Perception of Flight

In the book Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Robert Smith, an insurance agent, leaves a note saying “I will take off from Mercy and fly away with my own wings. Please forgive me. I loved you all.” We assume that this note is a suicide note because later on, it tells us how his intended “flight” turns into a fall instead. To the reader, the fall may look like a complete failure because Robert wasn’t able to legitimately take flight. However, to Robert, the fact that he willingly takes the first step and chooses to be liberated from the all of the societal norms shows that his “mission” of flying was actually somewhat completed. To him, it wasn’t about being physically lifted higher; the significance of the act was more about him being able to escape the cruel conditions of his current life into a haven. It connects to the Gullah Folk Tale about how the wings of the African people brought them back to their homes where it was safe and secure. Morrison alludes to the folk tale to describe the fact that the wings were a major symbol of hope.

On a different note, I feel like folk tales and stories fantasize the idea of the afterlife. It could serve the purpose of trying to relieve people from current stress in their life and also provide hope for those who are suffering. I think that the fact that there is no such thing as confirmation when it comes to concepts like the afterlife makes it easier to believe in such things that would be impossible in real life.

Song of the week:

Gallant - Weight in Gold // https://youtu.be/qh7BCluk3wc

I looked up the meaning of the lyrics to this song a while ago and I found that it signified how one person had to “pull the weight” of both sides of a relationship. This reminded me of Macon and Ruth. The extreme imbalance in their relationship causes tension and conflict in the book. Make sure to give it a listen :)