Analysis of Morrisons Use of Language in Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is very much a book about language, how it is used, and the meanings that are conveyed by its usage. At the very beginning of the novel, one finds a little black boy trying to correct a white woman about grammar and having instead to turn to his grandma, because the white woman has already stopped listening: Granny, she left out a s. And a please, says the Granny, indicating the link between language and manners (Morrison 7). In the same opening, Morrison discusses the meaning of Not Doctor Street, Doctor Street, and where these terms come from and how they are usedhow some language is officially recognized and some is not. This is all interwoven with a suicide spectacle, in which the suicide note tells of a man who wants to fly away with his own wings. Running through the novel, as in this opening, are references to the power of language, the power of symbols, the meaning of words, and how people use them to empower themselves or disempower others. Morrisons novel simultaneously incorporates the elements of African American culture and mythology, along with the various issues affecting the 20th century American community. As a whole the novel outlines the characters' struggles for identity and acceptance, demonstrating how personal narratives are deeply entwined with language, culture, a sense of place, and a sense of being. Language is at the heart of this exploration because words are what help one to soar, to transcend, to rise up, and to fly in the imaginationand, as a novelist, Morrison knows that.

One central motif in the novel is the idea of Africans who could fly, a symbol of innate freedom and power, and also a reference to something which was later stripped away due to the hardships and injustices they faced in slavery. This idea becomes a central motif, shaping the characters' motivations and desires, from the opening story of the suicide who wants to leap from a building a fly with his own wings, to the song of Solomon that the children sing. This motif of flight is everywhere: Milkman Dead, the main character, embarks on...…to the cotton fields that enslaved Africans were forced to work in, reflecting the brutal legacy of slavery. The act of choking might suggest the suffocating oppression of racism. In subtle ways like this, Morrison uses language to give every scene a deeper meaning. Also, Morrison's use of colloquial language and dialect grounds the novel in the authentic voice of African American communities. The line, "You just can't fly on off and leave a body" (Morrison 147) shows this style completely and ties in the motif of flight, connecting it to the responsibilities a person owes to both self and others. The use of vernacular English and idiomatic expressions underlines the deep cultural roots of the characters and brings an added layer of authenticity to the narrative. Overall, the metaphor of flight is deeply tied to notions of liberation, self-discovery, and spiritual transcendence. It is the theme at the heart of the novel. But it is the language Morrison uses that helps that heart to be presented so clearly and effectively to the reader.

Works Cited

Morrison, Tony. Song of Solomon. Knopf, 2007.

Van Toll, Naomi. "The Fathers May SoarFolklore and Blues…