Chapter 4 - A Christmas Present

Had I read chapter four of Song of Solomon an year earlier, I would not be looking at it the way I am now. It was only this year that I did Christmas shopping on my own. My first experience of choosing so many different gifts which to suit the various tastes of my friends. A time-consuimg, yet, rewarding experience. Because I found it so enjoyable, I thought it is probably the almost same way for everyone who wants to buy a gift. Maybe they would simply go about it less enthusiastically than I did, and that is perfectly fine as far as I am concerned. However, Milkman's attitude is truly appalling. Now that I think about it, I remember a discussion in class right after the Christmas vacation about how we had each spent the holidays. Quite a few people said they do not celebrate the gift giving tradition, because it does not seem appropriate to buy off all of one's mistakes with a single present. When I also take into account their view point, it makes me even more angry at Milkman and his apathy. A gift should never be chosen in such a mechanized way just for the sake of gift giving, because once properly selected, it can hold enormous personal meaning.

Although, this makes me wonder why Milkman acts in such a way. Perhaps the key to understanding this lies in the very first paragraph of chapter four: „No activity seemed worth the doing, no conversation worth having. The fluttery preparations at home seemed fake and dingy.” One possible interpretation of Milkman's attitude is that he is striving to be less and less like his father. While doing so, he is able to distance himself from the recurring pattern in his house. This also relates to the theme of flight in the book, because the character is able to escape from his troubles. Furthermore, he starts to differ not jsut from his father but also from everyone else as is implied on page 106: „He remembered that long-ago evening after he hit his father how everybody was crammed on one side of the street, going in the direction he was coming from.” However, Milkman cannot erase the impact of his childhood life.

In a sense, Macon Dead Junior is slightly similar to his father. Just as Macon Dead tells his son to own people by owning property, Junior is indirectly controlling Hagar through his gifts to her, and his decision to cut off their relationship by giving cash as a present sends her running „out into the streets to find Milkman Dead.” Milkman also resembles Macon Dead Senior in his affinty for looks: „He would buy her something for Christmas, of course, something nice ro remember him by”. Above all, the use of the phrases „of course” and „something nice” are what expose this side of the character's personality.