3rd Period - Extra Credit - Song of Solomon

Chapter 2

A. Please re-read chapter 2 (pages 31-55), and respond to any of the following:

At the end of the chapter, Macon Dead tells his son, “Pilate can’t teach you a thing you can use in this world.  Maybe the next, but not this one.  Let me tell you right now the one important thing you’ll ever need to know: Own things.  And let the things you own own other things.  Then you’ll own yourself and other people too” (55).

1) What do you make of Macon’s advice for Milkman?  Is it good advice?  Why?  Do you trust what Macon has to say about Pilate?  How is this idea of “owning things” potentially problematic?

2) To answer these questions, I’d like you to consider the contrast between Macon Dead’s personality, values, and relationship with the community (and family) and Pilate’s personality, values, and relationship with community.  What “lessons” do they each teach Milkman?  Has Milkman already learned something important from his first mature interaction with Pilate? What might he have learned then, had he been more self aware?

3) How does this resonate with you after a 2^nd reading?

Be thorough and complete in your response.