7 - The Macon Family

The storyline of The Song of Solomon revolves around the dead family, a certainly peculiar family with strange history, mainly revolving around Macon Dead II, as he controls his family to something skin to the slave plantations that has preceded him, mainly due to his father being a product of slavery, making his concept of fatherhood similar to such institutions 

In the family, Macon acts as the head of the household, being the one who makes money off rent, while Ruth is left to be confined in the household of her father, being the one who raises the kids. This has some similarities with American slavery, as the ban of slave imports during the 19th century created a system where women are emphasized to have children. Macon dead also likes to have control his of children in order to assist him in his business plans. Milkman is shown to be a helpful arm in his scheme, which contrasts with Ruth’s ideal vision of Milkman going to college or another higher education (although Lena and Corinthians do indeed go to college). 

Macon also holds an attitude of social Darwinism, such as when he refuses to give Mrs. Bains an extension to pay her rent, only replying with the due date, “Saturday.” Such an expression may be a lesson on how not to die like his father, or it could go back further to the days of slavery, where slave  owners emphasized a brutality in order to maximize profits from their slaves. Nevertheless, the Macon family is still a product of American slavery, even if the peculiar institution has been violently disbanded 70 years ago. 

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