CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Song of Solomon is a novel written by Toni Morrison that was published

in 1977. The publisher Song of Solomon is Alfred Knopf publisher. Song of

Solomon also published by the other publishers such as Plume, Penguin Book and

Vintage Publisher and first included in Everyman’s Library in 1995. This novel

has 362 pages that are divided into 2 parts. Part I consist of 9 chapters and Part II

consist of 5 chapters.

Toni Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio, on February 18, 1931. Her

father was handworker and dignified man, her mother was church-going woman,

and she sang in the choir. Morrison was always educated in the integrated school

from her elementary school to university. Morrison was a smart student. She

graduated with honors from Lorain High School. Although Morrison belong

black people who find it difficult to achieve advanced education, she succeeded

entering the prestigious Howard University in Washington D.C, where she

majored in English with a minor in classics.

Morrison graduated from Howard University in 1953 with a B.A. in

English. She attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and received a

Master’s degree in 1955. After graduating, Toni was offered a job in Texas

Southern University in Houston, where she taught introductory English. In 1957

she returned to Howard University as a member of faculty. Toni married to

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Jamaican architect, Horald Morrison in 1958. Having two children from her

marriage, she was divorced from her husband.

After that, Morrison joined a small writers group. In this group, she began

her carrier as an author. Beginning with her writing about a girl she knew in

childhood who had prayed to God for blue eye, she developed it into her first

novel The Bluest Eye that was published in 1970. After her first novel, Morrison

started writing her writing her second novel Sula. This novel was published in

1973; it was nominated for1975 National Book Award in fiction. Song of

Solomon (1977), Tar Baby (1981), a drama (1984), Beloved (1987), and Jazz

(1992) were Morrison’ next novel and drama that almost of the themes merely

confirm black society, race discrimination, and gender.

The Song of Solomon novel tells about a man who finds his life direction

through his family history. The story begins in 1931 in the Mercy Hospital roof.

An insurance sales man, Robert Smith, plans to fly from across the Great Lakes

and a crowd gathers to watch. After Mr. Smith leaps from the roof, he died. The

next day, Ruth Foster Dead birth a boy baby. She is the first mother who births a

black child in the Mercy Hospital, Milkman Dead. Milkman nourished by his

mother and his Aunt Pilate love. His sister Corinthians and Magdalena (Lena)

taken care him.

Milkman got anything what he wants because his father is a rich landlord.

Because of that, he grows up bored and privileged. Then he became lack of

compassion likes his father, Macon Dead II, a ruthless landlord who pursues only

to accumulation of wealth. After he become adult, Milkman has no direction and

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feels stifled living with his parents and also wants to escape from his family’s

pressure and tragedies to somewhere else. Then his father informs him that Pilate

may have millions of dollars in gold wrapped in a green trap suspended from

ceiling of her rundown sack.

Milkman robs Pilate with his friend Guitar. He promises to Guitar share

the gold. Unfortunately, inside the green tarp, they only find some rocks and

skeleton of his grandfather. Guitar is disappointed not find the gold because he

needs fund to carry out his mission the Seven Days. Then Milkman leaves his

hometown in Michigan. He thinks that the gold might be a cave near Macon’s old

Pennsylvania farm and promising Guitar to share if he finds. Before he leaves, he

severs his romantic relationship with Hagar. Hagar is driven crazy by his

rejection and tries to kill Milkman.

After arriving in Pennsylvania, Milkman discovers that there is no gold to

be found but he found the history of family. He meets Circe, an old midwife who

helped deliver Macon Dead II and Pilate. From Circe, Milkman knows that

original name of Macon Dead I was Jake and that he was married with an Indian

girl, Sing. After that Milkman heads south, Shalimar, where his grandfather lives.

He does not know that Guitar followed him and try to kill him because Guitar

thinks that Milkman was cheat about the share of gold.

In Shalimar he feels uncomfortable with the atmosphere of the society but

he tries to love it and he gets more clues of his family. He finds that his great

grandfather was legendary flying African; his name is Solomon, who escaped

slavery by flying back to Africa. In his findings journey, Milkman gets profound
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joy and a sense of purpose. He becomes a compassionate and responsible adult.

After surviving from Guitar who trying to kill him, he returns home and tells his

father and his aunt Pilate about his findings. At home he get that Hagar has died.

Nevertheless, Milkman accompanies Pilate back to Shalimar, where they bury

Jakes bones on Solomon Leap. After Jake’s burial, Pilate is dead by bullet that

Guitar had intended for Milkman. Milkman feels so sad then he calls out Guitar

and leaps forward him.

In the Goodreads site some people give their responses and also review of

Song of Solomon novel. It comes from Jeffrey, he says that this novel is the best

novel last 50 years of American life, despite the high standing of both novel and

author; there are many that chide both for delving too far into the world of

African American mythology. Another comment comes from Tiffany, she

considers that Song of Solomon is a poetic book; it is like a reading music. This

book has a lot of mythology in it as well (people actually fly) but it's very

interesting. The comment also comes from Dan who read this novel in October

1993. He has different opinion with two sources above. He says that he gets

serious problem with this novel. The first three quarters of the book are terrific.

Written in a realistic style and capture the modern lives of its characters. The final

section of the book suddenly turns into a fable.

Song of Solomon became a bestseller and drew praise from readers and

critics when it was published in 1977. Song of Solomon is Toni Morrison's third

novel won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction in 1977. It is now

widely taught and appeared again on best-seller lists when it was chosen by
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Oprah Winfrey for inclusion in her book club. Beloved by readers for more than

twenty years, it is still considered one of Morrison's best books.

The writer is interested to study this novel due to four reasons.

They are, first, the setting of the novel. It is consisting of two part, they are

setting of time and setting of place. The novel begins in 1931 and moves

forward until 1963 when Milkman born then grows up until he become adult, it is

occasional flashback the late nineteenth century. It is set in large city in

Michigan and the countryside around Danville, Pennsylvania and Shalimar,

Virginia.

Second, the character of the novel, there is Macon “Milkman” Dead. He is

the protagonist of the novel. The reason why Milkman is an interested character

because at the first, Milkman character shows as negative character, he is an

egotistical young man, lacks compassion, wallows in self-pity, and alienates

himself from the African-American community because he is born into sheltered,

privileged life and he is been protected from racism by his class position. But at

the end becomes as positive character by searching for identity. In another word,

Morrison does not draw Milkman as an entirely negative character, but one who

needs some corrections.

Third, the conflict of the novel that comes from the protagonist character,

Milkman. They are external and internal conflict that experienced by Milkman.

The external conflict happens when Milkman grows up in the privilege of an

African-American upper-class family as the only son but he has pressure from his

family tragedies. For example his father thrives on hatred for his wife, Ruth. The
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internal conflict, Milkman bored with his life. He thinks he has to escape from his

family’s pressure and tragedies searching for gold. The climax rises when

Milkman searching for gold by steals his aunt Pilate. It is not gold that he finds

then he leaves his hometown and begins search for gold that led him to his family

history.

Fourth, the theme which is fundamental and often universal ideas

explored in a literary work. It causing many themes appears in novel. Song of

Solomon has many themes such as man make an abandonment of women, it

shows that the female characters in the novel suffering because burden from the

man. The other theme is the effect of racism because racism is the central cause

of suffering in the novel. But the major theme in this novel is self identity is high

value of life. An African-American man fined his identity from discover of his

family history through searching for gold.

To the writer, Song of Solomon is a great story that reveals the adventure a

young African-American man who bored with his life because his family’s

pressure and tragedies by searching for gold, a search that brings him

to his family history and change his life to be meaningful and loss his burden of

his family’s pressure and tragedies. Based on the explanation above, the

researcher is interested in analyzing this novel by using Sociological

Approach with the title “Searching for Identity in Toni Morrison’s Song of

Solomon”.
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B. Literature Review

In analyzing this novel, the writer found another research using Song of

Solomon novel. As the writer browse in internet, the writer found the research

from some researchers, first is Diane M. Golden (1994) from Florida Atlantic

University. Her research entitled “The mythic quest for selfhood in Toni

Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," "Song of Solomon," and "Beloved"”. In her research

she fined the purpose of Toni Morrison’s novel, Morrison encourages her readers

to imitate her heroes' journey in their own lives. Through her protagonists'

successes and failures on their monomythic quests, Morrison educates her

readers.

Second is a researcher in Petra Christian University who study Song of

Solomon novel, Yenny (1996). Her research entitled “The study of Toni

Morrison’s Song of Solomon as a means to awaken the African-Americans from

The American dream of materialism and the value of The African heritage for The

African-Americans' live”. In her research, she wants to find out how the value of

the African heritage makes the African-Americans awake from the materialism of

American dream. She proves it by using materialism approach. Third is

Szilvia Suranyi(2008) she writes a book entitled “Oral Folk Traditions in Toni

Morrison's Song of Solomon - African American History, Geneology and Cultural

Identity”

From the literature review above, the present researcher assumes that

there is no researcher who analyzes about “Searching for Identity in Toni

Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. The writer will analyze the novel by using
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sociological approach to find out the background of America society in the mid

nineteenth century.

C. Problem of the Study

Relating the idea, which has been presented in the previous background of

the study, the problem statement is: “What is the searching for identity as

reflected by Toni Morrison novel Song of Solomon.”

D. Limitation of the Study

The writer focuses her discussion on searching for identity reflected in

Song of Solomon by using sociological approach.

E. Objective of the Study

The objectives of this research are as follows:

1. To analyze the novel based on its structural elements.

2. To analyze the novel based on the sociological approach.

F. Benefit of the Study

In conducting the research paper, the researcher hopes that the study will

have benefits as follow:

1. Theoretical Benefit

To give the reader a contribution in understanding the novel Song of Solomon

especially related the topic of the searching for identity in Song of

Solomon.
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2. Practical Benefit

In this research, the writer wants to give some contributions to the

development of literary study. In addition, it would help researchers who want

to examine Toni Morrison’s work especially Song of Solomon.

G. Research Method

1. Research Object

The writer uses the novel Song of Solomon as the object analysis of the

study, published 1977.

2. Type of the Data and the Data Source

The writer defines the source of data into ‘primary data’ and

‘secondary data’. The primary data is the text of Song of Solomon itself, while

the secondary data are taken from the books and other materials that are

relevant to support the analysis.

3. Technique of the Data Collection

The data collection is done through observation and content analysis.

The following steps are:

1. The writer reads the novel repeatedly

2. The writer analyzes the novel

3. The writer makes a note about the story or material

4. Drawing conclusion based on the analyzed data

4. Technique of the Data Analysis

The technique of data analysis in this research is descriptive. This is an

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interpretation of the text and context analysis to show how Morison’s Song of

Solomon portrays the searching for identity.

H. Research Paper Organization

To report this research, the writer divides the research into six

chapters, namely: Chapter I is the introduction which consists of the background

of the study, literature review, problem statement, the objective of the study, the

benefits of the study, methodology of the study, and the research paper

organization. In Chapter 2, the writer comprises the underlying theory, present the

theory of Sociology of Literature, Major Principle of Sociology of Literature, and

the structural elements of the novel. Chapter 3 the historical background of

American society in the mid twentieth century. Chapter 4 deals the structural

elements analysis of the novel. Chapter 5 deals with Sociology analysis. Chapter

6 conclusion and suggestion.

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CHAPTER II

UNDERLYING THEORY

This chapter deals with the underlying theory used in analyzing Toni

Morisson’s Song of Solomon novel. The perspective used in this research is

sociological perspective, particularly the theory and the major principles of sociology

of literature proposed by Alan Swingewood. To get the better understanding of the

theory, the researcher is going to explain notion of sociology of literature, major

principle of sociology of literature, structural element of the novel and theoretical

application.

