What is flight in Song of Solomon?

In Song of Solomon, a novel by Toni Morrison, flight is used as a literal and metaphorical symbol of escape. Each individual character that chooses to fly in the novel is “flying” away from a hardship or a seemingly impossible situation.

What does milkman’s flight mean?

Flight represents an escape from one’s reality. In Milkman’s case he is escaping from prejudice and racism and all the things that are pinning him down or holding him back (for example his toxic relationship with Hagar)

Why does Pilate fly in Song of Solomon?

Throughout her life, Pilate can fly, whether figuratively or literally, because she leaves behind normal human nature, societal confines, and the weight of her and her father’s life.

Who flew in Song of Solomon?

Susan also tells Milkman the story of Solomon’s wife, Ryna, who went mad when Solomon flew off, leaving her behind. As a result, Heddy, an old Indian woman, raised Jake, the youngest of Solomon’s twenty-one children and the only one whom Solomon tried to take with him when he flew away.

What is flight a symbol for?

Well, since human beings cannot actually fly, when a character in literature takes flight, it is a symbol of freedom. This could mean freedom from a particular place or circumstance, or freedom from all the general struggles that weigh us down.

What is the significance of Pilate not having a navel?

It was the absence of a navel that convinced people that she had not come into this world through normal channels; had never lain, floated, or grown in some warm and liquid place connected by a tissue-thin tube to a reliable source of human nourishment.

What is a word Pilate keep repeating at Hagar’s funeral?

At Hagar’s funeral, Pilate allows herself to express the fullness of her grief and disappointment. After she finishes singing a song, she places her hand on the coffin and then repeats the lyrics “My baby girl” to each and every person in the church.

What do wings symbolize in literature?

Wings represent power, speed, and limitless freedom of motion. In the Christian tradition, angels are often represented as beautiful winged figures, and García Márquez plays off of this cultural symbolism because, ironically, the wings of the “angel” in the story convey only a sense of age and disease.

What do flies symbolize in literature?

They truly embody the “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” idiom. Flies can also symbolize motivation, wealth, and abundance. Even in a harsh environment, the fly triumphs over misery, managing to feed and breed.