Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

There are poems here about flying, about names, about race, and about justice.  There is so much in Toni Morrison's masterpiece - and the poems that are chosen to be read and discussed before we jump into the novel - have never been so important.  I want to give the students a "second reading" of this book, while they are doing their first.  These poems will help do just that by introducing ideas, themes, and concepts that will give the students a lot to think about and connect as they are doing their reading.  The harsh truths and magical realism in this book require a leap of faith by the readers that is almost as challenging as the leap that the protagonist makes at the end of the book.  

For all effects and purposes, this is our last Opening Discussion of a novel in my World Literature Class.  The year flies by and it's impossible to see where the time goes - but there you have it.  There is a kind of "meta" nature to this lesson.  I will go over the idea of this chapter (specifically the first 15 pages of this chapter) as a kind of "overture".  As in a Musical Overture, these pages will introduce us to the characters, ideas, and themes that will be present throughout the novel.  I mentioned in the intro to this book that I wanted to give my students a "second" reading though this is only their first.  

 Looking at my notes, it is apparent that I switched from Group Work to discussion on this lesson about 20 years into my career.  While I do love the idea of students making the huge discoveries about the rest of Chapter One, on their own; I did find that I could guide them towards those discoveries - and still have it come from them.  There is also (though this is just 1/2 of chapter) to cover, that it made sense to do that in a discussion.  Finally - many of the topics that are covered in the rest of this chapter require a maturity from the students that can best be gauged (and "massaged") by the teacher during a class discussion.  Nonetheless, I have also included below the Group Work for this reading, in case you wish to go that route.

 This lesson is either partner or solo work.  I usually assign two chapters for today (2 & 3) - but this assignment is only for Chapter 2, as they will need to finish their work on this for homework, and I don't want them to have to do the reading as well.  After two days of discussion - it's great to get the students putting things together for themselves (or with a partner).  The ideas and themes in the novel are flowing fast - and by getting the students to take stock of them for themselves (beyond what they do in their own reading) they will more readily put together the parts of this incredible novel on their own.  This work is designed to be done either alone or with a partner.  If they don't want a lot of homework - they will have to be focused. 

  I present three different ways to cover Chapters 2-3 here (Chapter 2 was done in a Group).  The preferred method (to me) is using the Row Reading method of Class Discussion - every student comes up with three things related to a section of the reading (2-3) assigned to their row.  I also give instructions for having a Whole Class Discussion ala Ringmaster Teacher.  Finally, there is a Group Work for Chapter 3 alone.  So much happens in these Chapters!  While your students may have discussed 2 in the Group Work - it's great to take a step back and incorporate that Chapter, while also moving on to Chapter 3.  Milkman hits his father, we see a much darker side of Guitar, and Railroad Tommy makes one of the most important speeches in the entire book.

  My most current approach started with a quick recap of the beginning of Chapter 3 - and the idea that Milkman is becoming everything that he hates.  We then talk about the passionate but destructive relationship between Milkman and Hagar and how this fits in with his evolution into his father.   We continue our discussion with Guitar and Milkman getting together - what happens at the barber shop (and the discussion around Emmett Till).  Everything in these two chapters points to what Milkman is - what he has become.  From how he treats Hagar, then his dream about his mother, to his comment about the slain young child from Chicago.  Finally, it end with Freddy's story of his birth - and how Milkman - once again, shows his immature and callous nature, in his reaction to that story.

 Again - I believe the best way to go is with a Teacher Led discussion (the teacher knows all of the cool parts - that figure into later in the story and can point them out).  We talk about Milkman & Guitar's relationship and Guitar's belief that Milkman is "not a serious person".  Hagar and Milkman's relationship and her trying to kill Milkman.  Milkman following his mother and his discovery that one of his paralyzing beliefs about his mother - has just been another of this novel's incredible misunderstandings.  Then we talk about Ruth going to see Pilate and what happens there - and how it fits into the whole concept of Roots & Geography.  And we end the discussion with what really happened between Pilate and Macon when they were children that set them on very opposite paths for the remainder of their lives. 