A. Notion of Sociology of Literature

Sociology of literature is one of literary approaches which can be applied in

the study of literary works sociology of literature is basically aimed to analyze

literary works in terms of the author’s social status, the availability of markets,

the stipulation of types of publication, and also the structure of the readers

(Swingewood and Laurenson, 1972:169). Furthermore, it’s goal is to get a

complete, intact, and comprehensive description about cause and effect

relationship among the author, the work and the society. These are factors are

considered as the crucial influence on the ways in which literature is actually

produced (Swingewood and Laurenson, 1972:169). Hence, the theory of

sociology of literature is considered as the appropriate literary approach to

analyze a literary work in term of its reflection of society at the time the work is

created.

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This study is based on sociological approach because it deals with society

and social behavior. The term sociology comes from Greek, socio (society) and

logos (science). Sociology means the science of concerning the basic growth

(evolution) of the society. Literature as stated by Burns and Burns (1973:4) is an

attempt to make sense of human’s lives while sociology is an attempt to make

sense of the ways in which they live their live.

These two distinct disciplines are essentially different, and are even

diametrically incompatible. Levin (in Burns and Burns, 1973:62) assert that

literature is not only the effect of social causes but also the cause of the social

effects. It gives at hint that a research of sociology of literature can be aimed to

cause and effect relationship between sociology attracts to researcher’s attention

Swingewoodin their book entitled The Sociology Literature defined that

sociology is essential the scientific, objective study of man in society, the study of

social situation and social process whereby society change gradually, or

cataclysmically as in revolution, from one type of society to another, and with the

effects, which in there change have on social structure (Swingewood and

Laurenson, 1972:12).

Both of the sciences have the same object, human and society including

nature and human work. Swingewood (1972:22) stated the basic purpose of

sociology is to understand the nature and the workings of all scientists and men’s

position without them. It means that human works are influenced by nature,

which is defined as social condition. While the workings of all societies includes
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literature it self, beside that literature is seem as social institution and creation

(Wellek and Warren, 1956:94)

Sociology of literature is an approach to analyze a work of art from the

sociological point of view. It is a kind of approach that considered the social and

cultural aspect of society in literary works is a social institution created by author

by using language as a medium.

The most principle concept of sociology of literature is that literature work

is a mirror of the society. However, literature work describes the reality in

subjective point of view and author develops them with his imagination and ideas

about society. Literary study has the more dominant in the literary work. The

writer expresses his thought, view, idea, desire and experience toward the society

through his work thus, in creating the imaginative work; a writer combines a

social reality around him and his own imagination. The combination is called a

literary work.

The author’s imaginative process exist through the making of literary work,

it means author’s idea derives from his surrounding condition as a response

toward it, so literary work is merely a reflection of the author toward life around

him. Therefore it is correct to say is not reflection of the social process, but the

essence, the abridgement and summery of all history” (Wellek and Warren,

1956:90). In writing a work literature, an author has certain purpose in a society,

so accordingly to sociology of literature, literary work is a social institution that is

created by man of letters through the medium language.

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Wellek and Warren (1956) clarify the idea of sociology of literature that in

literary work, the author and the society background is a unity, here, Wellek also

states that literature represents life and social reality; it means that literature is

picture of reality life.

There is several classification of sociology of literature. Some of the

proponents of sociology of literature have their own classification, too. One of

them is the classification of sociology of literature made by Wellek and Warren

(1956:96). They classified sociology of literature into three: (1) the sociology of

the writer: his social provenance and status, social ideology, the profession and

institutions of literature, (2) the sociology of the work: its social content,

implications and social purpose, and (3) the sociology of the audience: the actual

social influence of literature on society. Swingewood also has his own

classification on sociology of literature. He classifies it into three major

principles, too. They are: (1) the sociology of the society or community: literature

serves as the mirror to the age, (2) the sociology of the author: literature reflects

the social situation of the author, and (3) the sociology of the readers: the readers

of certain literary work.

B. Major Principles of Sociology of Literature

There are numerous concepts of sociology of literature that lie as the theory

and major principled in sociology perspective. On of the theories is proposed by

Alan Swingewood. He proposes three perspectives in formulating the major

principles of sociology of the literature. They are: (a) sociology of the society and

community, (b) sociology of the author, and (c) sociology of the readers.
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a. Sociology of the Society and Community

Literature, as Levin mentioned (in Burns and Burns, 1973:56) is the

expression of society as well as speech as the expression of man. It can be

inferred that literature serves as the reflection of the society. Literary work is

said to be the cultural manifestation of society. It can not be separated from

social values, politics, economy, social, philosophy and religion. It is a

reflection of human life and experiences and is created within certain culture.

Literary work therefore is related to cultural facts.

Sociology of the society or community then deals not only with the time

when the literary work is created, but also with the literary work itself and the

aspect in society at the time works is made by the author. It means that a

literary work is a form of social document which serves as the reflection of

situation when the literary work is created. It reflects the situations and

conditions of social life of the society. It also provides some values related to

the condition of society at the time the work is made. Furthermore, it

describes the social phenomenon and the historical climate that can be seen

through the literary work. Various social realities such as religion, economy,

politic, social and cultural serves as social facts that reflect the life of society

at the time the work of literature is created.

As Plato (in Swingewood and Laurenson, 1972:23) asserted about the

conception of limitation, literature provides the reflection of the society. In

relation to society, literature basically fits a particular type of society

(Laurenson and Swingewood, 1972:24). Literature can be analyzed with

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reference to history and the used to understand history itself, as added by

Swingewood (1972:26). According to Herder (in Swingewood and

Laurenson, 1972:26), each literary work can be rooted in a certain social and

geographical environment where it performs specific functions.

b. Sociology of the Author

Wellek and Warren (1956:97) assert that “the social allegiance, attitude

and ideology of a writer can be studied not only in his writings but also,

frequently in biographical extra literary documents. The writer has been a

citizen, has pronounced on questions social and political importance, and has

taken part in the issues of the time”. This gives an understanding that the

social involvement of the author can be studied not only from his work but

also from biographical documents since he is a member of society who has his

own opinion on political and social issues which influences the creation of his

work.

Literature reflects the social situation of the author as mentioned by

Swingewood (1972:17). As explained by Swingewood (1972:18), “ the

writer’s position in a mass society is extremely important as a contrast to his

earlier social situation and clearly likely to affect his creative potential in

many ways; the links between this historical background and development of

literature constitute a key area literary sociology.” Swingewood (1972:18)

also states that “a persistent theme of this particular sociological approach is

the emphasis on the increasing alienation of the writer from his society and

the consequent impact on literary style and content.” Furthermore, Lucian

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Goldman (in Swingewood, 1972:20) argues that “in the case of great writers

the purl sociological conditions of writing are surmounted and transcended so

that the meanings within the text are in related to the market conditions of

authorship.” There is no doubt that the writer’s social status, position, and the

situation in society play major roles in the creation of his work.

However, literature is not only related to the life history of the author. It

also deals with history of the production of the author’s work itself. It means

that the cost of production, the cost of publication, and the mass market which

will be aimed belong to the social situation of the author which gives

significant aspects toward the analysis of sociology of the author.

The sociology of the author includes the author’s profession and the

literary institution. The issues related in the sociology of the author are the

economic principles of production of the work, the social background of the

author, the status and ideology of the author which are seen from the author’s

activities outside the work of literature (Wellek and Warren, 1990:14). Thus,

it is not only about the life history of the author but also the history of the

production of the work. Moreover, it is also related with the publisher, the

book sellers and perhaps the copy right patronage of the author’s work toward

the piracy.

c. Sociology of the Readers

Sociology of the readers basically deals with the people who are

interested in reading a work of literature. It deals with the structure of the

readers. It may vary in certain classification whether most of the readers of a

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literary work a young, old, women, men, etc. It also deals with the readers’

profession or status whether they are well educated or uneducated persons, the

have or the poor, employer or labors, etc.

Therefore, the sociology of the readers is closely related to who are the

readers of certain literary works. It is related, too, with the work itself. A

particular work will have a certain class of readers. It can be inferred that the

work of literature may be read by certain class of readers according to its

content, theme, issue which is raised by the author, etc. thus sociology of the

readers also concern with whether there is any class diversity of readers who

read a certain work of literature. Sociology of the readers also needs more

notice and carefulness in analysis since it is related to the readers of literary

work.

C. Structural Element of the Novel

1. Character and characterization

Kennedy (1983:45) said that character presumably; it is an imagined

person who inhabits a story. Character is imaginary of the author, so

characterization is the most important parting developing a story. Usually the

author based on his imagination to send some messages for the readers creates

the characters of the novel. Kennedy (1983:45) also divides character is

mostly dominated the part of the story, while the minor character support the

identifying of major character.

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According to Kennedy (1983:45) Characterization can be analyzed

through the action, physical appearance and the moral of the character.

Character and characterization functions are to play the story.

It can be concluded the character is a person which made by the author

to play a story and deliver the idea of the author. It also used for describes

the plot and theme. A story also developed by the characterization.

2. Setting

Setting is the place and time at which a novel is set and function to

identify the situation happened in the story. It refers to the point in time and

place at which the events of the plot occur. Setting is given to create a real

impression of the story for the readers.

There are two major categories of setting. Those are setting of time

and setting of place. Setting of time is a period, in which the action occurs,

while setting of place refers to where the action of a story takes place.

3. Plot

Plot is a plan or an outline of the events in a novel, which stresses on

the causality of the events. Plot is arrangement of the details and incidents in

a story. Most plots have an identifiable beginning, middle and end.

The beginning or exposition is opening portion that set the scene

usually introduces the main characters, telling what happened before the

story opened and provides any other background information that we need

in order to understand and care about the events to follow (Kennedy,

1983:8). The middle includes complication and climax. Complication is the

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early conflict, which leads to the other conflicts in the story. There are two

terms of conflict, namely external conflict and internal conflict. Climax is

the pleasurable anxiety we feel that heightens out intention to the story,

inherent in our wonder how will all turn out (Kennedy, 1983:9). The end of

the story or resolution, it records the out comes of the conflict or conclusion.

4. Point of View

Point of view is the way how the narrator tells the story (Kennedy,

1993:18) According to Kennedy (1983:19), point of view is used to identify

the narrator of the story and describe any part in the events and any limits

placed upon the author’s knowledge.

In literary work, there are two kinds of point of view. First,

participants (first person narrator), the author introduces himself as

character in the story. Second, non participant (third person narrator) in

which the author does not introduce or involve himself as a character of the

story (Barnet, 1961:38)

Non participant narrator known as omniscient point of view is divided

into three categories, namely omniscient, selective, and objectives

omniscient. Omniscient knows everything about character. He is into the

mind of all characters and relates what he wishes about the thought as well

as the deeds of the characters. Selective omniscient, the narrator may see

events through the eyes of a single characters, whether major character or

minor character. While the objective narrator is only tells the readers about

physical sense of character. He does not enter the mind of any character but

describe events from outside.

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5. Style

Style refers to the individual traits or characteristic of pieces of writing

to a writer’s particular ways of managing words that we come to recognize

as habitual or customary (Kennedy, 1983:74). The style of the novel

consists of grammatical structure, sentence construction, diction, figurative

language and symbolism.

6. Theme

The theme of a story is whatever general idea or in sight the entire

story reveals in a literary work (Kennedy, 1983:103). Theme is not only a

message; it may be what happenings on the story or what the story is about.

D. Theoretical Application

Wellek and Waren stated three kinds of sociology of literature. First,

sociology of the writer, it is about the relation between the author and the work

itself (how he earns his living, whether he gets aid from patron, the society, or

other way of living, his professionalism of writing, the audience that is intended

by the writer); second, sociology of the work, it is the relation between the work

and society; and third sociology of the reader, it is about the influence of the work

of literature on society, or influence of society on the work of literature. Based on

the preview, this research belongs to second statement, sociology condition of the

society at that time.

