Oswald

Andrea Oswald

CMMU 4031-001

Melissa Manassee

16 November 2010

Literary Essay #2

The Song of Solomon (1997), written by Toni Morrison, projects the

life of various characters named Milkman, Pilate, and Guitar and the series

of peculiar events that have taken place between them. This story

encompasses many communication theories discussed in this course, but the

focus of this essay is placed on the narrative paradigm perspective, and

symbolic interactionism and how these theories explain communication.

Before understanding the conversation between Guitar and Milkman

about the Seven Days, I will first dissect the theory of narrative paradigm.

This theory, developed by Walter Fisher (1984) can be described as, “we are

narrative beings who experience and comprehend life as a series of ongoing

narratives, as conflicts, characters, beginnings, middles, and ends” (p. 298).

This interpretive theory leads us to believe that much of the meanings

associated to the variables in our lives can be viewed not only as a written

theory, but also as a story. The use of story telling through out the Song of

Solomon (1997) can be seen as a way for the characters to establish or

maintain personal relationships, also known as phatic communication.

Toni Morrison (1997) develops a scene that brings Milkman and

Guitar together at Mary’s place after Hagar attempted to kill Milkman, yet

again. Milkman searches for an explanation of why Guitar was see with

suspected killer, Empire State. With Guitar uncertain if he can trust

Milkman or not, he proceeds to explain his behavior and his association with

the Seven Days. Through Guitar’s narration, it can be seen that Guitar has

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based the killings of indiscriminate white community members on the base

of principle. These Seven Day killings have developed into a meaning of

life based on the underlying interpretation “an eye for an eye.” Milkman

states, “ I just told you. It’s necessary; it’s got to be done. To keep the ratio

the same” (Morrison, 1997 p.155). Milkman continues on explaining to

Milkman the need for the Seven Day society, and his rational behind this

cause.

This interaction displays how the use of story telling can display a

person’s paradigm pertaining to a particular topic. In the quote above,

Guitar feels as though his actions we based upon the rational thoughts, that

white community members were murdering the black community members

thus making his actions justified. He describes the actions of the Seven Days

as being a way for the black community to have the law in their favor. To

Milkman however, the narrative coherence, or the probable consistency of

Guitar’s story, strikes a censorious chord with Milkman. In listening to

Guitar’s narration, Milkman responds to Guitar as having a misjudgment of

immorality and unlawful behavior. “I can’t buy it, Guitar. There is too much

wrong with it” (Morrison, 1997 p.159). Milkman cannot justify the actions

of the Seven Days as Guitar has. He views the narration through a different

lens as not fitting with what he views to be truthful and humane.

Next, I will examine George Herbert Mead’s (1934) original theory of

symbolic interactionism presented by Herbert Blumer (1969) to explain the

association between Pilate and her navel. This theory can be defined as,

“communication through symbols; people talking to each other” (Blumer,

1969;Griffin, 2009 p. 60). Through this interpretive theory, it can be seen

that characters in Song of Solomon (1997) act differently toward Pilate on

the basis of the meanings they assign to he not having a navel. Over the

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course of this book, Pilate has been an outcast to society and looked down

upon for having variations in her biological structure. It was not until Pilate

encountered a group of migrants that she really understood her differences.

One of the women in the group questioned Pilate on something she was

unaware of, her navel. “She thought it was one more way in which males

and females were different. And from the horror on the older woman’s face

she knew there was something wrong. What’s It for?” Pilate Asked. “…for

people who were born natural” (Morrison, 1997 p 143). This interaction

showed Pilate that her differences from the other women in the group were

inorganic and shameful. Pilate moved on from these workers, and carried

thoughts of confusion and humiliation around with here for quite some time.

She became conscious of her distinction and socially constructed her reality

as being an outcast in society if anyone new discovered her smooth belly.

Pilate’s navel is a symbol of her difference from the “natural” humans

of society. Her constant minding, or having and inner conversation, of her

differences prevented her to really develop any type of healthy relationship

with another person (Blumer 1969). As she became pregnant and gave birth,

her looking-glass self remembered the pain and isolation she had endured

not having a navel, the first thing she looked for on Reba was a navel. Pilate

is forever viewed as a creature that was never “made by God”(Morrison,

1997 p. 144). People isolated her, gave her names, kept their families away,

and even stayed on opposing sides of the street all because she was born

with out a navel. The symbol of not having a navel in Pilate’s community

created a generalized other of herself (Blumer 1969; Griffin 2009 p. 65).

She kept away from society for a while, but Pilate began taking offense to

peoples actions so she altered her looking-glass self and realized she had to

start over with her own assumption of her self to live a healthier life.

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Applying the concepts of narrative paradigm and symbolic

interactionism to the Song of Solomon (1997) assisted in a better

understanding of these communicative theories. It is now seen that through

the use of story telling a person will create their history, biography, culture

and character on the basis of good reason (Blumer 1969; Griffin 2009 p.

302). We are constantly choosing to recreate or demonstrate parts of our

selves through use of story telling. The narrative paradigm is a way for a

person to validate actions based on good reason in varying situations.

Symbolic interactionism reveals that the symbols and meanings created by a

person or society can alter the way we view the socially constructed reality

we live in. The ways in which meanings are interpreted influence our own

interpretations of various symbols. These interpretations cause evaluations

of one’s self through interaction, and whether the interaction is positive or

negative effects the way a person ascribes to their self-identity. By

understanding these theories we are able to understand the reasons behind

the characteristic behaviors of Guitar, Milkman and Pilate.

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References

Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism. New Jersey:Prentice-Hall.

pp.1-89.

Griffin, Em. (2009). A First Look at Communication theory. (7th ed.).

Boston: McGraw-

Hill.

Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self, and Society. Chicago: University of

Chicago.

Morrison, Toni. (1997). Song of Solomon. New York: Vintage International.

Fisher, W. (1984). Narration as a Human Communication Paradigm: The

Case of Public

Moral Argument. Communication Monographs. Vol. 51. pp1-22.

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