did his father because it hurt too much to lose him. “The numbness that had settled on him when he saw the man he loved and admired fall off the fence; something wild ran through him when he watched the body twitching in the dirt” (50-51). This numbness causes a divide in the family between Macon II and Pilate. He does not want to feel the same feeling towards Pilate and since he has such fond memories of her from his past he does not want to tarnish his view of her by witnessing her death. The something wild that ran through Macon during this passage is the spirit of his father lying dormant inside of him that will make reappearance later in the book. Toni Morrison does a good job of foreshadowing the ghost and death metaphor. He distances himself from his family and fills the lack of personal relationships with possessions.

The first time in the book that we see the divide really stand out is when Macon II tells his son Milkman to stay away from Pilate. “Just listen to what I say. That woman’s no good. She’s a snake, and can charm you like a snake, but still a snake.” (54) The story about the snake that Macon tells later leads the reader to believe that Macon has always believed that Pilate has been evil all of her life. However when Macon reminisces later with his son he talks about the fond memories that he has of walking to the other farm with Pilate in his arms every morning.

Macon has a turn on Pilate later in the book. We can see in the earlier chapters what Pilate meant to him. ”At one time she had been the dearest thing in the world to him. Now she was odd, murky, and worst of all, unkempt. A regular source of embarrassment, if he would allow it. But he would not allow it.” (20) In the passage on page 20 we see Macon mention that he absolutely did love Pilate and thought she was “the dearest thing in the world to him” but somewhere along the way he lost that. Of course we see in this passage that he thinks she is dirty and assumes that she is getting drunk all of the time from working in the wine house. Another thing Macon mentions in the passage is that she was, “a regular source of embarrassment, if he would allow it. But he would not allow it.” The fact that he would not allow it shows that he has really expelled her from his life and he does not associate with her anymore. We as the reader know that Macon turned on her when they parted ways at the cave that their father had lead them to. The resemblance of their father and his ghost plays a part not only in Macon's disassociation from his family but also in Pilate’s life as well.

In the book Pilate experiences and reveals many things to explain the meaning of the metaphor of the ghost of her dead father. The ghost first makes its invisible appearance when Macon feels the something wild run through him. The first time we see the ghost as an apparition of the embodiment of the corpse of Macon is when it leads Macon II and Pilate through the woods and into the cave. “After all, if it was their father, he wouldn’t hurt them, would he? Slowly they approached the mouth of the cave, following their father’s beckoning hand and his occasional backward glance.” (168) Since the dead vision of their father appeared when they needed shelter the two can assume that even after death their father was still a good man. He still cared enough in his eternal rest to help them into safety. This also leads to a discovery of the bags of gold that Pilate begins to look for. This is where Macon encounters the man and kills him in self-defense. A ghost or apparition is usually associated with horror films and Halloween but in the book if becomes to resemble family and hope. Eventually the ghost triggers the individuality of Pilate’s thoughts. Her assurance that death is chosen not fate is very important in the context of the ghost because that’s what her father's ghost is, his continuation of life in the point of view of Pilate. “He had to fight off castor oil and knittin needles and being blasted with hot steam and I don’t know what all you and Macon did. But he made it. When he was at his most helpless, he made it. Ain’t nothin goin to kill him but his own ignorance, and won’t no woman ever kill him. What’s likelier is that it’ll be a woman save his life.” (141) This is where Pilate reveals her idea that people choose their own deaths to Ruth. While Ruth tries to convince Pilate that this is false Pilate stands by it. Her example of Macon surviving death from Hagar and others so many times is very good. However the idea goes farther than just what the text reveals.  Person may die but continue living. This is shown in the death of Pilates father. After Macon is shot off of his picket fence for his property he does not reappear for Pilate until he helps Pilate and Macon into the cave. So obviously to continue the life of Macon he would want to help his children. To Pilate her father helps her find riches and shelter and also to set things right and point her in the direction of life that she should be going. The direction is revealed to her after Macon reappears and tells Pilate to “Sing. Sing,” and later he leaned in at the window and said, “You just can’t fly on off and leave a body.” (147) Singing makes Pilate happy and since she feels depressed after having her baby singing can free her from her sadness. Pilate’s ability to sing away the problems of others is quite amazing. In the Part of the book where Macon is walking with the troubles of his family, the negative emotion he feels towards his daughters and wife and his unnatural communication with his son. Macon then walks near Pilates house and hears her singing, “Surrendering to the sound, Macon moved closer. He wanted no conversation, no witness, only to listen and perhaps to see the three of them, the source of that music that made him think of fields and wild turkey and calico.” (29) Macon is brought to a place of simplicity of his past by the sound of Pilates voice. Going back to the passage about Macon’s second appearance his advice clarifies Pilate’s goal in life. She understands that she could not simply abandon the body that she and Macon killed.  It also mentions on the same page that  “(The fact that she had struck no blow was irrelevant. She was part of her brother’s act, because, then, she and he were one.)” (174). This shows that Pilate thought of Macon and her to be one until they parted ways. She of course lacked the affection of Macon for many of the years it follow that event.

The book displays many instances where the ghost of Macon Dead leads a person through a troubling moment or an instance of clarity. The way that Macon’s ghost causes the relationships of his children to interact and separate only to reunite is the result of extreme literary precision and referencing. Toni Morrison very subtly hinted to the ghost of Macon throughout her novel and used its seemingly mysterious nature as a metaphor for the unknown experience of death and familial ties.