S.O.S: Complex Love

Of course, we all know that love in Song of Slomon dominates the whole book. But when people refer to love they automatically refer to Hagar and Milkman or Porter and Corinthians or whoever had sex in the book. The complexity of love in Song of Solomon not only comes from two lovers, it also comes from families, materialism, and races.

Between Ruth and her father, there is a strange, posthumus love. She has depended on him for a long time and she has loved him forever. Then there is the fervent love from Hagar to Milkman. Milkman didn't want her, so she had to sell hate. Then there is the sweet mother-daughter love between Pilate, Reba, and Hagar. Their love is so strong, so unified that they didn't need husbands to support them, except for Hagar who couldn't mature enough to understand that she did not need Milkman. Unlike all these people, Macon has love for no one. He has love for a thing. He loves money. His life revolves around money and because of his love for money, he has created hate toward his sister, Pilate. How unfortunate.

Now here is the kind of love that people can relate to. Love for your own race. The Seven Days was created in order to love black people, not to hate white people. Robert Smith, Porter, and Guitar joined the faction to love, not to hate. They wanted to give voice to black people. They wanted white people to know that they weren't going to take racism. The only thing they accepted was love.