The Hero's Journey
This concept, defined by Joseph Campbell, outlines the stages of a classic type of story.
What is the Hero's Journey (monomyth)?
This character refuses to wear shoes and has a name that symbolizes spiritual freedom.
Who is Pilate?
At the beginning of his journey, Milkman is motivated by the desire for this.
What is gold/material possessions?
Pilate raises these two family members.
Who are Reba and Hagar?
The novel opens with this surreal event involving a man trying to fly.
What is Mr. Smith's attempted flight (suicide)?
In Chapter 11, Milkman reflects on his life and the way he's been wasting it thus far in this town.
What is Shalimar?
Milkman’s real first name, Macon Dead III, reflects this aspect of his family history.
What is a legacy of slavery/a loss of identity?
The bag that Milkman believes contains gold actually contains this symbolic object.
What are Pilate's father's bones?
Pilate acts as a foil to this materialistic character.
Who is Macon Dead II (Milkman’s father)?
This cultural and spiritual theme is symbolized by flying, especially in African American folklore.
What is freedom or liberation?
The reason that Milkman’s journey begins/his Call to Adventure.
What is "his pursuit of gold"?
Names in the Dead family are often chosen randomly from this source.
What is the Bible?
This change in Milkman marks his emotional turning point from selfishness to empathy.
What is understanding/learning more about his family’s history and legacy?
Pilate’s decision to carry the bones (of who she thought was the white man from the cave) signifies this theme.
What is honoring memory/the burden/responsibility of the past?
Milkman’s family name, “Dead,” symbolizes this.
What is disconnection from heritage/legacy and identity?
According to Campbell, the hero receives help from a mentor figure. This character fits that role in Song of Solomon.
Who is Pilate?
This ritual act helps characters (and people!) reclaim agency and connect to their ancestral past.
What is naming (or renaming oneself)?
The act of Milkman leaping off the cliff at the end of the novel symbolizes this.
What is transcendence/acceptance of fate/ or embracing identity?
Pilate’s influence leads Milkman to realize this core truth about himself.
What is that his identity is rooted in connection/legacy, not wealth?
The legend of Solomon, Milkman’s ancestor, includes this act that becomes central to Milkman’s self-discovery.
What is flying back to Africa (leaving his children behind)?
This moment in the novel represents Milkman’s “Abyss,” the stage of deepest challenge and near-death in the Hero’s Journey.
What is "when he is nearly killed in Shalimar"?
Milkman’s grandmother, whose name guides Macon Dead I, Pilate, and Milkman to connect the missing links of their family history through Solomon’s song
Who is Sing Byrd?
The final realization that Milkman “can fly” is less about magic and more about this internal type of development.
What is spiritual freedom or emotional maturity?
Pilate’s death leads to this symbolic act from Milkman, showing his final transformation.
What is singing for her, accepting death, family, and legacy?
The children's song about Solomon serves this deeper narrative purpose in the novel.
What is preserving oral history and guiding Milkman to uncover his lineage/heritage?