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CHAPTER III

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AMERICAN SOCIETY IN THE MID

TWENTIETH CENTURY

This chapter deals with the biography background of American society in the

mid of twentieth century. Through historical background of the work, which consists

of social, economical, political, science and technology, cultural and religious

aspects, this chapter reveal the circumstances or condition of Toni Morrison’s life and

society in which she wrote Song of Solomon. Therefore, the background of the

author’s life is required to get more advance understanding of this novel.

Song of Solomon is a novel by Toni Morrison which was released in 1977 and

using southern states of America as the setting of place. Many African American

people live in south part of America. This chapter mostly deals with the historical

background of Black society in southern states of America in the mid twentieth

century than the historical background of the whole of America society. The history

of southern states of America has recorded many important events including the

American Revolution, the American Civil was, the ending of slavery, and the

American Civil Right Movement.

A. Social Aspect

The United stated of America is located in the middle of the Month

America continent between Canada in the North and the United Mexican States in

the South Most of black people live the south of United States. Traditionally, the

south of United States includes eleven states that left the United States to from the

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confederacy during the civil war. Those eleven states are Virginia, north and

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee,

Arkansas and Texas (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:40). In the middle of 19th century,

white Americans of the North and the South were unable to settle fundamental

differences in their approach to government, economics, society, and African

American Slavery. On that time, Abraham Lincoln was elected as a president and

the southern states of America, and then the civil war followed with the ultimate

defeat of the south.

In 1950’s almost half of the African Americans lived out side the south.

The south imposed de jure segregation (separation of the races by law), while the

North Implemented de facto segregation (racial separation through informal

means) (Mau and Oakland, 1997:108). In 1900, the south implemented Jim Crow

laws that segregated Blacks. These laws denied blacks social, economic, political

rights and almost everything. These laws prohibited black people from using the

same public accommodations as whites. These laws remained in effect until the

1960’s. As a result of these laws, in the social relation, the relation between white

people and lack people is not quite harmonies. Most whites could not accept black

as equals.

With no voting right and no voice in government, Blacks were subjected

to what was known as the Jim Crow laws. It was a system of universal

segregation and discrimination in all public facilities. Blacks were given separate

school in which all students, teachers and administrator were Blacks. Most hotels

and restaurants were served only for whites. Movie theater had separate seating,
 24

rail roads has separate cars, buses were divided forward and near, blacks were not

called to serve on jury, and they were not allowed to vote in the Democratic

primary elections.

In response to these treatments, the south witnessed two major events in

the lives of the twentieth century African Americans. These events are the Great

Migration and the American Civil Right Movement. The Great migration began

during World War I. It was hitting the high point during World War II. During

this migration, Black people left the racism and lack of opportunities in the South

and settled in the northern cities like Chicago, where they found work in factories

and other sectors of the economy. However, Chicago quickly became the most

segregated city in the north. This community and contributed to the Vibrant Black

urban culture seen during the Harlem Renaissance.

Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City Borough of Manhattan. It

was long known as a major black cultural and business center. Small group of

black people lived in Harlem as early as 1880. The mass migration of blacks into

Harlem area was I 1904. In 1907, black churches began to move uptown St.

Philip’s Episcopal Church. During World War I black labors were actively

recruited to leave to the southern United States and work in northern factories,

thinly staffed because of the war. Many of them came to the North. As a result of

this, they threatened the very existence of some of the leading industries of

Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. Many of the came to Harlem. By

1920, central Harlem was predominantly black and by 1930, blacks lived as far

south as Central Park. The Expansion was fueled primarily by an influx of blacks
 25

from the West Indies and southern of United States, especially Virginia, South

and North Carolina, and Georgia. As blacks moved in, white residents left, during

1920-1930, 118,792 white people left neighborhood and 87,417 blacks arrived.

The migration also empowered the growing Civil Rights Movement.

While the movement existed in all parts of the United States, its focus was against

the Jim Crow Laws in the South. Most of the major events in the movement

occurred in the South, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on

Selma, Alabama and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The first major

blow against the Jim Crow system of racial segregation was stuck in 1954 by the

Supreme Courts decision in Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas

which declared segregation in the public school unconstitutional. The beginning

of it was known as Civil Right movement, as a form of protest for the justice and

it was the end of Jim Crow Laws.

The most popular civil right movement is the National Association for

Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that was built in 1909 to fight for

African Americans’ civil right (Mauk and Oakland, 1997: 108). In March 1931,

nine African American youths were arrested and changed with raping two white

women. Over the next 5 years, a series of trials was held. The first trial began just

twelve days after the arrest and lasted only three days. In spite of evidence of the

men’s’ innocent, eight of the nine were found guilty and sentence to death. The

extreme sentences and hasty trial left many observers outraged. The case was

appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, and several sets of new trials were

held. By 1937 four of the defendants were freed, while the others were sentenced
 26

to long prison terms (Cunliffe, 1971:105). In Selma, Alabama, 1955, a Black

woman from Montgomary named Rosa Park was arrested and fined because she

took a seat in the white section at the front of a bus. This incident made Blacks

organized a boycott of buses to protest against segregation. It was led by the

young Baptist Mister Martin Luther King Jr. (Mauk and Oakland, 1997: 110)

In the Southern states of America in the 1950s and 1960s discrimination

and prejudice against black people was very common indeed. People in the black

community feared that the situation was going to rise up. Many Blacks did not

have the right to vote and certain public places were said to be for whites only

(Heriques in Cunliffe, 1971: 104). Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the

organizers of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) which

coordinated civil rights activities. His ‘I have a dream’ speech, to more than

250.000 people at Lincoln Memorial in 1963, was regarded by many people as on

of the most inspiring calls for racial equality in American history. White officials’

brutal suppression of civil rights protests in the south made Americans else where

more conscious of racial injustice. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited

discrimination in jobs and public accommodation, and the following year the

Voting Rights Act opened the voting rolls and transform politics in the South

(Mauk and Oakland, 1997:110)

In America, it is considered as a controversial to regard social class in

United States. In 1960s was a decade of momentous change in the South. Legal

segregation collapsed the region finally began experiencing significant economic

development, and it can only be described as a new class system evolved. The
 27

classes were divided into upper, middle, working and lower class. The differences

of there classes were divided based on their job. However, in this time, blacks

were still included in the lower class because they only can work for white

trashes. Therefore, the Blacks lived apart from whites in their own neighborhoods

which primarily by Blacks and seemed to have a society separate from the whites.

According to Watternberg (1974:125), after the Civil War, Blacks were

still subjected to economic servitude and social segregation that was most cruelly

in the South. Further, he states that the standard measurement of the status

ranking was in the lower status from the whites. In 1950s, the Black family

income was 55% of the white income.

The types of American family are nuclear family and single parent family.

The most typical residential family unit was nuclear, consisting of their parents

and their children not extended kin (Heaven in Luedtke, 1987:242). Three

generations seldom lived together in the same household. The single parents’

family is headed by a woman or a single mother (divorced, widowed or single)

and another is headed by a man or a single father (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:274).

American family consists of man as family-headed, woman as mother and

children. The poverty forced both man and women to work. They work in factory

where they were not respected.

American especially Blacks, tended to be rejected and disrespectful. They

got different salary. The owner of factory paid as few as possible and pressed

them to finish the work perfectly. The owner also gave different treatment

between man and woman worker (Davis and Woodman, 1991, 227-229). Women
 28

in America got unequal treatment in significant ways (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:

87). She had no right to own property, control her wages, or sign contracts.

Women were the majority worker in factory, but they were concentrated mostly

in the less skilled jobs and earned on average about one quarter of men’s wages

(Mauk and Oakland, 1997:87-88)

In the nineteenth century women tried to look for the equal position with

men. Discrimination against Blacks and women were rejected. Women tried to

find the equality and unfocused on discrimination to Black. They were also more

ambitious to against child labors. Their fight continued until the Second World

War (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:90). Some women pioneers such as Earnestine

Rose, Elizabeth Lady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony held National Women

Suffrage Association (NWSA). This institution suggested getting authority in

election.

The twentieth century was the period answer of America women’s hope.

In 1920, they allowed to vote in election. Women’s economic position improved

slowly in part because of disagreement within the involvement about whether

should be any legal different between sexes. Female social welfare demanded

protective measures that treated women as a special category. The segregation

also took part in social relation (Maul and Oakland). The practices of racial

discrimination were fully discriminated in society. Every school, restaurant, hotel,

train car, waiting room, elevator, public bath room, college, hospital, cemetery,

swimming pool ,drinking fountain, white another. They also separated rail road
 29

cars for black and white. Each of states had recommendation to regulate the

Blacks.

Some state prohibited blacks to use facilitate such as Louisiana States

required separate in entrance at circuses for blacks and white; Oklahoma law

segregated telephone booth; Mississippi law was rejected intermarriage between

whites and blacks or Negroes; Arkansas provided for discrimination at race track;

Texas prohibited integrated boxing matches; Kentucky and Florida not only

required separated school but also provided that no textbook issued to blacks, so

that they become illiterate. All southern states prohibited interracial marriages.

Segregation also touched the sacred and profane. The states such as Georgia

prohibited Blacks ministers from performing a marriage ceremony for white

couples. The other states like New Orleans created segregation red light district

for white and black prostitutes.

The discrimination lasted more than two centuries. The newborn African

American segregated in many aspect of life. Time remained changes in some

aspects. The activist with their association changed the regulation such as

NAACP (The National Association for The Advancement of Colored People),

Civil Right Movement, and New Deal the changes raised during the period 1965.

Economic and access to jobs compounded these races-conscious decisions

by individual and government. Discrimination in hiring meant that blacks earned

less that white. So, where blacks and access to be better housing, could not afford

to move there. Also, many blacks choose to live in neighborhood white other
 30

blacks, and so do the whites, blacks who did integrated neighborhood both in both

North and South often faced violence and intimidation.

The condition, were black gathered with black so do the whites, have

remained segregation. It was not because of the law of it but because were few

people lived. In Southern, whites removed their children from public course, as

result, in southern communities the public schools were legally integrated but

black often attended. Meanwhile, white attended private school. By the time

racial discrimination diminished. The end of twentieth century, racial

discrimination was crashed of all.

Immigrant caused the large number of people in America increased. They

had to fight to survive by farming, but the time gone by made them bankrupt. The

larger urban immigrant caused some social problem, crime, overcrowd,

unsanitary condition and ghettoes (Mauk and Oakland, 1997: 68) these condition

above forced Americans went to cities to join in industrial park. They followed

mechanization and industrialization. The urbanization continued every time.

White moved to the South and West where two places were rural areas. A

lot of blacks left south to the North’s industrial cities. Unfortunately, when World

War and Cold War attached black to north, industry brought to the west coast,

south and few southwest cities. The corporation moved to the cities because the

energy costs were lower where unions were sparse and wage levels were lower

(Christenson, 1982: 46). It illustrated the effect of big immigration waves (Mauk

and Oakland)
 31

B. Economic Aspect

The American civil war in 1865 devastated the south socially and

economically. Before the war, the south was the wealthiest part of the United

States. Nearly all southerners, black and white, suffered as a result of the civil

war. Whit the region devastated by its loss and the destruction of its civil

infrastructure, much of the South was generally unable to recover economically

until after World War II. The south was noted by President Franklin Delano

Roosevelt as the “number one priority” in terms of need of assistance during the

great Depression, instituting programs such as the Tennessee Valley Authority in

1933. Locked into low productivity agriculture, the region’s growth was slowed

by limited industrial development, low levels of entrepreneurship and the lack of

capital investment.

