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Loneliness in America’s Multicultural Society
The fiction novel, Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison opens with Robert Smith as he tries
to fly across Lake Superior in Michigan town. This is despite the fact that human beings are
unable to fly. Smith plunges to his death in his attempt. The following day Milkman Dead is
born. It is worth noting that he is the first African-American to be born in a hospital. Milkman
loses interest in life after he learns that human beings cannot fly. Although he wants richness,
and this is the reason he chooses to rob Pilate, his aunt, he discovers that his history is better than
the achieving the American dream. His farther only wants to increase his wealth and this leads to
the creation of enemies between himself and the villagers. Milkman wants to be successful
through flying like his great-grand farther, Solomon and thus achieve the American dream, but
he finds happiness in understanding his history. Although Milkman is loved by many people in
his family, he leads a sad life because he understands that he cannot achieve what he wanted as a
young person.
Majority of African-Americans are never given the chance to learn their roots in the
society. In addition, they are treated with contempt. It is worth noting that Milkman is the first
black American to be born in a hospital. At the same time, the Michigan society has many
hospitals but they only cater for the needs of Caucasians. Caucasians despise African-Americans

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as witnessed by the incorrect spelling of the name of Milkman’s grandfather by a drunken
soldier. African-Americans are treated like strangers in the society, and they lead lonely lives.
On the other hand, in the novel, A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, strangers are only
allowed in the home of Emily Grierson after her death. The Grierson family did not associate
with other people in their society because they felt that they were superior. At thirty, Emily is
still single because her father cannot stand the many suitors who want to marry her. Her father
feels that the suitors are not good enough for his daughter. Emily leads a lonely life because
cannot find a man to marry despite her advancing age.
Milkman lives among people who care about him. However, his desires are different
from those of his mother and aunt. He wants to be successful but after learning that human
beings cannot fly, he loses interest in almost everything. Flying could be associated with
achieving the American dream within a short time. However, milkman learns that the dream can
only be achieved by taking one-step at a time. On the other hand, Grierson family has achieved
the American dream but they are unable to live in harmony with their neighbors. This shows that
although Milkman thinks that he would have a happy life after achieving the dream, this might
not be the case. Milkman should understand that wealth does not necessarily result to happiness.
When he fails to find gold from his aunt, Pilate, he finds happiness from his grandfather’s
skeleton. It is of paramount importance to note that Milkman’s father, Macon Dead II is rich but
is not happy because the villagers hate him. He cannot find happiness from his wealth as many
Americans would think.
Milkman’s emotional disease is genetic. It is transferred from one generation to the next.
His ancestors have always wanted to be successful, but they were never happy. Although his
great-grandfather, Solomon flew back to Africa, he left his wife back in America. He tried

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several times to fly with his lastborn son, Jake (Milkman’s father, as he was known before the
error by the drunken soldier) but in the end he failed. He also had to leave behind twenty-one
children. This shows that although he managed to escape slavery in America he did not find
happiness back in Africa. On the other hand, Macon Dead, his grandfather is killed as he fights
for his land because he worships wealth. Milkman’s’ quest to find wealth in the South, severs his
relationship with his lover, Hagar. It has to be noted that Hagar truly loves Milkman and she can
give him happiness. On the contrary, Milkman believes that one has to be wealthy in order to be
happy. He wants Pilate’s gold which he thinks is hidden in Pennsylvania. This would be
equivalent to the miraculous flight taken by Solomon because he (Milkman) would be rich in an
instant.
Material wealth controls the lives of very many people in the American society. Many
people believe that one cannot be happy if he or she is not rich. Milkman has many people who
love him, but he has lost interest in life and other people after learning that he cannot fly. He
wants an easy life by acquiring wealth in an instant. However, this is not possible, and he
chooses to rob his aunt Pilate. Aunt Pilate seems to be happy despite the fact that she is poor.
However, in the end, Milkman discovers that happiness is not about wealth only.