Names

Song of Solomon, sounds like a religious book but it is about an African American men living in Michigan from birth to adulthood. I am in no way taking out the fact that there are a religious characteristics within the book, but it is not the main topic. The truth is Solomon in the bible is the king of Israel and the son of David. He plays a major part in a story in the Hebrew Bible called Judgment of Solomon. In this story two women came before him to decide who was the real mother of a baby, he suggested to divide the child in two with a sword. One of the woman said she'd rather give the baby up that to divide him, that's how Solomon declared that woman the true mother.

You might wonder why I told you a story about the Bible, but theres a reason for my doings.  In the very beginning of the book there is a scene in which Ruth gave birth to his baby boy, being the first colored expectant mother allowed in the "No Mercy Hospital." I still don't have a clear purpose for the title of the book, but the birth of this boy also known as Milkman Dead. Clearly there is a connection between the story of dividing a child, and the birth of a child that in a way made history in an unnamed Michigan town. Also the name Ruth is biblical name, an according to my best friend Wikipedia she was "Moabites". Morrison, the author of the book, clearly has a purpose by choosing this names so related with the bible and a certain significance to it.