One thing I found exceptionally interesting in Song of Solomon is how logic seems entirely screwed. Throughout the novel, there were so many "Wait, what?" moments that I couldn't have counted them if I tried. Here are a few that I found particularly memorable:
1) Guitar's Explanation of the Seven Days (starting pg. 154)
When Guitar is explaining the Seven Days, at first it seems rational (though still a little crazy). He is mathematical; systematic in his approach, explaining how it is an eye for an eye: killing a white person for every black person. Then the "Wait, what?" moment happens when Guitar starts explaining his form of reverse racism. He seems so rational, and yet what he is saying is absolutely insane. It is beyond an eye for an eye and moving on to something more extreme where Guitar is stereotyping all white people in the exact way that some white people stereotype black people. Milkman seems to agree with the reader on the insanity of what Guitar is saying and vehemently questions him about the ethics of the operation (clearly lacking), but in the end, he hides Guitar's secret from others, even when Guitar is trying to kill him (something which is equally insane).
2) Speaking of Guitar trying to kill Milkman, was that not absolutely crazy?! I swear, I actually screamed when I finished the book. Where is the logic in that? What happened to Guitar "[hating] doing it"? I don't even know what to say about that. It completely caught me off guard, plus the thing with Hagar, PLUS the thing with Pilate. Wow, this book was crazy.
3) Milkman's Attitude toward Finding his Family
Sometimes it is hard for me to interpret how Milkman is truly feeling. Yes, we get his internal monologue (to a certain extent), but a lot of the time we just have to go by what he said to other people. This is particularly troublesome when Milkman is talking to Susan in her house on page 292. "It's important to you, is it, to find your people?" she asks, and Milkman responds, "No. Not really. I was just passing through, and it was just-just an idea. It's not important." These ambiguous statements make it very difficult for the reader to interpret what Milkman actually thinks. Is he in Shalimar to find his family or the gold? After he hears and understands the children's song as being a family history he is so happy and then he seems drunk to Sweet because of how happy he is when they are swimming. Milkman's words with Susan are so out of ordinary, and definitely another "wait, what?" moment.
I have tried to think up a reason why Milkman may have suddenly pretended like he didn't really care about his family (and yes, I think he was pretending) and I think the one that makes the most sense goes along with his immaturity, despite being in his 30s. He is the grumpy kid who doesn't want his sports team to lose, so he starts supporting the other team instead. When what Susan is saying starts disproving everything he has suspected he feels like everything is being messed up, and switches teams to not caring to make himself feel better.
I'm not sure how solid the above concept is, but I think it goes along well with the sense of boyhood we have observed as surrounding Milkman even at his older age. Let me know what you think!
Also, seriously, what did you guys think of that wacky ending?!
