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Song of Solomon By Toni Morrison Short Paper water symbolism excerpts
A significant passage in Song of Solomon that involves water is the scene in chapter two when Milkman pees on Magdalene while their father, Macon Dead is driving his family in his Packard to the lake to look at summer homes for his job.
The scene in Morrison’s Song of Solomon when Milkman pees on Magdalene, represents the power he possesses over the females in his family. Even at a young age, Morrison shows that Milkman eludes control over his sisters. In chapter six, Magdalene refers back to when Milkman peed on her, how she picked flowers, which Milkman had also peed on when he wet her and how the flowers turned into a maple tree after she planted the flowers in the front yard. This is significant because as Milkman got older and seemingly more powerful, the maple tree begins to die.
Magdalene further states, “After you peed on me, I wanted to kill you” (Morrison 213). Right before Magdalene ends her conversation with Milkman, she says, “I don’t make roses anymore, and you have pissed your last in this house” (Morrison 216). By this, she means that she has grown up and will no longer let him disregard her, their sister and their mother again. The significance of the maple tree dying also shows that Milkman’s time is up and he will no longer be able to exert his male power over his family and get away with it. Magdalene is able to find strength and say how much she despises her brother because of his attitude and he will never be allowed to pee on her again.
Morrison is able to use water to signify a source of power and demonstrate how Milkman uses his dominance and how Magdalene will no longer accept how he treats her, Corinthians, or their mother.