Song of Solomon Ch.5

A key episode presented in the fifth chapter of Toni Morrison's work Song of Solomon goes back to Hagar's attempt to kill Milkman, and the reaction of both Hagar and Ruth to that event. The two women appear dependent on someone else, not physically, but rather mentally. For example, Hagar decides to murder Milkman as a revenge for his own actions. However, her feelings for him do not let her commit the crime. "Awed (even in the midst of her anger) by the very presence of her victim, she trembled violently and her knife thrusts and hammer swings and ice-pick jabs were clumsy" (Morrison 129). Thus, Hagar appears so emotionally dependent on Milkman, that she is unable to conduct her plan upon noticing him.

Other than Hagar's weakness due to Milkman's influence on her, Ruth also appears weak when confronting her son. Again, love is involved as a reason for her behavior. However, the fact that Milkman represents Ruth's moral triumph over Macon Jr. plays a role of rather greater importance when analysing the causes for Ruth's attitude towards her son. Toni Morrison comments, "Her son had never been a person to her, a separate real person. He had always been a passion. Because she had been so depserate to lie with her husband and have another baby by him, the son she bore was first off a wished-for bond between herself and Macon, something to hold them together and reinstate their sex lives" (Morrison 131). This episode comes to show that Ruth's love for her son not only as love for a child, but also as love for an abstract idea, which facilitated her life so far. In conclusion, both women exhibit weakness in terms of depending on an outside person; still, Hagar feels rather obsessed by Milkman as a person, while his mother Ruth worships the abstract concept of Milkman - a notion that helped her marriage and gave sense to her life as a whole.

The lyrics of Red Hot Chili Peppers' song given below relate to the idea of the savior that Milkman appears to be for both Ruth and Hagar. although his character could not be a perfect role model, the two women appear dependent on him. Thus, the very title of the song fits into the understanding of Milkman's role in his family, namely that of a savior. In fact, Milkman is the person who gives meaking to their lives, inspires them to advance in life, and losing him might cause each of them an identity loss. Therefore, Ruth and Hagar need him for a rather selfish act, namely for their own survival and self-preservation in the world.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - SAVIOR
Dusting off your savior
You were always my favorite
Always my man - all in a hand
To celebrate you is greater
Now that I can - always my man
Now you see what I came for
No one here is to blame for
Misunderstand - all in a hand
Just like you cause you made me
All that I am - all in a hand
A butterfly that flaps its wings
Affecting almost everything
The more I hear the orchestra
The more I have something to bring
And now I see you in a beautiful
And different light
He's just a man and any damage done
Will be all right
Call out my name
Call and I came
Dusting off your savior
Forgiving any behavior
Hes just a man - all in a hand
Your hero's destined to waver
Anyone can - always my man
I would never betray you
Look at me who could raise you
Face in the sand - safe in your hand
You were always my favorite
Always my man - all in a hand
We are the red hots and
Were loving up the love me nots
The flowers in your flower pots
Are dancing on the table tops
And now I see you in a beautiful
And different light
He's just a man and everything he does
Will be all right
Call out my name
Call and I came
Dusting off your savior
The life that you have narrated
You were my man