After World War II the prosperous economy of America continued. The

Marshall Plan restored markets in Europe for American goods. The economy had

achieved global domination. The commercial structure of large corporations, such

as General Electric, Ford and General Motors, continue to dominate American

business. The growth of the US economy is due to its rapid economic expansion

(Ritchie, 1985:690). Besides it also related to the other determining factors

include the tradition of pragmatism, hard work and individual initiative

encourage. Laissez-faire economic principles (letting things take their own

course) is also the other factor. The last factor is governments’ aid to the

economical growth that protected US industry, farmers and manufactures against

foreign competition (Mauk and Oakland, 1997: 240).

 32

Industrialization created more jobs for Americans these were large

numbers of women moved into work force. Many Black Americans shifted from

farming to manufacturing. But Black American, like women, fell far short of

gaining full equality the 1940s. In the North, workers were still likely to be “Last,

hired, first fired”. In the South, old patterns of segregation still held.

Discriminatory practices and labor union restrictions combined with poor

education caused a high level of employment of Black People (Blake, 1972: 600)

World War II was a sign of time change in the South as new industries

and military in many areas of the region to provide need capital and

infrastructure. People from all parts of the United States came to the South for

military training and work in many bases and new industries. Farming shifted

from cotton and tobacco. It was included soybeans, corn, and other foods. This

growth increased in 1960s. Large urban areas with over 4 million people spread in

Texas, Georgia, and Florida. Rapid expansion in industries such as autos,

telecommunications, textiles, banking, and aviation gave some states in South

Industrial Strength to rival large states in the Northeast and Midwest.

C. Political Aspect

In the mid twentieth century after reconstruction, the white South strongly

identified with Democratic Party. The Republicans controlled parts of

Appalichian Mountain and competed for the power in the Border States, but other

wise it was rare for a southern politician to be republican before the 1960s.

The political institution in America is divided into three branches:

Legislative, Executive, and Judi cal Branch. The member of Legislative Branch is
 33

The Congress; Executive is the President, and the Judi cal is the Supreme Court.

De jure racial discrimination in the South in the 1950s made Blacks prevented

from voting. The NAACP struggled against this discrimination in Voting and

finally achieved more success in the courts (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:108,135)

The South has long been known as a center of political power in the

United States, especially with regard to Presidential election. During the history

of the United States, until 1961, the South has supplied thirteen presidents. In the

term 1953-1961, President of United States was Dwight David Eisenhower was

born in Texas. However, he grew up in the North (Kansas) and his parents were

both Midwesterners. During his military career he spent a number years, off and

on, lived in Texas. He also met and married his wife here.

D. Cultural Aspect

Southern culture has been and remains generally more socially

conservative than that of the north. Because of the central role of agriculture in

the antebellum economy, society remained stratified according to land ownership.

Rural communities often developed strong attachment to their churches as the

primary community institution.

The Southern lifestyle, especially in The Deep South, is often joked about.

Southerners are often generally viewed as more laid back and relaxed even in

stressed situations. It is certainly a stereotype and not always the case. However,

traditionally, the Southern lifestyle is viewed as slower placed when in more rural

areas. Southerners are also stereotype as being resistant to change, especially in

 34

social circles, and mannerism. Southerners also reputed to be particularly

welcoming to visitors, and this characteristic has been labeled Southern

hospitality.

Southern American English is dialect of the English language spoken

throughout the South. Southern American English can be divided into different

sub-dialects, with differing between, for example, the Appalichian region and the

coastal “low country” around Charleston and Savannah, Georgia. Along this part

of the southeastern coast Gullah is still spoken by some African Americans,

particularly the older generation. The south midlands dialect was influenced by

migration of the Southern dialect speakers into the American West. The dialect

was spoken by many African Americans, African American Vernacular English,

shares many similarities with Southern dialect. Folklorists in the 1920s and later

argued that Appalichian language patterns more closely mirror Elizabethan

English than other accents in the United States.

Many of the most popular American soft drinks originated in the South

(coca-cola, Pepsi-cola, and mountain dew). In addition, there are some soft drinks

available only in the South, such as Sundrop and Cheerwine. The food most

commonly associated the term Southern food is often called “soul food” and is

characterized by the heavy use of high-calorie lards and fats. This style is often

contributed to influence of African-American slave population though it draws

the mi of African influences as well as Native American, Scot Irish, and others.

In the twenties, race pride in the Black people was more conscious due to

the justice and inequality. Through the literary works, many Blacks poet, novelist,
 35

and artists were usually active. Among them were Langston Hughes, Alain

Locke, James Weldon Johnson, and Ralph Ellison. The condition of that era

inspired them to write about Blacks life in their works (Blake, 1972:587-588)

Perhaps the most famous southern writer is William Faulkner, who won

the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949; Faulkner brought new techniques such as

stream consciousness and complex narrative techniques to American writings.

Other well-known Southern writers include Mark Twain, Flannery O’Connor,

James Dickey, Tennessee Williams, Robert Penn Warren, Margaret Mitchell, and

Harper Lee who won the Pulitzer Prize after To Kill a Mockingbird was

published in 1960.

E. Religious Aspect

Historically, the United States tradition has been dominated by Protestant

Christianity. Originally, America religious consist of three main faiths namely

Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism. But now, it is also included Asian

religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam due to the large numbers of

immigrants. The pluralistic of religion has been partly offset by ecumenical

movements among different religious groups. The faiths have become less

divisive and have been more tolerant to wards and cooperative with, other

religions (Mauk and Oakland 1997, 358-359)

Marty in Luedtke (1987:303) stated that reconstitutions of religion in

American character and culture did not come all at once or all in one form. The
 36

most remarkable feature of American religion is its “polipiety”, its religious

diversity and multiformity.

In traditional Southerners until the mid nineteenth century Episcopalian or

Presbyterian due to the South’s close ancestral ties to England and Scotland.

Around beginning of the civil war and from there after, Baptist and Methodist

churches become the most prevalent forms of Christianity in the region. Perhaps

more than any other region of an industrialized nation, the South has a high

concentration of Christian adherents, resulting in the reference to parts of the

South as the” Bible belt”, from the presence of evangelical and fundamentalist

Protestant, conservative Catholicism, as well as Pentecostalism and Charismatic.

There are significant catholic population in most cities in the south, such

as New Orleans, St Louis and Louisville. Rural are as of the Gulf coast,

particularly those populated by Cajuns and Creoles, are also heavily Catholic. In

general, the in land region of the South such as Kansas and Tennessee have

stronger concentrations Baptists, Methodists, and other protestants. Eastern and

northern Texas heavily Protestant, while the southern parts of the state have

Mexican American Catholic majorities. Southern Florida is the place of the

country’s second larger concentration of Jewish people. Some cities such as

Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston have significant Jewish and Muslim

communities. Immigrants from Southeast Asia and South Asia have brought

Buddism and Hinduism to the region as well.

F. Science and Technology Aspect

 37

The American industries and manufactures in the Midwest region,

Northeast, and Southwest (California) tended to specialize in high-technology

industries and computer manufacture. In the Southeast and Texas large chemical

and high-technology industries have developed (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:252)

The technological advances took a role in supporting the expansion of

industrialization. They were such as the electrical power, the internal combustion

engine, the telegraph and telephone, radio, typewriters, assembly line production

and interchangeable-part technology (Mauk and Oakland, 1997:237)

In the twentieth century, American scientist developed the atomic bomb.

The first test of bomb explosion was in Mexico in 1945. It was followed by

bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Then, the scientists develop hydrogen bomb.

The United States and the Soviet Union was involved in the most dangerous arms

race in history (Blake, 1972:610-611)

In genetics, during the 1940s and 1950s biochemist gained highly

significant knowledge about composition of living cells and the mechanism of

heredity. In 1944, Oswald T. Avery and two colleagues at Rockefeller Institute

demonstrated that the gene was composed of a compound called DNA

(deoxyribonucleic acid). It was then developed by other scientist such as James B

Watson, Francis Crick and Jonathan Beck (Blake, 1972:615)

In 1944, the first machine capable of materially lightening load namely the

Mark I Calculator was put into operation. ENIAC (Electronic Numerical

Integrator and Calculator) that was more sophisticated was created. In the late

1940s two or three other pioneer computers was Built (Blake, 1972: 620)
38
 39

CHAPTER IV

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

This chapter deals with the structural analysis of the Song of Solomon. It is

divided into two parts; the first is the more detail about the structural analysis that has

been explained in the chapter two, and the second is discussion. Thus, the writer

explains the element stage by stage to arrange the structural analysis, such as;

character and characterization, setting, plot, point of view, theme and discussion.

A. Structural Elements

1. Character and Characterization

Character according to Kennedy (1983:43) is as an imagined person

who habits a story.

The role of character in a novel is very important. It will build the

story and letter will develop the plot by the order of the events happening

between the characters. Character then is divided into two parts; major

character-the character that taking part the most in the story, and minor

character-the character that support the major character.

The characterization can be analyzed through the action, physical

appearance, and the moral of the character. Another way is through their

gesture and their manner of speaking.

39
 40

a. Major Character

1) Macon “Milkman” Dead

Macon “Milkman” Dead is the protagonist character in the

Song of Solomon, he is a young black man. Macon Dead is his original

name, his nickname Milkman coming from Freddie the janitor when

he came to bring his father rent. He saw Ruth nursing Macon Dead.

Then Freddie, a town gossiper, telling that Ruth he knew women in

the South nursed his son a long time. “A milkman. That’s what you

got here, Miss Rufie. A natural milkman if ever I seen one. Look out,

womens. Here he come. Huh!” (Morrison, 1977:21)

He is about thirty-one years old. “Now he crept along the wall

looking at a man who was as tall as he was – and forty years younger”

Morrison, 1977:77) He stops his education at high school then helps

his father business as landlord. “He was eager for his daughters to go

to college…But it was pointless for Milkman, particularly since his

son’s presence was a real help to him in the office” (Morrison,

1977:79)

He is single and he is not interested and bored with the political

problems around him. “He ought to get married, Milkman thought.

Maybe I should too….Politics – at least barbershop politics and

guitar’s brand – put him to sleep. He was bored. Everybody bored

him. The city was boring. The racial problems that consumed Guitar

were the most boring of all “(Morrison, 1977:120)

 41

Physically, he has a fine enough face, an interest eyes, a firm

jaw and splendid teeth. “He had a fine enough face. Eyes women

complimented him on, a firm jaw line, splendid teeth” (Morrison,

1977:79) He is a tall man but when he was fourteen he had noticed

that his leg was shorter than the other. “Now he crept along the wall

looking at a man who was as tall as he was – and forty years younger”

(Morrison, 1977:77) “By the time Milkman was fourteen he had

noticed that one of his legs was shorter than the other” (Morrison,

1977: 71)

Mentally, at the first of story, Milkman is an ignorant man who

has no concept of continuation of discrimination against his people

because he is been protected from racism by his class position.

“Who cares if he fucks a white girl? Anybody can do that.

What’s he bragging for? Who care?” … “Yeah, well, fuck Till.
I’m the one in trouble” (Morrison, 1977:99)

By the end of story, morally, Milkman changes to be a

considerate person with his family and the other people. He finds the

value of life by taking him back to his ancestors who teach him the

lesson of love and community.

“….Hating his parents, his sisters, seemed silly now. And the
skim of shame that he had rinsed away in the bathwater after
having stolen from Pilate returned. But now it was as thick and
as tight as a caul. How could he have broken into that house-
the only one he knew that achieved comfort without one article
of comfort in it… But peace was there, energy, singing, and
now his own remembrances” (Morrison, 1977:325)
 42

He also changes to be a lively person. “….His eyes were

shining. He was eager and happy as he had ever been in his life”

(Morrison, 1977:329)

2) Macon Dead

Macon Dead is Milkman‘s father. He is seventy-two years old.

He is an Africa-American landlord and also a collector of property.

