Singing and Flying: An Exploration of Two Metaphorical Themes in Song of Solomon

Abstract

Toni Morrison, the author of Song of Solomon, is a famous black female writer of the 20th century in the United States. Her works mainly explored African-Americans’ rebirth in terms of theme and their quest for cultural identity, reflecting the real life and inner pursuit of black people. Song of Solomon tells the story of Milkman, a young man alienated from himself and estranged from his family, his community, seeking his historical and cultural roots. Studies about Song of Solomon both at home and abroad focus on the literary image of African-Americans, the gender discrimination, the female image, and the new historicism perspective. Singing and flying not only contribute to the poetic expression of Song of Solomon, but also provide the two major writing clues for the novel. Therefore, taking the African-American folktale about enslaved Africans who escape slavery by flying back to Africa as the basis of the story, this thesis tries to explore the metaphorical meanings of the themes of singing and flying in the novel. 

This thesis consists of three parts. Part one briefly introduces the author Toni Morrison and this novel. Part two analyzes the metaphorical theme of singing from the perspectives of the title and the lyrics. Part three focuses on the metaphorical theme of flying from its negative and positive impact. Through the metaphorical analysis of the two themes, this thesis aims to further explore Morrison’s aspirations to building a complete self and gaining social dignity in a society dominated by white people, thereby realizing the spiritual freedom.

Key words: Song of Solomon; singing; flying; metaphor