"Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

I really feel the need to apologize to my readers. Please don't think that I have just neglected blogging. When I start something, I stick to it, unless it just doesn't work. So, here's what's been going on:

It's been a little over a month since school has started back, and life has really picked up for me. No more early morning workouts, naps during the day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner whenever I feel like it. I am back on a schedule.

I am still doing ridiculously, difficult workouts with the greatest trainer in the world, Berhane, working out on my own when I'm not working out with him, meeting friends out, reading for pleasure, and doing LOTS of reading for school.

I have been reading my students' writing to assess where I need to start and where I need to take them. Today, I read so many thesis statements until I finally told the students, "My brain is tired, and I can not read another one." They laughed, but of course, they still wanted me to read just one more.

I have been reading lots of short stories including "Thank You M'am" by Langston Hughes, "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier, "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones, "The Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and many, many more. I have also been reading The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which I must say is going really well; the students really love this book. We are having interesting discussions, and this book is also generating some great writings from my students.

However, the book that has consumed most of my time is Song of Solomon by one of my all time favorite writers, Toni Morrison. I am starting the discussion of this book with my students tomorrow. So, I had to read it AGAIN (This makes the umpteenth time) so that I can have a fresh perspective of the discussions.

With Song of Solomon, Morrison has strung together so many different stories in a way that is very intriguing. The names of the characters is enough to stimulate nine weeks of discussions: Ruth, Milkman, Pilate, Hagar, Empire State, Macon Dead, First Corinthians, Guitar, Saul etc. If you notice, the names of many of the characters are taken from the Bible, and most of the characters are related to their name in some way.

I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite passages from Song of Solomon:

"You think because he doesn't love you that you are worthless. You think that because he doesn't want you anymore that he is right -- that his judgement and opinion of you are correct. If he throws you out, then you are garbage. You think he belongs to you because you want to belong to him. Don't. It's a bad word, 'belong.' Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn't be like that. Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see the mountain for the clouds. But you know what? You go up top and what do you see? His head. The clouds never cover the head. His head pokes through, because the clouds let him; they don't wrap him up. They let him keep his head up high, free, with nothing to hide him or bind him. You can't own a human being. You can't lose what you don't own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You don't, do you? And neither does he. You're turning over your whole life to him. Your whole life, girl. And if it means so little to you that you can just give it away, hand it to him, then why should it mean any more to him? He can't value you more than you value yourself.” 

Toni Morrison is DEEP, DEEP, DEEP! WOW!!!!!!!!

If you have not read Song of Solomon, I recommend that you pick it up tomorrow or download it RIGHT NOW! But listen, this is one of those books that makes a person think, so you can't read this book while you watch television; it requires undivided attention.

But, believe me, it's so worth it!

Happy Reading!!!!!!