One of the things that I first noticed when reading and talking about this book is that Macon shares the same name with another character which most likely many of you have also seen and either noticed as well or didn't: Macon Dead of the book Song of Solomon, a reading from last semester's 20th Century Novel.
Macon Dead (or Milkman, as I will call him to distinguish) is similar to Macon Detornay in that they both take physical journeys throughout their books. While Milkman's journey is much longer than Macon's, they both share some interesting characteristics. For example, they both came out of more privileged scenarios: Macon is white and Milkman was rich. They also, while trying to live in and amongst the black people around them, got into trouble that forced them to jump ship. For Milkman, this was just many piling issues with family and girlfriends trying to murder him and an overall increasing sense of his own worth over the others. For Macon, this was the ensuing race riot after his failed attempt to host a Day of Apology.
For both of them, as they adventure out on this journey away from it all, they both change their views on everything around them. While Milkman's change is more stark and consists of more of the book, his is still genuine and represents a more "coming of age" type story, with also many different hero narrative aspects as well. Macon's story is right up near the end, and while I haven't finished the book yet, there is already a sense where Macon is realizing everything he did was insane, and starts to change, though his change is probably not constructive.
One thing is certain though. They both have a greater sense of the black community around them. Milkman certainly turns to see those around him as more equals, without the shadow of his father always on him to distort that, and Macon comes to terms with the way that whites and blacks "deal" with each other, like Dr. Donner describes their relationship, for better or for worse. They both have a very similar arc of mind over a similar topic, despite being very different in many other ways.
I haven't read "The Song of Solomon" yet, but from your description, Macon D. and Macon M. do resemble each other. While my opinions on Macon D. aren't very high, I would say that he does go this realization phase after he had met Dr. Donner. I do wish that we get to see more of Macon's transformation into a heroic role a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteI'd been thinking of the similarities in the names throughout reading Angry Black White Boy, but I hadn't really delved into the specifics. Between the two characters though, I'd have to say that Milkman turned out more heroic.
ReplyDeleteI also got the chance to read Song of Solomon in 20th Century Novel. I'll admit that I didn't initially make the comparison, but now that I see it, it seems super interesting. While they both deal broadly with race, they're coming at it from two entirely different circumstances, perspectives, and ideas, so it makes for an interesting contrast.
ReplyDeleteOne further connection between them--and this might solidify the suspicion that Mansbach is consciously alluding to Morrison's character--is that both Macons derive their names from geographic references: Macon Detornay because, allegedly, he was conceived while his parents were traveling through Macon County, Georgia; and Macon Dead I (the namesake for Macon II and Milkman) gets his name erroneously applied by a drunk Union soldier after the Civil War, when he's migrating North and the guy enters his place of birth under "name." So they're both born and raised in the North, but named after the South, and both of their journeys ultimately lead them into the South where they die a symbolic and potentially martyr's death. Cool connections!
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