Nick Guerrero

October 2, 2010
English 300

Song oI Solomon


Song oI Solomon by Toni Morrison deals with personal struggle between many
characters throughout the novel, however, along with the personal struggle comes racial
struggle as well. The novel takes place during a time where racial violence, prejudices,
and social classes are still well alive and established. Wars are going on between Whites
and AIrican Americans and the novel shows each character`s individual role in the
violence discussed. Among these characters is one named Guitar Baines who seems to be
angry at the world, but white people in particular due to the death oI his Iather; And it is
Guitar who I believe commits many oI the worst crimes discussed throughout the novel.
Guitar is part oI a secret society called the Seven Days which is an organization oI
seven AIrican Americans. Each member in the society is assigned a day oI the week and
is responsible Ior killing white people each time that an AIrican American is murdered
and the criminal is leIt unpunished or judged. The organization tries to make each killing
similar to the one they are avenging and also perIorm these revenge killings on the same
day oI the week. It is Guitar`s belieI that all whites are unnatural people who would
murder and pillage in the right circumstances that drive him to do what he does. The
scene in which an AIrican American church is bombed and Iour little black girls are
killed is terrible and unbelievable. 'Four colored girls had been blown out oI a church
(173, Morrison). Despite Iour little children being killed and instead oI mourning and
being the bigger men, the Seven Days Society decides to plan a bombing oI a white
church and kill Iour little white girls in order to make amends and make things 'even.


'His mission was approximate as best as he could a similar death oI Iour little white girls
some Sunday, since he was the Sunday man 173, Morrison). It is this overall scene that I
Iound to be the most horrid scene in the novel.
Though the actual retaliation bombing doesn`t happen because Guitar cannot
aIIord it, it is still horrendous to see how serious and severe matters such as these were
dealt with in the past. 'For this he needed explosives, or guns, or hand grenades. And that
would take money (173, Morrison). Though I am not saying the initial bombing was not
as serious or terrible, because it in Iact was and I cannot believe something such as this to
happen in today`s day and age; I just Ieel it is ridiculous Ior the retaliation to be the exact
same thing. For the law not to reprimand or take any legal action to try and Iind the initial
bombers is beyond belieI and I believe it is because oI this Toni Morrison decides to
present all oI these types oI violence throughout the novel.
Morrison understands the situation oI how being AIrican American is the inIerior
race in the time oI the novel. She presents racial violence, prejudices, and social classes
throughout the novel which I believe is another important theme. Morrison explains
many oI the racial acts perIormed by the KKK and whites against the AIrican American
community and also discusses the retaliations by the Seven Days and other AIrican
Americans as well to highlight how serious these times were. Guitar is the character in
which she uses to show the violent acts on the AIrican American side since he already
has a personal vendetta with the white community.