The Name Game!

As we know from the very first day we started discussing Song of Solomon, the idea of names and their importance has been a theme in the epigraph and in the book. I wanted to use my blog post as an opportunity to research the cultural backgrounds associated with a few of the names we encounter in Song of Solomon, as well as connect these backgrounds to the actual characters of the novel. Many of these cultural backgrounds are rooted in the Bible, which makes sense because flipping through and choosing a name based on where your finger lands was the strategy that the Deads used for naming their children. As you’re reading these, please feel free to say if you agree or disagree with these connections or the validity of these descriptions. :)
(also for clarification this isn't actually the name game but that anna banna bobana song was stuck in my head because of this blog post so I titled it that hahah ok back to regularly scheduled programming)

Name	Song of Solomon Character Description	Biblical/Cultural Name Backgrounds	Connections between novel description and societal perception of name
Milkman	Milkman is born into a rich, affluent black family. He gets everything handed to him without any sense of initiation and is very privileged, taking his opportunities for granted. In this sense, he is pretty conceited while at the same time feels disconnected to his family and his community. (for simplicity of these connections, we won’t consider the real reason why he was nicknamed Milkman, which was because he was breastfed past infancy).	Prior to the 1960s, the milkman was the most common source of milk for households. Without the invention of refrigeration, the daily milk delivery man was essential to a dairy-consuming household because milk was so easily perishable.	The milkman was such an important part for the majority of households in the early/mid-20th century. However, it is often overlooked that the milk delivery man was an actually substantial part of consumer economy back then. Milkman’s community also overlooks his place in society, as he has been given everything he needs from his background with his father. People in his community resent him (and/because of Macon) and barely communicate with him as they disregard any emotional struggles he may have, just as people receiving milk from a milkman must have had only short, arbitrary encounters.
Macon	Macon Dead Jr., as the father of Milkman, is devoted to his work in real estate and is obsessed with being wealthy. He is also into the idea of portraying himself as a role model/pioneer to other African Americans, an example of this being that he wanted to build a black community on the beach at Honoré by selling beach houses.	Usually seen as a surname. It may be derived from “maçon” meaning marsh dweller in French. Can also be derived from the surname “Mason”, that refers to someone who was involved in the trade of stonemasonry (which is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using - you guessed it!- stone).	Because Macon derives from mason (one who works with stone), it is not a coincidence that Macon is quite a stone-hearted person when it comes to being sympathetic about mortgage payments or whenever someone crosses him. Additionally, he seems to have a drilling effect on people where he makes them believe/do what he believes/do (Ruth melts in subordinance to his aggressive behavior, Lena and Corinthians accept when he hit Ruth), similar to how stonemasons carve sculptures until they are just how they want them to be.
Ruth	Ruth is the mother of Milkman. She has much emotional baggage, as she had only one person who she believed cared about her - her father. She is submissive towards Macon, who goes out of his way to criticize her for anything she does. However, she does stand her ground in certain situations, such as refusing to abort Milkman when Macon insisted.	Ruth was a Moabite woman and was the daughter-in-law of Naomi; they escaped the great famine of Israel by relocating to a foreign land (Ruth’s husband died during relocation). To earn a living and bring home food for her and Naomi, she worked diligently in the grain fields. Boaz, the field owner, noticed her diligence and offered her water and told her she was safe. Naomi told Ruth to lay at his feet when he was done working to thank him. Eventually, Boaz purchased Naomi’s land, acquiring both Ruth and Naomi (haha because women are pieces of property haha very cool). Boaz and Ruth got married and had a baby from whose genealogy would come Jesus Christ.	Both Ruths are very evidently persistent and submissive. Biblical Ruth had to work triple hard as anyone else on the field, because she had to provide income for herself, for Naomi, and to bring surplus of food home. Song of Solomon’s Ruth did not work, but she did have to take care of an entire household full of a husband who always criticized her and kids who didn’t stand up for her. Biblical Ruth was submissive to Boaz, shown when she knelt at his legs after he worked as if she didn’t work twice as hard as he did, and also when Boaz buys her as his property to be able to wife her. SoS Ruth is quite obviously submissive to Macon’s aggression, displayed especially when she doesn’t react to his punch.
Guitar	Guitar is Milkman’s best friend, 5 years older and many knowledge levels above him. He is driven to speak up about Civil Rights and acknowledges that even though Milkman is richer, Guitar is much more intelligible about various societal topics and social situations in general.	I’m not 100% sure how valid this is, but this is what meaning the guitar, as an instrument, has in dreams: “Our passions and desires are expressed if you see a guitar in your dreams. It is one stringed instrument that represents youth, creativity, and rebellion”.	Since a guitar is an instrument that represents youth, creativity, and rebellion, it makes sense that Guitar is so adamant about civil rights, speaking up, and being intelligent in societal issues as such. He “rebels” against the system he lives in, and though he is not young anymore (and we associate childishness with Milkman more), Guitar holds and shares his refreshing perspective on civil rights.
Pilate	Pilate is Milkman’s aunt who Macon tells Milkman not to visit. Intimidating at first, she has a soft soul. She essentially has endured the same alienation that Milkman has, being born without a belly button and living through a time of racism, living on the outskirts of town.	Pilate refers to Pontius Pilate in the Bible, who was the Roman governor of Judea. He was responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Many see him as a governor with a strong hand, but others a person who had weak judgment and was easily persuaded by the people around him. Also, Pilate is a homonym for pilot, referring to a person who /flies navigates an aircraft.	Pontius Pilate has gotten a bad rap for being the reason Jesus was crucified, and even though that reasoning is very valid it would be wrong to neglect Pontius Pilate’s vulnerability. In this way, Pilate from SoS is similar to him because people are initially intimidated by them, but they both have soft spots and a willingness to make other people happy (this might be a stretch…) However, the fact that Pilate is a homonym for pilot seems more accurate for the SoS character of Pilate. As a leader in the family, she navigates Milkman’s life by telling him much of his unknown past, more or less directing him towards his destination of knowing who he and his family really are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry

http://dreamatico.com/guitar.html