“He’s seventy-two years old now, said Milkman” (Morrison, 1977:

262) “I ain’t aiming to get him down. I’m aiming to get my money

down. He can go on and die up there if he wants to. But if he doesn’t

toss me my rent, I’m going to blow him out of the window”

(Morrison, 1977:32)

He graduates college and he married with Doctor’s daughter at

Not Doctor Street. “She had as little respect for her husband’s work as

Macon had for college graduates” (Morrison, 1977, 97) “When Macon

married her and moved into Doctor’s house, she kept up the

centerpiece-arranging”(Morrison, 1977:18)

Physically, he is tall. He is an odious man and also a coarse

one. “Now he crept along the wall looking at a man who was as tall as

he was – and forty years younger” Morrison, 1977:77) He hates his

sister because she just a midwife and a poor and he thieve hatred his

wife. He also feels disappointed with his daughters.

“….That the propertied Negro who handled his business so

well and who lived in the big house on Not Doctor Street had
sister who had daughter but no husband, and that daughter but
 43

not husband. A collection of lunatics who made wine and sang

in the streets “like common street women! Just like common
street women!” (Morrison, 1977:27)

“Macon kept each member of his family awkward with fear.

His hatred of his wife glittered and sparked in every word he
spoke to her. The disappointment he felt in his daughters sifted
down on them like ash, dulling their buttery complexions and
choking the lilt out of what should have been girlish voices”
(Morrison, 1977:17)

“Milkman hadn’t planned any of it, but he had to know that

one day, after Macon hit her, he’d see his mother’s hand cover
her lips as she searched with her tongue for any broken teeth,
and discovering none…(Morrison, 1977: 77)

Mentally, he is an educated man but morally, he is cruel. In

social, he is contentious man. “She had as little respect for her

husband’s work as Macon had for college graduates” (Morrison, 1977,

97) “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, 1977:28)

3) Pilate

Pilate is Macon Dead’s sister. She is an African American

woman. She is sixty-eight years old. “…when she was sixty-eight

years old, she had not shed a tear since Circe had brought her cherry

jam for breakfast”(Morrison, 1977: 165) She makes wine and loves

singing. “A collection of lunatics who made wine and sang in the

streets….” (Morrison, 1977:27) She also refuses to marry and dresses

without corsets “Pilate refused to marry to the man, who was eager to

take her for his wife” (Morrison, 1977:162).

 44

Physically, Pilate is an unkempt woman who has white

fingernails like ivory. She is pretty and tall, she has a berry –black lips

and silvery-brown skin of her ankles. She has a black hair and the

bright color face. “Her hair was wrapped in black too, and from a

distance, all they could really see beneath her face was the bright

orange she was peeling” (Morrison, 1977:44)

“….Nor was she dirty; unkempt, yes, but not dirty. The whites
of fingernails were like ivory. And unless he knew absolutely
nothing, this woman was definitely not drunk. Of course she
was anything but pretty, yet he knew he could have watched
her all day: the finger pulling thread veins from the orange
sections, the black-berry lips that made her look as though she
wore a make up, the earring….And when she stood up, he all
but gasped. She was as tall as his father, head and shoulders
taller than himself…” (Morrison, 1977:46)

Morally, she has a deep respect for other people’s privacy.

“Her dress might be outrageous to them, but her respect for other

people’s privacy – which they were all very intense about – was

balancing” (Morrison, 1977: 165) She is an honest woman. She

stopped worried and trying to hide his stomach which has no navel

that caused her to be isolated by the people. “After a while, she

stopped worrying about her stomach, and stopped trying to hide

it“(Morrison, 1977: 163)

4) Guitar Baines

Guitar Baines is Milkman’s best friend. He is older than

Milkman. “Guitar, being older and already in high school, had none of

the reluctance that his young buddy still struggled with, and was the
 45

first one to speak” (Morrison, 1977: 44) Guitar is interested with

politic and he becomes the member The Seven Days. He is a man who

is devoted to justice. “Politics – at least barbershop politics and

Guitar’s brand – put him to sleep” (Morrison, 1977:120)

“There is a society. It’s made up of a few men who are willing

to take some risks. They don’t initiate anything; they don’t
even choose. They are as indifferent as rain. But when a Negro
child, Negro women, or Negro man is killed by whites and
nothing is done about it by their law and their courts, this
society selects a similar victim at random, and they execute
him or her in a similar manner if they can. If the Negro was
hanged, they hang; if a Negro was burnt, they burn; raped and
murdered, they rape and murder. If they can. If they can’t do it
precisely in the same manner, they do it any way they can, but
they do it. They call themselves the Seven Days. They are
made up of seven men. Always seven and only seven….I am
one of them now” (Morrison, 1977:171)

Mentally, he is a wise man and morally, he also a kind man

and fearless. “He was with his friend, an older boy – wise and kind

and fearless”(Morrison, 1977:56)

b. Minor Character

1) Ruth Foster Dead

Ruth Foster Dead is Milkman’s mother. She is a Negro

woman. She is the only child of a Negro doctor. “…she was the only

child of this Negro doctor…” (Morrison, 1977:10) She is a Catholic.

“Later, at the reception, the priest asked her point-blank whether she

was Catholic” (Morrison, 1977: 75) She has a lemony skin. “…and

the startling contrast between Ruth’s lemony skin and the boy’s

black… (Morrison, 1977:21)

 46

Mentally, she is an ignorant woman and morally, she is an

honest one. “…but all were able to admire her honesty and to laugh at

her ignorance” (Morrison, 1977: 74)

2) Hagar

Hagar is Reba’s daughter and Pilate’s grandchildren. She is a

women who was four or five years old than Milkman. She is chubby.

“That was the first time she saw Hagar, who was four or five years old

then. Chubby, with four long braids, two like horns over each ear, two

like tails at the back of her neck” (Morrison, 1977: 146)

Hagar is a woman that Milkman love and adore. “…he was

deeply in love with her, alternately awkward and witty in her

presence.” (Morrison, 1977:103) Hagar feels sad of love because

Milkman breaks their relationship then she tries to kill Milkman.

”Pretty little black-skinned women. Who wanted to kill for love, die

for love” (Morrison, 1977: 331)

3) Corinthians Dead

Corinthians Dead is Milkman’s older sister. She has long

lightweight hair and it has wet sand color. “First Corinthians pulled

her finger through her hair. It was long, lightweight hair, the color of

wet sand” (Morrison, 1977:40)

Physically, she is pretty enough, and pleasant enough. “She

was pretty enough, pleasant enough, and her father money they could

rely on if needed” (Morrison, 1977: 206)

 47

Mentally, she is educated woman. “Her education had taught

her how to be an enlighten mother and wife” (Morrison, 1977: 205)

She is also a naïve woman. “She was naïve, but she was not a

complete fool” (Morrison, 1977: 208)

4) Magdalena Dead

Magdalena dead is Milkman’s sister who called Lena.

“Magdalena called Lena took a deep breath” (Morrison, 1977:42)

Lena is a rose petal maker. “I just made a hole and stuck them in. I

always liked flowers, you know. I was the one who started making

artificial roses…” (Morrison, 1977: 233) She only graduates in high

school. “Exactly, I didn’t go to college because of him. Because I was

afraid of what he might to do Mama, you think because you hit him

once that we all believe you were protecting her” (Morrison,

1977:235)

5) Reba

Reba is Pilate’s daughter. She has a simple eyes and a guileless

look. “Much lighter than Pilate or Hagar, Reba had the simple eyes of

an infant. All of them had a guileless look about them, but

complication and something more lurked behind Pilate’s and Hagar”

(Morrison, 1977: 55)

She has light pimply skin and has deferential manner but

mentally, she is a simple women. “Only Reba, with her light pimply
 48

skin and deferential manner, looked as though her simplicity might

also be vacuous ness” (Morrison, 1977:55)

6) Freddie the Janitor

Freddie the janitor is a man who works for the Deads. “He

looked up, saw Freddie peeping through the gold lettering, and nodded

for him to enter” (Morrison, 1977: 31)

He has giggle soft and he loves gossip and the telling of it.

“Freddie’s giggle was soft, but his teeth strengthened its impact. A

born flunky, he loved gossip and the telling of it, He was the ear that

heard every murmur of complaint, every name-calling; and his was the

eye that the saw everything; the secret loving glances, the fights, the

new dresses” (Morrison, 1977: 32)

7) Robert Smith

Robert Smith is an insurance agent who tries to fly from the

roof of mercy hospital. “It must have been Mr. Smith leap from the

roof over their head that made them admit her. In any case, whether or

not the little insurance agent’s conviction that he could fly contributed

to the place… (Morrison, 1977: 11)

8) Henry Porter

Henry Porter is Macon dead tenant. “Put that thing down and

throw me my goddam money!’ Macon’s voice cut through the

women’s fun. ‘Float those dollars down here, nigger, then blow

yourself up!” (Morrison, 1977:32)

 49

He becomes Corinthians lover. “Eventually Mr. Porter offered

to pick Corinthians up after work. He didn’t own a car, he said, he

borrowed a friend’s sometimes. Corinthians agreed, and the result was

a pair of middle-aged loves who behaved like teen-agers… (Morrison,

1977: 212)

9) Sweet

Sweet is a prostitute with whom Milkman has a brief affair.

Unlike Milkman affairs with other women, especially Hagar, his

relationship with Sweet is mutually respectful and entirely reciprocal.

10) Circe

Circe is a maid and midwife who worked for the wealthy

Butler family. Circe delivers Macon Dead and Pilate. Circe give

Milkman crucial information about his Dead family’s history hat

reconnect Milkman with it.

11) Dr. Robert Foster

Robert is Ruth’s father. He is a first Negro Doctor in the city.

He is not the richest but respected man in the city.

12) Michael-Mary Graham

She is a French woman. She is a woman for whom Corinthian

works as a maid and secretary. She is the poet laureate of the city.

2. Setting

Setting is given to create the story as real and concrete as possible, it is

real important to create real impression of the story. Setting may help the
 50

readers in developing their imagination about the story. Setting of the literary

work consist of two broader setting; (1) setting of time, in many works of

fiction, the time shows an important role especially in the historical fictions,

(2) setting of place, work of fiction in which the place is classified as example

of locates color of region (Kenney, 1996:32). In short, setting in an answer of

the question where and when the story take place.

a. Setting of Place

Generally, the story of Song of Solomon takes place on the South

America. The description of these places as follows:

1) Mercy Hospital

The story first take place in the Mercy Hospital where an insurance

agent tries to fly from the top of Mercy hospital. Mercy hospital is a

privilege white hospital.

