In the novel Song of Solomon, a conspicuous theme is the issue of dangerous and undesirable love that leads to the connections between the characters. This at first makes the characters separate from one another, for example, Milkman failing to become close with his mom on account of his humiliation during his early youth encounter. Macon’s avoidance of his sister because of his humiliation of her appearances and Guitar and Milkman’s relationship breaking down in view of their contrasting political point of views and misjudging of each other. In spite of the fact that these contorted and broken connections are inconvenient to many of these characters, it is in fact important to Milkman. It ends up being useful at last as it in the long run, it pushes him towards digging into his past, which prompts development and comprehension for himself.
The reader picks up knowledge into the creating love and hate connection amongst Milkman and Guitar. Milkman and Guitar originate from two totally unique universes. In spite of the fact that they have been raised in an unexpected way, and frequently have restricting perspectives, they hold each other responsible for their decisions and actions but continue to be best friends. As all close friends, they both have their disagreements and in this case, it was on the extreme spectrum. We would know less about Milkman if not for Guitar. Guitar’s character acquaints the reader with a great part of the racial tension present in the novel that isn’t depicted by the storyteller. Milkman develops within the sight of Guitar and they have a unique reliance upon each other.
With the assistance of Pilate and Guitar, Milkman in the long run finds the mystery of Solomon’s song once he perceives the essential connection between the past and what’s to come. His central goal is to locate Pilate’s gold but instead it takes him back to his familial roots, empowering him to take on the origin of his name and to reconnect in accepting with the black community, his ‘tribe’ (Morrison, 328).
During their disagreements and tough time, the two unobtrusively isolate now and again because of different contemplations in their lives. For a period, Milkman quits seeing Guitar consistently in light of the fact that he invests such a great amount of energy with Hagar while their relationship proceeds with a sign of a long- lasting connection. Afterward, Milkman swings to Guitar for help in troublesome circumstances with Hagar. For example, when Milkman decides to end the relationship of 14 years with Hagar, he hurries to Guitar for assurance from his ex, Hagar, whom refused to accept the break up. The power of their friendship changes occasionally because of different conditions in their lives throughout the novel.
The first encounter we have in seeing the family’s different lifestyle is the point at which Guitar’s mom, Mrs. Bains, endeavors to get an augmentation on her lease from Macon Dead. We instantly observe the monetary hole between the two families, particularly in the statement from Mr. Dead stating, “Can they make it in the street, Mrs. Bains? That’s where they gonna be if you don’t figure out some way to get me my money” (Morrison, 21).
Ultimately the friendship is what sparks all controversary for the theme of the novel. The extent of this relationship is significant in the novel from various aspects. Guitar is for the most part huge, in terms of his meaningfulness to Milkman. Guitar includes music, flavor and interest to Milkman’s presence. All the missing qualities for Milkman whether it being negative or positive for his life. Guitar acquaints Milkman with Pilate and the underlying quest for his character and predetermination for his search in his own life. Milkman and Guitar share an unbreakable bond as kids. However as they develop more, the established bond starts to pull in different directions, yet never fully does it totally break notwithstanding the more wretched conditions close to the end of the novel. Guitar is instrumental in helping Milkman figure out how to fly as a man. Milkman describes Guitar as, “He was with his friend, an older boy- wise and kind and fearless.” (Morrison, 47)
Profoundly dead and rationally subjugated by disregard and realism, Milkman sets out on a journey for his legacy, which he at first accepts to be Pilate’s gold. Rather, through a progression of disasters and fortuitous events, he ends up on a completely distinct journey for his character. In the long run he takes in the importance of life and leniency, and he acquires the endowment of becoming his own character regardless of what his family and friends wanted him to become.
Milkman appreciates materialistic things like property and cash, and he is continually worried about his picture displayed toward the town. Despite the fact that Milkman is like his dad, Milkman intentionally makes it out as they are complete opposites because he ensures himself that he is not the same person as his father. Milkman is separated from his actual self, and he continuously battles to find his character. He is left totally careless in regard to his environment. For instance, when Milkman goes to Guitar after his dad hits his mother, Guitar endeavors to parallel Milkman’s episode with Till’s death. Only focused on himself, Milkman could think less about the murder of Till, and he guarantees that “He was crazy” responded Milkman and Guitar countered his response “No. Not crazy. Young, but not crazy.” (Morrison, 87)
Guitar, raised in a poor family and raised to loathe white individuals, was more irrational and briskly in his choices yet passed them off as the best activity. Milkman, his closest companion, was raised in a princely family raised to resemble white individuals. He was more modern, expressive, and a superior issue solver, yet has a tendency to be somewhat more credulous with regards to the racial pressure in the nation, and particularly in the South.
