Magical Realism in SoS

I've found that the magical realism in Toni Morrison's novel Song of Solomon is much more subtle than it is in Beloved. Nonetheless, there is still a great deal of magical realism in Morrison's style of writing that plays an integral role in her messages to her readers. The most obvious magical realism in Song of Solomon is the motif of flight and wings. The concept of flying is important in the novel because it represents spiritual and physical liberation for her black characters. However, the ability to fly comes with sacrifices. When Milkman and Guitar encounter the white peacock (another moment of magical realism) in Chapter 8, Guitar exclaims, "Can't nobody fly with all that shit. You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down" (179). An example of this is Mr. Smith's suicide with his "blue silk wings" (9). Mr. Smith was never truly able to fly or achieve liberation because of the pressure behind being part of the Seven Days. Another example of magical realism in the novel is Pilate; her lack of a navel, her bag of bones, and her snuff-box earring containing her name make her an important aspect to the magical realism in the novel. Pilate, although a somewhat bizarre character, serves as a foil for Milkman's character because she opens his mind to spirituality instead of materialism.