‘Downtown the fireman pulled on their greatcoats, but when

they arrived at Mercy, Mr. Smith had seen the rose petals, heard

music, and leaped on into the air’ (Morrison, 1977:15)

2) The Dead House on Not Doctor

Street

‘That the Negro who handled his business so well and who

lived the big house on Not Doctor Street…’ (Morrison, 1977: 27)

3) The Pilate House

‘He turned back and walked slowly toward Pilate’s house’

(Morrison, 1977: 36)

 51

4) Tommy’s Barbershop

‘He first stop, Tommy’s barbershop was fruitful. Guitar was

there with several other men…’ (Morrison, 1977: 90)

5) Danville, Pennsylvania

‘In Danville he was astonished to learn that the bus depot was a

diner and route II…. (Morrison, 1977: 247)

6) Shalimar, Virginia

‘Yes, suh. Shalimar’ The man pronounced it Shalleemone’

(Morrison, 1977: 283)

7) Sweet’s House

‘…and when he did get there, dusty and dirty from the run, he

leaped into the car and drove to Sweet’s house’ (Morrison, 1977:351)

8) Susan Byrd House

‘The Byrd house sat on a neat lawn separated by a white picket

fence from the field grass on either side of property’ (Morrison, 1977:

310)

b. Setting of Time

The setting of time in Song of Solomon takes place during 1931-1963,

but there are occasional flashbacks reaching as far back as the late

nineteenth century.
 52

1) 1918

“Then in 1918, when colored men were being drafted, a few gave their

address at the requirement office as Doctor Street” (Morrison, 1977:

10)

2) 1929

“They made the trip in style (one train and two buses), for Pilate had a

lot of money; the crash of 1929 had produced so many buyers of cheap

home brew she didn’t even need the collection the Salvation Army

took up for her” (Morrison, 1977: 167)

3) 1931

“Beside, the doctor had been dead a long time by 1931” (Morrison,

1977: 10)

“That must a been when you was a little bitty baby, 1931” (Morrison,

1977: 124)

4) 1932

“The men laughed about it and repeated for the benefit of newcomers

the story of how, in 1932, Winnie Ruth, a convicted murderer, who

axed and dismembered her victims and stuffed them in trunks…

(Morrison, 1977: 111)

5) 1936

“In 1936 there were very few among them who lived as well as Macon

Dead” (Morrison, 1977: 40)

 53

6) 1945

“There was quite a bit of pie filling oozing around the edge of the crust

in 1945” (Morrison, 1977: 72)

7) 1953

“The states troopers cooperating with the local police said the way in

which the boy had been killed was similar to the way another boy had

been killed on New Year’s Eve in1953…” (Morrison, 1977:111)

8) 1955

“…and the way four grown men had been killed in 1955 – the

strangulation, the smashing of the face” (Morrison, 1977: 111)

9) 1963

“She laughed but never smiled and in 1963, when she was sixty-eight

years old, she had not shed a tear since Circe had brought her cherry

jam for breakfast.” (Morrison, 1977: 165)

“There is no explanation for the smell either, since the lake, on

September 19, 1963, was so full of mill refuse and the chemical wastes

of plastics manufacturer…” (Morrison, 1977: 202)

3. Plot

Plot is the arrangement of happening in a story. Plot is the logical

interaction of the various thematic elements of the text which lead to a change

of the original situation as presented at the out set of the narrative (Klearer,
 54

1999:15). Plot is the pattern of incident which makes up the story and it

closely relates to the dynamic of the characters playing in the novel.

a. Plot Structure

1) Exposition

Exposition is the opening portion that sets the scene,

introduces the main characters, tells about what happens before the

story opens, and provides any other background information that is

needed in order to understand and care about the events to follow

(Kennedy, 1983:8)

Exposition is the kind of introduction, in which the setting and

the characters are developed. The story of Song of Solomon begins

when Mr. Smith stands on the roof of Mercy Hospital and dresses up

in a blue superman outfit for which he plans to fly from across the

Great Lakes.

2) Complication

The complication of the story rises when Milkman feels under

presser because the oppressive condition of his family’s problem.

Then he becomes involved in stupid plan to win financial

independence by stealing gold from Pilate.

3) Climax

Climax is the moment or greatest tension (Kennedy, 1983:9).

The complication goes to the climax when, after stealing from Pilate

house, Milkman found nothing then he decided to goes to

 55

Pennsylvania, then he finds a cave in which there is supposed to be

hidden treasure. However, after Milkman examining the depths of the

cave, he discovers that there is no treasure after all.

4) Resolution

Resolution is the outcome or conclusion, and the unifying of

knot (Kennedy, 1983:9). Resolution is also known as the final decision

when the climax is going down.

The resolution happened when Milkman does not find gold in

a Pennsylvania cave; he takes a journey of personal self-discovery to

Shalimar, Virginia where he uncovers his long-lost family history.

b. Causality

The connection between one event and another which occurs in the

story is usually called causality. The event on the story may influence one

and another in cause and effect ways which make the story seems to be

real and alive. There are six important events in Song of Solomon story as

follows:

1) When Mr. Smith leap across from

a roof of the Mercy Hospital. People were gathering to show Mr.

Smith accident.

2) Milkman feels bored with his life

then he decides wants to leave the town and start on his own.
 56

3) Milkman and Guitar rob Pilate

house. They stole the green sack that hanging on the roof of

Pilate’s house.

4) Milkman takes a journey to find

the treasure gold.

5) Milkman finds his family history

and learns a lot of thing from his ancestor.

6) Pilate murder by Guitar when she

and Milkman bury Jake’s bones.

The previous about are the importance events that influence one

another. The first event connected with all the events that happen in the

story because almost the characters are appear in Mr. Smith Accident. So,

from this event the other events occur. The second event is the cause of

the third, fourth and fifth event in the novel. Milkman decides to start his

own. His father does not want him leave. Then Macon convinces him by

telling about the gold that Pilate has. However, Milkman wants to leave

the town, but having always had all he needs, he has no drive to make a

life for himself independently from his father’s money. So he needs the

baggage by stolen Pilate’s gold. Then by promises Guitar the share of

gold, they rob Pilate house.

Unfortunately, there is no gold only bones and rock in the sack.

After that Milkman decides to take journey finds treasure gold without

Guitar. Through the journey he finds his family history and his ancestor
 57

and does not find any gold. The last event affected by third events.

Actually, Guitar wants to kill Milkman, he thinks that Milkman gets the

gold and lies to him about the share gold but Pilate shot of Guitar’s gun.

From the explanation above, Toni Morrison’s of Song of Solomon

has a good causality because one another of the events connected and

complemented each other.

c. Plausibility

Plausibility is the sequences of the major character changes in his

attitude. One of the major characters, Milkman gets desire to live and to

connect with people. There is a psychological drastic change of Milkman

the first major character. Before he finds his family’s history Milkman is a

person who lack compassion and bored with his life, but after he finds his

family’s history Milkman gets the value of his life, a desire to live, and

lesson of love and community. This change is plausible because when

Milkman backs to his ancestors, his ancestor teach him the lesson of loves,

strength, and community. He learns a love of the land, a desire to

communicate with it and its creatures as country people can, he learns

compassion for his parents.

4. Point of View

Point of view is the way the author tells the readers his story using

narrator. Kennedy (1983:18) defined point of view as “the identification of the

narrator of the story, describing any part he plays in the events and any limits
 58

placed upon his knowledge” The narrator may and may not participate in the

story.

Perrine (1966:130) divided point of view into four kinds of follows:

a. The omniscient point of view

The narrator is author itself who is freely developing his or her idea

into the characters, telling the thinking or feeling of the characters, and

giving his or her comment over the characters.

b. Limited omniscient point of view

As the omniscient point of view, in this kind of point of view, the

author tells the story by using the third person. This third person is

involved in the story or he or she is one of the characters in the story. He

or she tells the events that he sees or thinks.

c. First person point of view

The author serves as narrator by using the first person who is perhaps

the major or the minor character.

d. Objective point of view

The narrator doesn’t enter the mind of the characters but only tells as

what he sees and hears.

After analyzing the text, the writer concludes that Toni Morrison

employs the non participant point of view or the third person narrator. It

means the narrator does not involved in the story or recognizes himself as

character yet.
 59

Then Morrison chooses the selective-omniscient point of view because

he only knows certain character, particularly the major characters. In these

characters he seemed to know everything about the character’s thought feeling

and action from the beginning to the end of the story.

5. Style

According to Kennedy (1983:75), one of the clearest indications of the

tone of a story is the style in which it is written. In general, style refers to the

individual traits or characteristics of a piece of writing; to a writer’s particular

ways of managing words that we come to recognize as habitual on customary.

Style involves grammatical structure, sentence construction, diction, rhetoric

and theme.

Based on the description above, the researcher will analyze style based

on the grammatical structure, sentence, sentence construction, diction and

figurative language in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon.

a. Grammatical Structure

In grammatical structure, the author uses standard grammatical

structure and non-standard grammatical structure on the dialogues. The

example of standard grammatical structure:

‘You believe that?’ said Ruth ‘I don’t, but that’s what the old
people say’ (Morrison, 1977: 16)

The example of non-standard grammatical structure:

‘What kinda bargain is that?’ said Porter ‘Kill yourself first

and then we’ll send you somebody’ (Morrison, 1977: 32)

b. Sentence Construction
 60

There are two kinds of the construction. The first is long sentence and

the second is short sentence. In this story, the author uses the both of long

and short sentence in both narration and dialogue.

1) Long Sentence

In narration:

‘It made his business more dignified, and he had time to think,
to plan, to visit the bank man, to read the public notices,
auctions, to find out what plots were going to taxes, unclaimed
heirs’ property, where roads were being built, what
supermarkets, school; and who was trying to sell what to the
government for the housing projects that were going to be
built’ (Morrison, 1977:72)

In dialogue:

‘Well, that’s what I come to talk to you about. You know

Cency left all them babies with me. And my relief check ain’t
no more’n and it take to keep a well-grown yard dog alive –
half alive, I should say.’
‘You rent is four dollars a month, Mrs. Bains. You two months
behind already. ‘
‘I don’t know that, Mr. Dead, sir, but babies can’t make it with
nothing to put in they stomach.’
Their voices were low, polite, without any hint of conflict.
‘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, 1977: 28)

2) Short Sentence

In narration:

‘Porter turned and aimed his shotgun at Macon’ (Morrison,

1977: 33)
In dialogue:

‘Porter’s crazy when he drunk.’

‘I know what he is.’
‘How you aiming to get him down?’ (Morrison, 1977:32)

c. Diction
 61

Diction is some collecting words that are used by the author through

the narrator to show and express the detail aspect as well as meaning of

the story. In this story Morrison’s uses Slank American English language

just to strengthen the Black characters of the novel, such as: kinda, gonna

and outta.

‘What kinda bargain is that?’ (Morrison, 1977:32)

‘If you pull that trigger,’ shouted Macon, ‘you better not miss. If you
take a shot you better make sure I’m dead, cause if you don’t I’m
gonna shoot your balls up in your throat!’ He pulled out his own
weapon. ‘Now get the hell outta that window!’ (Morrison, 1977: 33)
(kinda : kind of, gonna: going to, outta: out to)

d. Rhetoric

1) Figurative Language

According to Abrams (1988: 64), “figurative language is a

departure from what speakers of a particular language apprehend to be

standard meaning of words or the standard order of words, in order to

achieve some special meaning or effect”.

The researcher finds the figurative language that is used in this

novel, such as simile, hyperbole, and personification.

(a) Simile

Simile is the comparison of one thing with another, which

usually belongs to different classes. Perrine (1966:61) stated, “In

simile, the comparison is expressed by the use of some word or

phrase, such as like, as, than, similar to, resembles or seems”.

 62

‘…the berry-black lips that made her look as though she wore
make-up...” (Morrison, 1977:46)

(b) Hyperbole

Hyperbola is bold overstatement, or extravagant

exaggeration of fact, used either for serious or comic effect

(Abrams, 1988:68). It can be seen:

‘I love ya! I love ya all. Don’t act like that. You women. Stop
it. Don’t act like that. Don’t you see I love ya? I’d die for ya,
kill for ya. I’m saying I love ya. I’m telling ya. Oh, God have
mercy. What I’m gonna do? What in this fuckin world am I
gonna dooooo?’ (Morrison, 1977:33)

(c) Personification

According to Perrine (1966:64) personification is figurative

language, which gives the attributes of human being of animal, an

object, or a concept.

‘Milkman lit the cigarette and the dogs hummed at the sound
of the match, their eyes glittering toward the flame’ (Morrison,
1977: 263)

2) Figure of speech

The prominent of figure of speech in this novel are repetition,

anaphora, polysindenton, and asydenton. Repetition is a group of repletion

example:

“Closed. You here me? Closed. Closed. Closed.” She was

screaming by now” (Morrison, 1977: 148)
 63

A repetition can be called anaphora if there are at least two

consecutively sentences that used word of word repetition in the beginning

of sentences for example:

“Do it got to be human?”

