On Milkman's Cultural Identity Construction In Song Of Solomon

Since its publication, Song of Solomon is widely regarded as one of Morrison's representative works. It is also one of the distinguished novels about the African-Americans. The protagonist's identity issue has provoked intensive discussions in the critics' circle. With the development of the contemporary cultural identity theories, the protagonist identity issue can be reassessed from a new dimension. This paper is a rereading of Song of Solomon with focus on Milkman the protagonist's cultural identity. Through textual analysis, this paper mainly seeks support from Stuart Hall's cultural identity theories and Erik Erikson's argument on adolescence identity. This paper aims to reveal that by depicting the successful construction of the protagonist's cultural identity, the author attempts to work out a new way for the Afro-Americans in the modern American society: comprehending the blacks' past and inheriting traditional culture.