Milkman's Long Term Thinking

As the drunkard fell asleep with a shotgun in his arms and a fist full of money:

"Go get my money," Macon said.
"Me?" Freddie said. "Suppose he..."
"Go get me my money."

Milkman's worst nightmare is to become like his father; concerned about money and neglecting the people close to him. However, as we discussed in class on 12/12/13, Milkman is sort of becoming his father by pursuing the gold in a cave near Danville. However, I think there is another motive for Milkman to get the gold, apart from gaining financial independence from his father or finding a goal to excel at for once or just physically getting away from home: Proving to everyone that he can get rich, fast, without wasting his life being stingy like his father.

Milkman has been described by Guitar as being "not a serious person" (Morrison 104). Milkman becomes very resigned when Lena scolds him at the end of Part I, and doesn't argue back very much. I see this as a sign of laziness on his part, an unwillingness to put himself out there and make a path for himself. By stealing gold, Milkman won't need to worry about choosing a career, or keeping up Sonny's Shop with his father and eventually himself.

Going out to Danville would seem like a daunting task for someone as lazy as Milkman. Finding Reverend Cooper, hitching a ride to and from the Butler farm, and trekking through a rough wilderness seems like too much work. But in comparison to working at Sonny's Shop for the rest of his life, or making an honest living doing some other job, a few days of rough travel is a great trade-off.

Perhaps this is a sign that Milkman's mind is maturing into that of an adult. He's making choices that have long term benefits even if they are unpleasant at the moment. And yet, at the same time, Milkman is following in his father's footsteps, even though he is trying to one-up his father.

Realizing the Epigraph

The fathers may soar, 
And the children may know their names

Addressing the first part of this epigraph, The fathers may soar, apart from Macon I being blasted five feet of the fence defending his property, we see this in Chapter 8. Milkman spots a white peacock on the roof of the Neslon Buick headquarters. At first, Milkman is talking to Guitar about robbing Pilate, but this catches his attention instead. " "Look—she's flying down." Milkman felt again his unrestrained joy at anything that could fly. "Some jive flying, but look at her strut." (Morrison 178).

I was a bit confused as to why a male peacock was flying, but Milkman described it as "jive flying", and jive, when used as an adjective, means deceitful or worthless. I'm guessing the peacock did some sort of glide down to the ground.

Then Milkman asks a question about the white peacock that is asking a question about himself and his father:

                "How come it can't fly no better than a chicken?" Milkman asked.

                "Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down." 

Guitar's answer brings to the surface one of the biggest problems about the Dead household. Macon II, Milkman's father, is so concerned about his money and property that he is rendered immobile, and to an extent makes Milkman immobile as well. Macon doesn't want Milkman to leave him, and wants him to stay and help with the real estate business.

The second part of the epigraph, And the children may know their names, is addressed in Chapter 9 by First Corinthians. After she snapped at Porter, and while she is desperately knocking on Porter's car window, she realizes who she is in terms of names:

                 "She was First Corinthians Dead, daughter of a wealthy property owner and the elegant Ruth Foster, granddaughter of the magnificent and worshipped Dr. Foster, who had been the second man in the city to have a two-horse carriage, and a woman who had turned heads on every deck of the Queen Mary and had Frenchmen salivating all over Paris." (Morrison 197). 

As far as titles go, First Corinthians Dead and Macon Dead III have great opportunities open for them. However, by the way they're raised by an oppressive father and weak mother, they can't really use these names to any great effect.