“Do it got to be alive?” (Morrison, 1977: 32)

Asydenton is repetition that uses comma (,) repetition, example:

“Yep, No, No. He…?” (Morrison, 1977:98)

Polysidenton is repetition which used “and” repetition

3) Imagery

Imagery is the use of words and sentences express by the author

that raises the sense reaction if the readers imagine, feel, and concrete a

condition in the story that actually abstract, example:

“The daughter standing at the back of the chapel, the mother up

front, they sang.”

In the nighttime.
Mercy.
In the darkness.
Mercy.
In the morning.
Mercy.
At the bedside.
Mercy
On my knees now.
Mercy. Mercy. Mercy. (Morrison, 1977: 343)

That previous is the image of the Hagar burial ceremony. After

Hagar dies, both Pilate and Reba cope with their grief by singing a mighty

rendition of gospel tune.

4) Symbol
 64

An image, object on figure that used to represents some abstract,

ideas or concept of the author.

(a) Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon’s title refers to the biblical book of the

same name. Emphasizing that novel addresses age old themes. The

biblical book depicts a conversation between two lovers, King

Solomon and his beautiful, black Shulamite bride. Similarly,

Morrison’s novel is a celebration of the triumph of earthly love.

Morrison gives her characters biblical names in order to align them

with well-known figures.

As result, many of the characters in Song of Solomon carry

with them not only their own personal history as described in the

novel, but also the history of biblical namesake. By giving her

characters the names of biblical figures, Morrison compares them

epic heroes whose experience transcends cultural and temporal

boundaries. For instance, the biblical Hagar is Sarah’s

handmaiden, who bears Sarah’s husband Abraham a son and is

then banished from his sight. Likewise, Morrison’s Hagar is used

by Milkman, who enjoys her offering. The similarity of both

Hagar’s experiences suggests that women will be abused in any

patriarchal society.

(b) Gold
 65

Gold represent Macon Dead obsess of wealth. Gold is utterly

irresistible to men in the novel, who violate their principles in

order to get it. Milkman robs his aunt because he wants wealthy

and independent. Likewise, Guitar’s desire of gold motivates him

to murder his best friend Milkman.

(c) Artificial rose

Corinthians and Lena make artificial roses that represent the

stifling life of the upper class and the oppression of women. They

make that rose not for money but to loss their bored. They do not

have enthusiasm when make it, they just motivated by habit. In

literary works, rose symbol of love. The artificial rose symbolizes

the absence of love Macon Dead household.

6. Theme

The theme is an important part of a literary work-in this case is a

novel. And to know the theme of the novel, the reader has to read the novel

intensively. Evison (1987:189) state that the theme is subject of talk. But the

theme is not always stated explicitly, so that it is a must for the reader to

comprehend the central idea of the story.

The major theme or the central idea of the novel is “self-identity is

high value of life”. Many of the people living in northern cities trace their

families to ancestors who lived in the south under slavery and Reconstruction.

Morrison’s northern characters are deeply influenced by their past in the

 66

south. They carry the wounds of the past and these wound are passed down to

the next generation, young women and men who grow up disconnected from

their ancestors but nevertheless shaped by their heritage.

Milkman Dead is of this generation. He grows up in the privilege

gained by class status, unaware and largely unconcerned with racial injustices

because of his privilege. Nevertheless, he is wounded by that history. His

parents who have hurt each other out of reaction to the wounds of that history

have passed on a legacy to Milkman of the pain of disconnected, betrayal, and

loss. Milkman is impelled on a search for his ancestors out of desire to escape

his parents’ lives. A search for family means a journey south. A search for

family means a search for connection, identity and history.

B. Discussion

In this part the researcher wants to go further by discussing the

structural elements in unity. It means that the structural elements which

consist of the characters and characterization, setting, plot, point of view, style

as well as theme are related to each other.

The characters in Song of Solomon novel are written by the author to

support his idea. In this novel, Toni Morrison’s creates major character,

Macon ‘Milkman’ Dead, Macon Dead, Pilate, and Guitar Bains to support his

ideas. Milkman Dead is the protagonist character that at the first Milkman

character shows as negative character, he is an egotistical young man, lacks

 67

compassion, wallows in self-pity, and alienates himself from the African-

American community because he is born into sheltered, privileged life and he

is been protected from racism by his class position. But at the end becomes as

positive character by searching for identity.

In this novel the author also creates setting of place and setting of time

to make the story clear. The main setting of place of the novel is in America.

The story of Song of Solomon takes place in some countryside in Michigan,

Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The setting to make it easy for the readers

identifies the situation of the story and the author to share his ideas in his

novel.

The writer uses the traditional plot, begins with the exposition that

contains the introduction of the characters and the events. Then it is followed

by the complication that contains conflicts series to the climax. Finally, it is

closed by the resolution as the final decision at the cases. In the complication

Milkman feels under presser because the oppressive condition of his family’s

problem. Then he becomes involved in stupid plan to win financial

independence by stealing gold from Pilate. And it continues with he decided

to goes to Pennsylvania, then he finds a cave in which there is supposed to be

hidden treasure. However, after Milkman examining the depths of the cave, he

discovers that there is no treasure after all.

The causality in Song of Solomon novel is relevant to the conflict

before. The plausibility of Song of Solomon is good because the plot is more

believable between first conflicts to others. The author employs the traditional

plot to make it easier for the readers in understanding the story of the novel. In
 68

constructing the sentence, she uses the long and short sentence in narration

and dialogue. Toni Morrison’s uses one point of view in this novel. He uses

the third person as narrator to present the characters and everything about the

characters of the story to the readers. The author uses the standard and non

standard language in his writing. She uses several of figurative language,

figurative speech. She also uses imagery and symbol in her novel. Theme in

this novel is self-identity is high value of life.The analysis above shows that

structural elements of Song of Solomon novel are connected each other to a

whole unity that cannot be separated one from the other in order to support

each other.
 69

CHAPTER V

SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

This chapter mainly discusses the analysis of the novel in which the writer

tries to explore Toni Morrison by correlating the underlying theory, social

background and structural analysis of the novel. In order to make this chapter to be

less troublesome the writer assembles the chapter into seventh parts which concern

with sociological analysis that is viewed from social, economic, political, cultural,

religion, and science and technology

A. Sociological Analysis

1. Social Aspect

On the social aspect analysis, the American people show that they had

social structure, social status, family and social relationship and urbanization or

immigration. The social structure consists of the upper class, middle class, and

lower class. Meanwhile, the social status consist of the rich and poor, it is

characterized by needy and poverty.

In America society at the middle of twentieth century have three classes

of social structure. Toni Morrison criticizes the social structure of the American

society and she describes several sub manner as representation the classes of the

social structure in the Song of Solomon novel. It consists of the upper, middle,

and lower.

68
 70

The First is the upper class. The society of America had three classes at

that time. One of them is the upper class, the people who had vast annual

income and dwelling in palatial home. The member of this group tended to act

as the grand conceptualize and has tremendous influence of the national

institution. The character that fit into this class was Robert Foster the first

Negro doctor in the town. He was the most respected in the town.

“Your mother’s father never liked me and I have to say I was very
disappointed in him. He was just a bout the biggest Negro in the city.
Not the richest, but the most respected” (Morrison, 1977: 80)

The second is middle class. The characters which were represented in

this class who had advanced-secondary educational degrees and comfortable

personal income were Macon Dead who is a landlord and live at the Main

Avenue Street that called Not Doctor Street.

“In 1936, there were very few among them who lived as well as
Macon Dead. Others watched the family gliding by with a tiny bit of
jealousy and a whole lot of amusement, for Macon’s wide green
Packard belied what they thought a car was for” (Morrison, 1977: 40)

Next, the third class which called the lower class. This class consisted of

the people who had lowest or might no income. The members of these classes

were Pilate, Henry Porter, and Guitar Baines who were live in rural area.

Beside the social structure, Toni Morrison also reflected the social status

of the American society in Song of Solomon novel. They were rich and poor.

The characters of Song of Solomon novel majority were Black. Black grouped

themselves into three classes of social status. The first class was one composed

of illiterate and superstitious blacks. They usually worked on the railroads,

steamboats, large sawmills, and farm of wages and they basically a nomad
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people. Pilate include in this class before she stay at Darling Street and makes

wine.

The second class was composed of the farm renters and owners of

preachers, teacher, professional and businessman. They believed that blacks

should be educated in may trades and professions. They believed that they

should own homes, paid their taxes and performed civic duties like another

white citizen. Toni Morrison reflects this class through the characters of Macon

Dead, Milkman and Corinthians Dead. The third class is composed almost

completely of the anti-bellum blacks. They were advanced I age and contented

with their present state of life. They were perfectly harmless and have no

earthly ambition.

Immigration in America was increased caused the biggest number of

population. A lot of blacks left south to the north’s industrial cities. Meanwhile,

white moved to the south and west where places were rural areas.

“But now she knew how to harvest in a team and looked for another
migrant crew, or a group of women who had followed their men to some
seasonal work as brick maker, iron worker, shipyard worker” (Morrison,
1977: 159)

2. Economic Aspect

In that time the economic of United States focused on agricultural.

Agricultural in America produced export potential goods. In South, especially,

almost all the people worked as farmer. Agricultural product supported the vast

development of industrial advance. It was resulted creation of corporation in

most economic sectors. The corporation itself caused many type of

manufactured items and customer goods were spread all of American Market.
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The economy collapsed in 1929. Circulating too much money in

economic system and consumption of goods and service increased caused it.

Toni Morrison critics this problem through Hagar characters who buying any

clothes and cosmetics in order to make Milkman interest with her.

“She bought a Playtex garter belt, I. Miller No Color hose, Fruit of the
Loom panties, and two nylon slips – one white, one pink – one pair of
Joyce France Free and one of Con Brio” (Morrison, 1977:335)
“…Lipstick in soft white hands darted out of their sheaths like the shiny
red penises of puppies. Peach powder and milky lotion… (Morrison,
1977: 336)

American people face a great problem in their live after depression era,

especially the money problem. They think that they get a big trouble when they

do not have enough money because money is a part of American’s life; money

is important and valuable for American society. Because of that American

always working hard and always permits all ways to get some money, such as

rob, stealing and selling the narcotic. The author describes this condition related

Milkman. To keep wealthy while he start his on own independently, Milkman

need baggage. So he rob Pilate’s gold in the green sack.

The social reality in economic aspect which reflected by Toni Morrison

include some jobs which done by the characters in the novel. There are two

classes in economic aspect, namely working class who has a good job and big

definitely salary, and lower middle class, who also has a job but has a little

salary and their life, are not better that people who classified as a working class,

such as labor.
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In Song of Solomon novel, the author describes both of that economic

class. The main character and their family describe as working class. Macon

Dead as landlord and Milkman help his father collecting rent.

“His son belonged to him now and not to Ruth, and he was relieved at
not having to walk over town like a peddler collecting rents. It made his
business more dignified, and he had time to think, to plan, to visit the
bank men… (Morrison, 1977: 72)

In the other side, lower middle class described by Toni Morison as a

person who jobless and has a low salary.

In Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison is also describes clearly the main of

Southern society living through Pilate character. The south has been known for

their farming economy for many generations. Many crops were grown in the

South, such as tobacco, vegetables, and various fruits. Uneducated black people

had a limited choice on their occupation so many of them chose to produce the

corps or selling them, made whisky and had cattle.

“She was in Culpeper, Virginia, washing clothes in a hotel, when she

learned that there was a colony of Negro farmers on an island off the
coast of Virginia. They grew vegetables, had cattle, made whisky, and
sold little tobacco” (Morrison, 1977: 161)

3. Political Aspect

The Song of Solomon has a little phenomenon which describes the social

reality in him political aspect in middle twentieth century. There have been only

two parties in America since 1856, namely Democrats and Republicans. The

members of those two parties have their own duties.

