10. Peacock cannot fly high “How come it can’t fly no better than a chicken?” Milkman asked. “Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity.” Morrison, 179
16. Ruth indulges in her relation It was one of her two secret indulgences –the one that involved her son—and part of the pleasure it gave her came from the room in which she did it. Morrison, 13
17. Ruth indulges in her relation “That’s so,” said Ruth in a thin but steady voice. “I certainly am my daddy’s daughter.” She smiled. Morrison, 67
18. Symbol They [flowers/“love”] were smothering her [Ruth], taking away her breath with their soft jagged lips. And she merely smiled and fought them off as though they were harmless butterflies. Morrison, 105
19. Symbol She [Corinthians]… would have smashed her fist through the window just to touch him, feel his heat, the only thing that could protect her from a smothering death of dry roses. Morrison, 199
21. Hagar’s “love” for Milkman And then, aloud, [Hagar said,] “He [Milkman] is my home in this world.” Morrison, 137
22. Hagar’s “love” for Milkman Killing, ice-pick-wielding Hagar, who, shortly after a Christmas thank-you note, found herself each month searching the barrels and cupboards and basement shelves for some comfortably portable weapon with which to murder her true love. Morrison, 126
24. Guitar’s “love” [Guitar:] “No love? No love? Didn’t you hear me? What I’m doing ain’t about hating white people. It’s about loving us. About loving you. My whole life is love.” Morrison, 159
27. Macon Dead II “I ain’t aiming to get him down. I’m aiming to get my money down. He can go on and die up there if he wants to. But if he don’t toss me my rent, I’m going to blow him out of that window.” Morrison, 24
33. Pilate “You can’t take a life and walk off and leave it. Life is life. Precious. And the dead you kill is yours. They stay with you anyway, in your mind. So it’s a better thing, a more better thing to have the bones right there with you wherever you go.” Morrison, 208
34. Pilate “You just can’t fly on off and leave a body.” Morrison, 332
37. Milkman Mr. Smith’s blue silk wings must have left their mark, because when the little boy [Milkman] discovered, at four, the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier—that only birds and airplanes could fly—he lost all interest in himself. Morrison, 332
47. Most people think they deserve love Her [Ruth] confirmed, eternal love of him, love that he didn’t even have to earn or deserve, seemed to him natural. Morrison, 79
48. No one deserves love It sounded old. Deserve. Old and tired and beaten to death. Deserve. Now it seemed to him [Milkman] that he was always saying or thinking that he didn’t deserve some bad luck, or some bad treatment from others. Morrison, 276
49. No one deserves love Apparently he [Milkman] thought he deserved only to be loved—from a distance, though—and given what he wanted. And in return he would be…what? Pleasant? Generous? Maybe all he was really saying was: I am not responsible for your pain; share your happiness with me but not your unhappiness. Morrison, 277
51. Most people try to own love [Porter:] “I don’t want a doll baby. I want a woman.” Morrison, 196
52. Contrast / Irony [Porter:] “I don’t want a doll baby. I want a woman.” Morrison, 196 [Porter:] Friendship is an outstretched hand, A smile of warm devotion. I offer both to you this day, With all the heart’s emotion. Morrison, 193
53. No one can own love [Guitar:] “Hagar, don’t. It’s a bad word, ‘belong.’ Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn’t be like that.” Morrison, 306
54. No one can own love [Guitar:] “You can’t own a human being. You can’t lose what you don’t own.” Morrison, 306
55. Don’t try to own love No one deserves love. No one can own love.
58. Macon Dead II “Let me tell you right now the one important thing you’ll ever need to know: own things. And let the things you own own other things. Then you’ll own yourself and other people too.” Morrison, 55
59. Desire for wealth Life, safety, and luxury fanned out before him [Macon Dead II] like the tail-spread of a peacock. Morrison, 170
61. Guitar [Milkman:] “Why worry about the colored woman at all?” Guitar cocked his head and looked sideways at Milkman. His nostrils flared a little. “Because she’s mine.” Morrison, 223
62. Ruth And then, aloud, [Hagar said,] “He is my home in this world.” “And I am his,” said Ruth. Morrison, 137
63. Macon Dead II Macon was delighted. His son belonged to him now and not to Ruth. Morrison, 63
73. Start with a Leap Downtown the firemen pulled on their greatcoats, but when they arrived at Mercy, Mr. Smith had seen the rose petals, heard the music, and leaped on into the air. Morrison, 9
74. End with a Leap Without wiping away the tears, taking a deep breath, or even bending his knees—he [Milkman] leaped. Morrison, 337
79. Disaffection with the Society [Macon Dead II:] “Pilate can’t teach you a thing you can use in this world. Maybe the next, but not this one.” Morrison, 55
80. Limitations of the Solution Perhaps that’s what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? Or would you take it? Morrison, 331
84. Conclusion There’s a conflict between people’s desire to own things and their freedom.
85. Conclusion There’s a conflict between people’s desire to own things and their freedom. A person cannot fly high if he owns too many things.
86. Conclusion There’s a conflict between people’s desire to own things and their freedom. A person cannot fly high if he owns too many things. One way to solve the conflict is to try to not own things.
87. Conclusion There’s a conflict between people’s desire to own things and their freedom. A person cannot fly high if he owns too many things. One way to solve the conflict is to try to not own things. However, this is an idealized solution and not very feasible in this society.