This is such a powerful piece of work.  Made before the days of podcasts - this documentary, on Emmett Tills murder and the consequences for his family, the community, and the killers - is to me, still unsurpassed.  It also fits in so well with Morrison's "Song of Solomon".  Its sentiment regarding the destruction that comes to those who perpetuate hate and evil will be repeated throughout her novel - and especially when Milkman arrives to find his father's "gold".  I've played this documentary for my students at various spots in this unit - but I really believe the best time to play it, is right before they read Chapter 6 with its horrific recounting of the Seven Days and their murderous mission.  While their actions are completely unforgivable - this radio documentary gives what they do a context and a believability.  

Though I include a Group Work below - I don't really see it as an option.  This chapter needs to be discussed.  You have to be prepared - you have to stay focused and you need to make sure that everyone in class has their voice heard.  This is, by far, the most controversial chapter to cover in this novel - and the discussion calling for the most thought and sensivity on everyone's part: It concern Guitar belonging to a secret society that murders people based on the crimes that are committed against African Americans in this country.  They say that they are trying to achieve a balance.   I will confess, it took me quite awhile to feel comfortable and confident enough to discuss this chapter with my students - but I think that it is so incredibly important.  Not only to the book as a whole, but to the bigger context of the world at large.  

Chapter 6 is presented here (though it was gone over in the last lesson) and Chapter 7 will be gone over again tomorrow in the whole class discussion.  Chapter 7 contains what I consider to be the heart of the book.  The respective decisions that Macon and Pilate make in that cave after seeing their father gunned down - explains SO MUCH of what happens in the rest of the novel - and what Macon does in that cave helps the reader to understand what The Seven Days do - and specifically the madness that grips Guitar.  Group Works are great for students putting these and other connections together themselves - and then in the next lesson we can talk about it - and their observations, thought, comments can be validated.  It's wonderful to see what they can come up with on their own.

SO MUCH happens in Chapters 7 & 8.  When I was teaching this novel - it always felt that this was indeed the climax - the heart of the book.  In Chapter 7, Pilate and Macon make their choices that will define the rest of their lives.  In Chapter 8, Guitar and Milkman make theirs.  For both of these characters - their choices at this point are a continuation of  how they have already lived their entire lives.  The irony is that Guitar points out to Milkman that the White Peacock they see can't fly because it is too weighed down by its plumage - and yet he fails to see that both him and Milkman will need to shed their worldly possessions and endeavors in order to fly.  

This is the only time in World Literature that we watched a movie in the middle of the novel we were reading.  But it makes sense to watch it at this point.  The movie is about the horrific murder of four little girls in their Birmingham Church.  In the book - Guitar has just been given the "job" of avenging those murders - and it makes sense for the students to see exactly what happened - and the pain that Milkman, Guitar, and their entire community are feeling.   WARNING: Their are graphic scenes of the aftermath of the bombing - including of the dead girls.  In fact, I made a version to show the students that obscured just those few seconds (while allowing the audio to continue).  I didn't want to traumatize my students - and I felt the film was powerful enough without the graphic scenes (about 15 secs).  Make sure you watch this movie before showing it to your students - you know them best. Students will watch a film - answering some questions immediately - and more involved thinking prompts at home.  

This is such an important chapter - especially for Corithians.  Macon and Pilate had their turning points - this is hers.  Because I taught Song of Solomon for so many years - and the school and class schedules changed - I found that I had to be very flexible with how we held discussions in class.  Some years, the students had already started on their AP Testing and of course there was a Pandemic and Remote Teaching thrown into the mix as well.  Though for most years, we had a discussion on Chapters 7 & 8 - sometimes that was not possible.  If we did have a discussion - the students covered Chapter 9 as a Group Work, and for good reason.  There is so much they did or didn't discover while they were doing the reading (like Corinthians experiencing the "ginger" smell or the fact that Porter is a member of The Seven Days).  It is so GREAT to have the students that missed those things - discover them together in a small group.  

