Study Questions & Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. Compare and
contrast Pilate and Ruth. How does each of them treat Milkman? How
does belonging to different economic classes affect their relationship
with each other?
2. Compare and
contrast Macon Jr.'s and Milkman's quests for gold. How does searching
for gold alter their personalities?
3. What is the
relationship between whites and blacks in
Song of Solomon?
What does the novel reveal about Morrison's attitude toward race
problems?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. How do various genres such
as magical realism, adventure story, and heroic epic, typify the
plot of the novel? Is one genre term more appropriate than others?
If so, why?
2. How does poorness influence
participation in the Seven Days? Though the group is motivated by
racism rather than economic injustice, why are all its members poor?
3. How is the relationship between
love for an individual and love for an ideology explored in the
novel? What are the similarities and differences between Hagar's
and Guitar's expressions of love?
4. How do physical abnormalities
represent the personality traits of the novel's characters? Does
Pilate's lack of a navel have the same effect on her as Milkman's
undersized leg has on him?
5. What is the ideological agenda
embedded in the novel? Is there a moral lesson to be learned from Song
of Solomon? If so, what is it?