Milkman’s closest friend and the one he looked up to the most, Guitar Bains, he has experienced childhood in destitution for a large portion of his childhood, since his dad passed away in a sawmill accident. Out of outrageous sharpness and disdain towards white individuals. Guitar is extremely antagonistic towards white people, since he emphatically trusts that they are at the base of debasement and they are likewise at the core of the inhumanity in the world. Despite the fact that Guitar may not have as much as Milkman, he is more mindful of what is happening in their everyday lives, and he completely comprehends the repulsion of prejudice during this time.
Milkman’s absence of ability to identify with Guitar makes him feel like ‘the racial issues that expended Guitar were the most exhausting of all. He pondered what they would do on the off chance that they didn’t have highly contrasting issues to discuss’ (Morrison, 107). Milkman obviously doesn’t see the intensity of the issue, rather being irritated at the black community for always discussing the abuse, the savagery, the persecution that their lives were made out to be (Morrison, 107). To Milkman these issues are optional with regards to his own particular life. Guitar thinks ‘white people are unnatural. As a race they are unnatural. And it takes a strong effort of the will to overcome an unnatural enemy” (Morrison, 156).
Like Pilate, Guitar realizes that if Milkman needs to find his own character, he first needs to give up on his unnecessary priorities, including his figments of autonomy, his pride, and his materialistic qualities that is puts above all. As he discloses to Milkman when the two examine the white peacock’s failure to fly, “wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down” (Morrison, 179). In spite of the fact that he encourages Milkman to surrender the materialistic things that keep him from flying, Guitar is additionally unfit to fly as well since he has not surrendered his own personal experiences that overloads him.
For example, his loath towards white people. Guitar being the youngest and most extraordinary (to the extreme with racism) individual from the Seven Days, Guitar’s experience, political views issues, and authority status reverts to the review of the youthful Malcolm X. Guitar can’t move past his constrained perspectives and feels constrained to stick to the Days’ strict code of conduct, regardless of whether it implies killing his closest friend and many other innocent people.
Both Pilate and Guitar share an appalling past: Both have seen the passing’s of their dads at an extremely youthful age. Be that as it may, in spite of the fact that Pilate adapts to her melancholy, goes ahead with her life, and keeps her dad’s memory alive, Guitar can’t adapt to his distress. Rather, he enables his distress to control his life.
Milkman feels pulled in a few headings by the many people around him, every one of whom compete for control of his life where his mom needs him to go to medical school in hopes for him to become a doctor; his dad needs Milkman to go along with him in the family real estate business; Hagar needs him to marry her; Guitar wants him to acknowledge the Seven Days and accept his beliefs and actions; and Pilate needs him to accept accountability for his life and satisfy his part as a leader.
We begin to see the moderate floating of the two companions on when Milkman discovers Guitar at the Tommys’ barbershop, attempting to warp his head around a black man in Mississippi who was trampled to death by whites. While Milkman stays calm and generally unaffected by the circumstance, Guitar is very vocal and steaming at the prejudice that exists in the nation and in the administration, saying “A kid is stomped and you standin’ round fussin about whether some cracker put it in the paper. He stomped, ain’t he? Dead ain’t he?… Cause he whistled at some Scarlett O’Hara cunt?” (Morrison, 81).
Be that as it may, only a couple of hours later, we discover these distinctions of the two boys put aside as Guitar attempts to comfort Milkman and be sensible to him in the wake of the dispute Milkman had with his dad about his mother being hit by his father and then Milkman pushing him up against the wall. Milkman still went to Guitar and although reluctant to give him all the details to the entire incident, he just opened up what he believed was necessary. Knowing Milkman so well, Guitar knew that wasn’t the entire story and so the boys went for drinks.
There were extraordinary contrasts of supposition between the two regarding how the Seven Days circumstances should be taken care of. Guitar felt that blameless individuals must be killed in striking back for the activities of their kind. While Milkman is much more impartial towards the occurrences that were happening right beneath his nose. Execute the executioners was Guitar’s mindset which basically allowed the others to sit unbothered. Another warmed contention occurred, however the bond was still never broken. They remain companions, and even towards the finish of the novel when Guitar is attempting to execute Milkman, he calls him ‘my man, my main man’ (Morrison, 337).
These are prime cases of an unbreakable companionship. Odd, without a doubt, yet unbreakable. Indeed, even at the point where the two characters are deliberately endeavoring to off one another, regardless they think about each other as best friends. Notwithstanding, they are additionally glaring cases with regards to the distinction in the societies during this time period in the South.
Works Cited
- Morrison, Toni. “Song of Solomon.” Amazon, Amazon, read.amazon