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Post by Lauren on Apr 25, 2014 5:11:50 GMT
How does the switching which character we're following in the novel change how we feel about each character? How different would the book be if it was completely in Milkman's perspective?
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Post by davidqin on Apr 25, 2014 7:06:40 GMT
I really like this concept of perspective (my second vocab presentation happens to be on perspective too). I think through shifting perspectives, we as readers get the benefit of seeing the viewpoints of multiple people and understanding their motivations and inner machinations in ways we could not had the book been written solely from Milkman's perspective. For example, earlier in the book, the story is told from Macon Dead II's view, and not only do we get to see his awful obsession with money first-hand, but we can experience his emotions (or rather, lack of them), as he tells Mrs. Bains that she must pay her rent, or as he shamelessly plunders Mr. Smith's monthly rent payment when he's on a crazy rampage. Considering this book covers the progression of our narrator, Macon Dead III, it's fair to assume that these new perspectives also give us a mature view of characters at times when it would have been impossible for Milkman to convey the same impressions. For example, the events of Chapter 1 are during his childhood, so the perspective shifts accordingly to still ensure that we get a proper description of characters rather than toddler nonsense.
I want to talk a little bit more about Macon Dead II. Sure, he's the kind of guy who yells "'Put that thing down and throw me my goddam money" (25), but he is also the same person who ends up outside Pilate's house at night, entranced by their music and mundane domestic activities. The contrast between his interactions with tenants and his response to the pastoral-religious scene encountered on page 29 is really incredible, and only possible if we were in his shoes. Stated a different way, new perspectives give us the ability to follow many little different stories at once, which all revolve around Milkman's central story. Though the different points of view threw me off a few times earlier in the book, I think it's fair to say that it adds to the richness of the book and contributes a variety of hidden insights and viewpoints by characters.
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Post by racheladele on Apr 28, 2014 4:14:01 GMT
I do see this novel so far as being about the character we know as "Milkman," and him growing up and experiencing life, but more about his whole situation than the one inside his head. Novels in first person open up the fascinating literary possibility of seeing through the eyes of someone else, but I don't think that's what we want in Song of Solomon. Like David said, having multiple perspectives allows the reader to observe characters with a mature eye before Milkman is old enough to do so. It also shows life before Milkman is born, and reveals a different kind of understanding of the people in his life. The novel doesn’t start out with the protagonist at all. It begins with something impossible. “The North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance agent promised to fly from Mercy to the other side of Lake Superior at three o’clock” (3). Although this is seemingly irrelevant to Milkman, it includes language that provides such a sense of wonder because of the word choice: promised. He didn’t just say he was going to fly, or hope he could. He promised that he was going to fly. This sets up the novel for a few things that we have seen already, such as absolute belief in things that are false, which is seen in Macon’s hatred of his sister and Milkman’s defense of his mother, among other things.
To answer Lauren’s question and continue her train of thought, I don’t think the novel would serve the same purpose if it was told from only Milkman’s perspective. Even though he is the main character, I think that enough is hidden from Milkman that the reader would miss important details about the other characters in his life (such as his father, the rough rent collector/ music lover?). I am waiting until we are father along in the novel to establish a firm opinion on this, but I really think Milkman’s situation/ the town is the story more than he is as an individual.
Another reason I appreciate the many perspectives is that I don’t see Milkman as being particularly intelligent, and seeing only what he sees could reduce from the scope of observation of the reader. The same could be said for many of the characters. Imagine if the novel was told by one of Milkman’s sisters, or by Reba, who “don’t know her own last name” (89). So far, to me, Milkman is like a toned-down Holden Caulfield (without the whole everyone’s-a-phony thing). He inserts profanity where it doesn’t seem necessary, he tries to be older than he is, and he just feels like one confused pawn in God’s big game of chess. I appreciate the depth and retrospective sensation from watching, appreciating and understanding all the characters, especially because of the present struggle to discover what is true about Ruth while she is portrayed as innocent and submissive.
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Post by adamgrace on Apr 29, 2014 1:39:58 GMT
Being able to see the perspectives of multiple characters reminds me of the fantasy series, "A Song of Ice And Fire". Throughout the novels the point of view shifts from person to person. In ASOIAF we jump in and out of the minds of a selection of characters. We get to see the thoughts and musings and opinions of each of these characters as they traverse the world. In Song of Solomon a same sort of method is used. While we don't fully enter the minds of the Deads, we do get to see the world from their perspective. The novel wouldn't be the same without the ability to understand what each of the characters are going through. With this omniscient alternating view point we get to see why Macon Dead named his children what he named them, and at the same time we see how they react to their names.
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rishi
New Member
Posts: 38 
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Post by rishi on Apr 29, 2014 1:43:36 GMT
The word "perspective" is commonly associated with bias, and this association holds true in "Song of Solomon." In this novel, however, we are able to incorporate the perspectives of multiple characters into our own understanding of the story and characters. In other words, we are able to merge different biases into a more thoughtful and more "objective" interpretation.
I think a good way of explaining what I am trying to say is by analyzing how we as readers sympathize with the characters in the story. When Milkman and Guitar visit Pilate, I sympathize with Milkman when the narrator explains, "Instead, [Pilate] was making fun of his school, of his teacher, of him" (Morrison 38). This comes as we begin to follow Milkman in the story. Our feelings about Milkman are complicated as we continue to follow him in the story. When Lena inquires about his "strut," he bitterly responds, "I'll walk any way I want to, including over your ugly face" (Morrison 62). The shift in the following of characters and perspective in the novel complicates and adds depth to Milkman as a character. Not only are we able to see his perspective about his life and environment, but we are also able to see the perspectives of characters such as Macon Jr.
Additionally, I really like what David and Rachel had to say about readers being able to view the story's events in a "mature eye" before Milkman is able to do so. If the entire novel was told in the perspective of Milkman, we might not have acquainted ourselves as well with characters such as Macon Jr. or Ruth. By describing Macon II's life at the beginning of the novel, Morrison allows the reader a more wholesome illustration of the lives and personalities of the novel's characters.
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Post by emwolfram on May 8, 2014 4:28:00 GMT
This gave me a very "East of Eden" feel. Although the story didn't separate itself as obviously by narrator it still gave the text a very well rounded feel. It made the history of the story more pronounced. Because we were able to experience different characters emotions and see the story through the eyes of different generation the plot of the novel seemed to go deeper than if it had stayed in the perspective of only one character. I really agree with what Rishi says about paying attention to how we sympathize with characters. Our sympathy and insight into Milkmans life is heightened because of the multiple perspectives. We get to see how the world treats Milkman as well as how he treats the world.
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