family
Family- something we all have, but the definition varies. Whether it be your best friend of years or your dog, family comes in all forms. Google "Family quotes", as I just did, and the main theme among all of them is that family is everything. Yet when looking at reality, the messy families which many of us grow up with, it's hard to distinguish those who matter from those who do not.
In Songs of Soloman, the many intricacies of family are brought to light. Though elders are the most respected, whether they deserve this respect is debatable. Milkman travels through several states in search of the roots of his family, despite treating those who he lives with so poorly.
The concept of property is interspersed through the overarching theme of family. Connecting this theme back to slavery, in which a "family" could be torn apart in the blink of an eye, the black family in Songs of Soloman is torn apart within themselves already. The lack of love within the Dead's matches the lack of familial connections in a white family in the South during this era. The importance of property and owning items for the white family during this time directly matches the Dead's obsession with property, highlighting the connections between the two groups.
This obvious relationship of family and power carries on throughout the story, as even at a small age, Magdalene called Lena reflects that their father "took us there so they could see us, envy us, envy him" (Morrison 216). In conclusion, the definition of family is all relative (pun intended).
In Songs of Soloman, the many intricacies of family are brought to light. Though elders are the most respected, whether they deserve this respect is debatable. Milkman travels through several states in search of the roots of his family, despite treating those who he lives with so poorly.
The concept of property is interspersed through the overarching theme of family. Connecting this theme back to slavery, in which a "family" could be torn apart in the blink of an eye, the black family in Songs of Soloman is torn apart within themselves already. The lack of love within the Dead's matches the lack of familial connections in a white family in the South during this era. The importance of property and owning items for the white family during this time directly matches the Dead's obsession with property, highlighting the connections between the two groups.
This obvious relationship of family and power carries on throughout the story, as even at a small age, Magdalene called Lena reflects that their father "took us there so they could see us, envy us, envy him" (Morrison 216). In conclusion, the definition of family is all relative (pun intended).
I really like the intended pun at the end! The irony of Milkman looking for family when he disrespects his own is also very interesting. Also, I like how you connected Magdalene called Lena to this because I never thought of her as a prominent character who looked for power.
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