| The works of Toni Morrison(1931-2019)focuses on the lives of African Americans.Critics have examined Morrison and her works from a variety of perspectives.However,for her third novel,Song of Solomon(1977),the relationship between things and the human nature,and the meaning of reality embodied in its writing of things have yet to be explored.Through literature review at home and abroad,it is found that previous studies have been conducted mainly from perspectives such as interpretation of names and myths,analysis of characters,comparative studies,and space.Things in the novel,which are closely connected with people,have not received enough attention.This paper intends to analyze the writing of things in Song of Solomon with the help of material culture study.The material culture study starts from concrete things,and with concepts of“thing as marker of identity,” “the social life of things” and “actant,” it is possible to study the context of the characters,the class,race,and gender relations,and the impact of things on people.The influence of things on people is evident in Song of Solomon:the things Macon owns embody his middle-class identity and influence him as actant;the sweet Guitar fears and the gold he wants to own embody the tragic situation of black people,and influence Guitar.The mahogany table cherished by Ruth and the velvet roses made by Corinthians embody gender relations;both of them have social life and also affect their possessors.Pilate’s things and the things Milkman owns or wants embody the class of both.Pilate’s earring,geography book and rocks give her spiritual comfort as an actant;Milkman gains spiritual growth while losing his suit,shoes and watch during his search for gold in the South.Things embody class,race and gender relations.Macon accumulates wealth to cross class and eventually becomes a money-making machine;Guitar takes the path of extreme nationalism to resist racial injustice.Ruth becomes a victim of patriarchy;Corinthians rebels patriarchal rules and runs towards self and love.Pilate is poor in material but rich in spirit,and under her guidance Milkman is able to shake off the shackles of materialism and grow up.Maintaining oneself in a materialistic world and safeguarding the material needs of the underprivileged are questions that Morrison explores in this novel.Connecting material details in Song of Solomon with the historical culture and characters’ identities across time in the novel,this paper analyzes the significance of the writing of things from different sides,penetrates the complex relationship between society,politics,and culture in the era in which the novel is set,and reveals the complex ideas and creative aesthetics Morrison displays in her writing. |