There three branches of American governmental, namely executive,

judicative, and Legislative. Here, president as the executive member of

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American’s governmental. President has some duties, such as stipulated the

constitution, delegate to him by congress, and also as the result of

circumstances.

Before Civil Right Movement in America, all of Black communities in

America were accepting injustice in everything, especially about the law.

Normally, law is important thing in social process. With law people should get a

justice. In the novel Song of Solomon, the author reflected the race and

discrimination of black people that the law is not standing for them.

“A young Negro boy had been found stomped to death in Sun Flower
County, Mississippi. There were no question about stomped him – his
murderers had boasted freely – and there were no questions about the
motive. The boy had whistled at some white woman, refused to deny he
had slept with others, and was a Northerner visiting the South. His name
was Till” (Morrison, 1977:90)

“ We poor people, Milkman. I work at an auto plant. The rest of us

barely eke out a living. Where’s the money, the state, the country to
finance our justice? You say Jews try their catches in a court. Do we
have a court? Is there places right now where a Negro still convict them?
There places right now where a Negro still can’t testify against a white
man. Where the judge, the jury, the court, are legally bound to ignore
anything a Negro has say. What that means is that a black man is a
victim of a crime only when a white man say he is. Only then. If there
was anything like or near justice or courts when a cracker kills a
Negro...” (Morrison, 1977: 176)

Guitar Baines and his group The Seven Days are against the whites who

kill Negroes. They do their mission with their own way.

“There is society. It’s made up of a few men who are willing to take
some risks. They don’t initiate anything; they don’t even choose. They
are in different as rain. But when a Negro child, Negro women, or Negro
man was killed by whites and nothing is done about it by their law and
their court, this society selects a similar victim at random, and they
execute him or her in a similar manner if they can. If Negro was hanged,
they hang; if Negro was burnt, they burn; raped and murder, they rape
and murder” (Morrison, 1977: 170-171)
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4. Cultural Aspect

The cultural condition in South America in the middle twentieth was

developed more social conservative than that of the north. Some trends in that

were growing up. It also inspires people to create some radical ideas which can

influenced the American life and cultural. Social realities in the form of cultural

aspects which are reflected in Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison are revealed

in literature, beverage, dressing, and dialect.

In the middle century the writer more conscious of the black people due

to the injustice and inequality, through the literary work. In Song of Solomon,

Toni Morrison describes this context in Michael-Mary Graham character. She is

a poet. In that time the cultural was developed and artist was existed such as the

musicians, the writer of fiction, painters and poet. The literary work also had

been awarded.

“Evening were often given over to discussions and meeting with local
poet, painters, musicians, and writers of fiction, at which they praised to
condemned other artist, scorned the marketplace and courted it. Of this
group Michael-Mary Graham was the queen, for her poetry had been
published – first in 1938, in volume called Season of My Soul; there was
a second collection in 1941, called Farther Shores. What was more, her
poems had appeared in at least twenty small literary magazines, two
”slicks”, six college journals and the Sunday supplements of countless
newspaper. She was also the winner, between 1938-1958, of nine Poets
of the Year awards, culminating finally in the much-coveted State Poet
Leadership” (Morrison, 1977:209)

The beverage also appeared by the author. American soft drinks

originated in the South, when Milkman takes a journey to the south, he bought

soft drinks. “Milkman had noticed a six-bottle carton of Coca-Cola on the back

seat when he got the car. It was on his mind” (Morrison, 1977, 276)
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The setting of time in Song of Solomon was a mid twentieth century, so,

it was already a modern time. In daily life style people was prefer to wear shirt,

short, jeans, overall than were breeches, dress, or even coat. Usually rich people

use better cloth than the poor people. The rich people used the dressing style

based on the price of the cloths, the mode better than people who life in the poor

condition. In this novel, Toni was not described the way of the characters’

dressing, specifically. However, she drew the characters’ dressing based on the

daily activities that some characters did.

“Milkman put on his jacket and left the house” (Morrison, 1977:85)
“And rather than call any more attention to himself in this tiny farming
town than his beige three piece suit, his button-down light blue shirt and
black string tie, and his beautiful Florsheim shoes had already brought…
(Morrison, 1977: 247)

Southern American English is a dialect of the English language spoken

throughout the South. It is usually called as African American Vernacular

English or Ebonics. In Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison took a setting of the

novel in the southern part of America especially Pennsylvania and Virginia

which society were coming from Black’s society, so Toni used this dialect to

support the plot of the story.

“Well, he thought wrong,” Freddie said. “Ain’t no black men in Bilbo

Country,”
“The hell they ain’t,” Said Guitar.
“Till. That’s who?”
“He dead. A dead man ain’t no man. A dead man is a corpse. That’s all.
A corpse” (Morrison, 1977:92)

5. Religious Aspect
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Religion in the United State consists of three main faiths, Protestant,

Catholic, and Jew. In the novel the Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison shows the

two religions, that is Catholic and Protestant Christianity in the dialogue

between the priest and Ruth. Protestant Christianity is the first largest religious

group in the United State. Catholic is the second largest religion in the United

State, and its churches are also divided into groups, liberal and conservative.

The Character that belongs to Catholic is Ruth Foster Dead.

“Corpus Domini Nostri Jesu Cristi.” Said the priest, and then, to her, a
sharp whisper: “Ssss. Raise your head!” She looked up, saw the wafer
and the acolyte holding a little silver tray under it. “Corpus Domini
Nostri Jesu Cristi custodiat animam tuam…” The priest held the host
toward her and she opened her mouth. Later, at the reception, the priest
asked her point-blank whether she was Catholic. I’m Methodist”
(Morrison, 1977: 75)

6. Science and Technology Aspect

In that era, people use their own car to do land transportation is an

ordinary thing. Some of them moreover use air transportation if they want to do

a long journey. It is also reflected in the novel that the major character already

use that kind of transportation to do their trip. At that time only few people has

a car but Macon Dead has a car.

“Macon Dead’s Packard rolled slowly down Not Doctor Street, through
the rough part of town (later known as the Blood Bank because blood
flowed slow freely there), over bypass downtown, and headed for the
wealthy white neighborhood. Some of the black people who saw the car
passing by sighed with good-humored envy at the classiness, the dignity
of it (Morrison, 1977:40)

The United States has many inhabitants which always pay attention to

development of the technology. The improvement of science and technology in

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the mid twentieth century makes America have any inventors in technological

aspect. Their inventions, such as electrical power, telegraph and telephone,

radio, newspaper, magazine, television, and many more, took a role in

supporting the expansion of industrialization in America.

They have high technology in their life which inspired Toni Morrison to

criticize the condition through the plot of the novel. In the middle of century the

town used the electricity power to lighten and other need. Television was one of

the public information and the telephone was the tool of communication. This

condition was describes by Toni Morrison in her novel.

“She had no electricity because she would not pay for the services”
(Morrison, 1977: 35)

“Who would they be if they couldn’t describe the insults, violence, and
oppression that their lives (and the television news) were made up of?”
(Morrison, 1977: 120)

“…who wrote to their command posts in larger cities from New York to
St. Louise and from Detroit to Louisiana and asked them to look in the
telephone directory, where in fact one captains secretary found him
listed” (Morrison, 1977:167)

B. Discussion

There are many aspects from the social reality at that time which gives

contribution in making novel. They are social, economic, political, religious,

cultural, and also science and technology aspect. Toni Morrison talks about the

social condition on South of American society in the middle twentieth century.

By focusing on social aspects, Toni Morrison tries to analyze the social

condition of the society at that time, where upper class society who has a big
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opportunity in social and political field. And their live was full with materialism.

The rich blacks can be neighborhood with the white. In that time, still a few black

people who to be the upper class. People of the lower class almost were being

worker in factory, farm, and railroad. In here, Toni criticizes the structure and

status social that still separated by the color of skin. The relations of different

ethnic or races valued by the money.

In economic aspect, Toni describes the condition of the society at that time,

where economic focused in the agricultural sector. She also describes the two

classes economy, that is working and lower class. Most of blacks belong to the

lower class. The economic collapsed because the inflation affected by economic

system and consumption of good and services. Toni Morrison criticizes that the

black people had limited choice in their occupation. But there are some black that

had a good occupation with high salary and included in working class. She also

criticizes that the black women become a consumptive of the product cosmetic

and also fashion.

In political aspect, the author reflected a bad low system in America.

Especially in the case which concern the race and discrimination. The black

people still had a weak law. In Song of Solomon, Morrison criticizes that blacks

should get the protection of the law. She also raised the murder of Negro by white

people but policy, law and government ignored that case. On the other hand, if

Negro had a little problem with white, they arrested by police.

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In cultural aspect, Toni Morrison revealed this aspect in the form literary

work, beverage, dressing and dialect. In the literary work, the writers’ creativity

had been awarded.

In religious aspect, Toni Morrison described that most of the American

society choose Protestant Christianity and Catholic related to the condition, that

Toni has reflected in her novel. She criticizes that the concentrations of religious

make them grouped and cause racism.

And the last is in science and technology aspect. In Song of Solomon novel

science and technology were developed both transportation and communication.

Toni Morrison criticizes that advance of science and technology was assisting the

American society in solving their problem.

Therefore, the work of Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, is more like a

reflection of social condition in the mid twentieth century when the novel was

published. Toni Morrison as the author of Song of Solomon is a collective subject

who creates his novel to express what he feels a thinks about his society.

Based on the Sociological analysis above, it is obvious to state that the

structural elements of Song of Solomon that noticed the elements such as

character and characterization, setting of place and time, plot, point of view, style

and theme represent the social condition of American society that viewed from

social, economic, political, cultural, religious and science and technology aspects

in the mid twentieth century. However, Toni Morrison’s used his novel, Song of

Solomon, as the reflection and document of the social condition at that time.
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CHAPTER VI

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

Having analyzed the Song of Solomon, the researcher comes into conclusion

that related to the analysis of the novel Song of Solomon uses Sociological Approach.

This last chapter is divided into two sections that are conclusion and suggestion.

A. Conclusion

After analyzing sociological analysis of Song of Solomon novel, the

researcher can drew the following conclusions. First, in structural elements

analysis, all of the elements of the novel such as character and characterization,

setting of place and time, plot, point of view, style and theme are connected each

other to a whole unity that cannot be separated one from the other in order to

support each other.

Second, in sociological analysis also shows that Toni describes some

aspects in the life that are social, economic, political, cultural, and religious and

science and technology. Toni reflected the society conditions from the entire

aspects through the structural elements of the novel. However, she writes Song of

Solomon novel as the mirror of the condition in that time and also as document of

the history in the mid twentieth century. She is also criticizes the society

condition such as in social aspect, she criticizes the structure, status and social

relation of that time that most of blacks is still had intimidation and taken in the

lower classes. In economic aspect, she criticizes that blacks belong to lower

middle class. In politic, she criticizes that America has a bad law system at that

80
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time. In cultural, Morrison revealed the literature, beverage, dressing, and dialect.

In religious, she criticizes that the concentration of the religion can make the

racism. The last in science and technology, Morrison criticizes that advance of

science and technology was assisting the American society in solving their

problem.

Finally, Toni Morrison wants to criticizes the people who ignorant their

ancestor and their society. She wants to show that whether a rich people life in the

privilege life they also have a problem. Rich people have a lot of wealth to get

everything they one but when they loses their value of life, the family history

show the self identity that encourage a person to continue the struggle of

ancestors’ aim then they get their value of life. The critics based on the theme that

self-identity is high value of life.

B. Suggestion

Song of Solomon is an interesting literary work, which offers different

valuable thing. A series reading and interpreting this novel is advantageous to do.

The researcher invites other researcher to study this work. She suggests the other

approach such as Marxism and Genetic Structuralism can be applied in this study.

It is hoped that by conducting the research on those kind of approaches, readers’

point of view will be better-off related to the condition of American society in the

mid twentieth century.