Biblical Names in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon Anonymous College

The use of Biblical names in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon signals the growth of the protagonist from an isolated child-like man into a fully realized human being who has taken a place in the history of his family and by extension his people. In the final chapters when Milkman Dead learns his origins, the book becomes reminiscent of both Biblical genealogy records and Alex Haley’s book Roots which had become a watershed event in African American history, inspiring many to trace their family trees. When the Bible puts forth a list of ancestors and descendants, it is not just putting forth names. It is preserving the power of names in creating a non-destructive cultural identity. In the story of Exodus, the Hebrew slaves are not just slaves to be freed. They are descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in a family dynasty grounded in a mission set forth by God. In fact, the Hebrew name for the book of Exodus is Shemot which is translated as Names due to the opening chapter concerning the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) who went down to Egypt.

The book frequently plays with names – Biblical and otherwise – often for ironic purposes. Even the title of the book is a reference to one of the most “secular” books of the Bible in...