If what happened in the cave with Macon and Pilate was the heart of the story for them, Chapter 10 is the heart of the story of Milkman.  It is where he starts losing all of his worldly possessions and where he starts to find those roots that have grounded Pilate all of her life.  The second part of Chapter 9 - not really covered in depth in the previous lesson is also instrumental in appreciating and understanding the novel.  That's when Lena gives Milkman the talking down that everyone around him his avoided for his entire life.  He "uses" the people around him, she tells him - and somewhere in the back of his mind or soul - a change starts occurring.  And yet, the old Milkman still dominates - even after he realizes that there is no gold in the cave - even after knowing the generosity and honesty of Pilate for his entire life - he still believes that she took the gold - and goes off to find out where. 

Though he ends up in Shalimar for all the wrong reasons, this is the chapter where MIlkman, now missing so many of his material possessions - starts to realize how wrong-headed he has been.   How could he have thought Pilate took the Gold?  How could have mistreated so many of the people around him - for so long.  It's also the Chapter where he starts taking real risks - including going on a moonlight hunt - with some of the same people who tried to kill him a little earlier.  But the only one - he soons learns - that is after him, is his best friend Guitar.  So much comes together - and the absolute best way to do it - is with a Vertext.  By putting the quotes up on the screen and allowing the students to guide the conversation - they are finally putting everything they've read so far in this book - together.  And with just the words of Toni Morrison.  I've also included an old Group Work - but I would suggest using it only if you can't be in class - and even then I would follow through with this Vertext when the class next meets.

The last few years that I taught - I did this as a kind of "hybrid" Vertext.  It differs from the regular Vertext by sometimes giving the quote on the projection screen (see my page on Class Discussion Methods) - but sometimes giving the page number and a general idea, and having the students find the quote in question.  If a regular is mostly student-centered, then this form (which I feel I could only do after the class had been together for a very long time), is even more so.  So much happens in Chapter 12.  Milkman goes to Ms. Byrd's house and discovers a lot of (but not really all) the truth about his family.  He asks about the song that he hears the children singing - and realizes that it comes from a very old story about his ancestors - and that story is linked closely to his family, his roots - and ultimately, his destiny.  He also finally hears from Guitar - and learns why Guitar is trying to kill him.  Now that he Milkman is finally learning how to "fly" - his old past, his old ways, are catching up to him.

This Chapter is one of the most heartbreaking pieces of prose ever written.  I was never ashamed to share with my students that it made me cry - each and every time that I read it.  Poor Hagar has been let down and brought to her doom - not only by Milkman, but by Pilate and Reba - and a larger society that seems to value one group of people much more than another.  We will discuss what happens along with the rest of the novel in our next class - but I always wanted the students to first have a crack at the material - without their teacher so that their reactions (still fresh from the night's reading) can be as honest and heartfelt as possible.  The Group Work goes through just who is to blame - and like Morrison - it spares no one.  It also considers Pilate's last words - asking for Mercy and declaring that Hagar was loved.  It also brings in All Quiet on the Western Front - and examines just why this chapters hits us all so hard.   

This book really is the favorite novel of my students over the some thirty years that I taught.  Most of them are seniors - about to head off to college and this wonderful parable of a novel, about leaving your material possesions behind and simultaneously knowing where and who you came from - speaks to them in a way that no other book can.  There is so much to cover in this final discussion: Milkman's journey home from Shalimar, his acknowledgment of his part in Hagar's death, his rejection of Guitar's hatred - and his discovery that if he truly wants to fly - he has to follow the path of his greatest role model, Pilate - and that path is through love.  In addition to our discussion - I always asked the students to bring in one thing from the novel (I did this for all of my final discussions): a comment, a question, a quote - that they felt about the novel.  If there is time, we also read Julius Lester's "The People Who Could Fly" - a tale of slaves who were able to fly to Africa and escape the yoke of tyranny they'd been put in. 

During our reading of this novel, I have done my best to give the students a "second" reading of this book - without giving anything away.  In other words - I've helped them discover (for themselves)  the specific parts of this story that help them appreciate this book for the masterpiece that is - and that weave the beautiful connections that exist between the characters, events, and places found in Song of Solomon.  In this lesson, the students will work in groups to try and make those same kinds of connections between those first fifteen pages of the novel (that we called an "Overture" all the way back at the beginning of this unit) and the rest of the book.  connections that they can make with this novel to other texts that we've read in this class.  Because we are rapidly approaching the end of the year - this exercise in memory and connection, takes on even more meaning.