Pilate's Influence of Milkman's Life and Death
While the ambiguity and mythical aspects of the last scene are remarkable, the final interaction between Milkman and Pilate sticks out to me. Pilate is the only one in Milkman’s family who strayed from societal and familial expectations. I believe her unique identity encouraged Milkman to eventually seek individuality and pursue his family history. The final scene conveys the significance of their connection and reappearances in each other's lives.
Pilate constantly appears in Milkman’s life. She is present even before his birth, when she comforts Ruth and tells her, “Don’t take no more mess off Macon and don’t ram another thing up your womb” (Morrison 132). Her moment with Ruth foreshadows a significant influence of her nephew's life. However, after Milkman’s birth, Pilate does not see him until Guitar reconnects them. When introducing Guitar to readers, Morrison writes, “The boy who not only could liberate him, but could take him to the woman who had as much to do with his future as she had his past” (36). Without their reconnection, Pilate would not have been able to influence his journey of finding an individual identity and family history. Milkman would not have seen the bag of "inheritance" that sparked his journey if he did not spend time at her house throughout his childhood. He may have not been as curious about his family history without growing up seeing Pilate’s differences from his immediate relatives.
Milkman being the last person Pilate interacts with before she dies also signifies their meaningful connection. Milkman does not have much respect for many of the women in his life, such as Ruth and his sisters. However, Morrison makes it clear that he respects Pilate and often thinks of her during his journey. Milkman seems emotionless throughout the novel, but the last scene conveys his sense of passion and care for her. Morrison writes, “Now he knew why he loved her so. Without ever leaving the ground, she could fly. ‘There must be another one like you,’ he whispered to her”(336). His words signify his love and respect for Pilate. Her freedom throughout her life inspires him, as he wants more than anything to be free from his constricted environment. I believe Pilate’s unique identity and place in Milkman’s family encourages him to seek his own identity and learn about his ancestral history. Her reappearances in Milkman’s journey spark the possibility of him eventually breaking from the expectations of his parents and seeking a different path. The final scene conveys Pilate's influence of Milkman's finding of freedom in his leap. She influences his life from before he was even born to the destination of his journey.
Compared to the other women in the book, Milkman's perception of Pilate is consistently positive. He shows a lot of indifference towards his sisters, he almost never speaks of Reba, and his feelings about Ruth shifts from indifference to hatred. Hagar played an important role in his life, but many of his positive descriptions of Hagar are about her physical appearance. With Pilate, Milkman is always fascinated by her, and he shows respect for her. Great post!
ReplyDeletePilate is probably my favorite character in the book. Despite what Macon thinks of her, she's the wisest and most likable character. She definitely has a lot of influence on Milkman and comes across like a supernatural kind of guide in his hero's journey arc. Great post!
ReplyDeleteMilkman looks up to Pilate in so many ways, and just by being herself, she pushes Milkman to grow as a person. Oftentimes, it's because Milkman feels ashamed of his actions in comparison to Pilate's. Every time he attempts to make his own decisions and be independent, it usually doesn't go well. But then he says Pilate, so effortlessly strong and passionate, carrying herself the way he wishes he could. Love this post!
ReplyDeleteYou're right that Pilate "influences his journey," even though (ironically) it is initially still the desire to find and steal "her" gold that inspires Milkman to fly to Pa. in the first place. But in a sense, she implicitly sends him on a "mission" to uncover the concealed history of their family, and a crucial moment in their reuinion (after she righteously clocks him over the head with a bottle because of Hagar) is when he's so excited to tell her that she's been carrying her father's bones all these years, or that their ancestors could fly. This stuff he has uncovered is so exciting and pure in the way he can't wait to share it with her, and it really is incredible how much he is able to uncover by "following her tracks" all the way to Virginia. There's a "full circle" dynamic here, as the song she sings in the opening scene of the book turns out to be literally ABOUT her own grandfather and father without her knowing it. Milkman is able to fill in the blanks.
ReplyDeleteThis post goes to show how good of a person Pilate is. She's always acting out of love for Milkman, and I dont think Milkman realizes this until the end. This post really helped me see how Pilate influenced Milkman. I love how she guides Milkman all the way up until the end.
ReplyDeleteI think another moment that makes Milkman respect Pilate even more was when she bailed him and Guitar out of jail. He felt ashamed for putting her in a position to act more submissive to the white officers. If it were some other woman like Ruth or his sisters I don't think he'd have the same reaction. Her acting also amplifies how strong and resilient she is in her natural state which Milkman admires.
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