Milkman and his Name
In Toni Morrison's The Song of Solomon , we are brought into the life of the main character, Milkman. We learn that Milkman received his name because his mother breastfed him in secret late into his life. A janitor named Freddie witnessed this and called him Milkman, a nickname that carried over into his adult life. However, his birth name was Macon Dead III, and he is referred to by both of these names throughout the course of the novel. The two different names signify the different parts of his personality and represent the symbolic significance of naming in The Song of Solomon . In the novel, Milkman gets into a conflict with his father. After his father gets into a dinner table argument with his mother, Milkman hits his father, Macon Dead II. Macon is initially stunned by Milkman's sudden outburst, but he then takes the time to pull him aside and explain his side of the story. Macon tells Milkman that the reason he hates his wife so much is because he thinks that she is a ...