Apparition Appearance

The theme of the supernatural has been present throughout Toni Morrison's works. From the ghost of Beloved haunting Sethe in Beloved to the persistence of apparitions in Song of Solomon, Morrison's preoccupation with the supernatural has permeated the pages of her prolific prose collection. The use of the supernatural evokes emotion among audience members along with a sense of fantasy. As a literary tool, apparitions are used to emphasis character traits and to build complex characters. That certain characters are haunted while others are not evidences the fact that seeing ghosts is a particular trait. Ghosts can cause fear as much as they cause comfort and evoke memories of relationships with other characters. The use of ghosts in Song of Solomon also presents Morrison's possible interest in the divine. Ultimately, the common presence of ghosts in Morrison's fiction allows the author to involve a unique aspect in her story telling, creating an engaging novel.

The apparitions of father figures observed by Pilate and Ruth are major scenes involving the supernatural. Here, Morrison uses ghosts to reveal clues about the characters and to lead characters to do what it is that they need to do. Ghosts serve as guides for the characters. The ghost of Pilate's father appears in the cave just after the father's death. At the time, Pilate and Macon II fear that they have murdered a man. The appearance of the apparition is eerie, leading the characters to feel uncomfortable and exhibit signs of fear. The ghostly father does not speak. His silence emphasizes his ominous presence, instilling even more fear. After learning that the father's body was found outside of its grave after the death, the appearance of the apparition seems to be a clue representing the disturbance of the body. Later, the ghost tells Pilate to get the body from the cave. In this moment, the ghost is encouraging Pilate to have the body returned home. Submitting to the wishes of the ghost, Pilate is able to serve her father and do what he wishes and remove her father from the cave.

In another interaction with the ghost, Pilate's misunderstanding leads her to discover information about her family's past. Pilate thinks that the spirit is ordering her to sing, but in actuality, the ghost is calling out for his wife- whose name is Sing. At the time Pilate was unaware of her mother's name, but after conversing with Milkman about her interactions with the ghost, she is able to gain insight to her family's history. In this way, Morrison's use of the supernatural allows for discovery. Pilate's ghostly encounters fuel her uncovering of her ancestry. Here the apparition serves as a means of revelation for the character Pilate.

Milkman never encounters Macon I's spirit, but the appearance of his grandfather in ghost form impacts him. Had Pilate not shared the stories of her interactions with the spirit, Milkman never would have been able to collect the necessary information to compile a more complete family tree. Once Milkman understands his ancestry, he is able to present the information to Pilate and thus able to explain the appearance of the apparitions. Building off the ghost's wishes, Milkman confirms that it is best for the body to be buried elsewhere�€"at home, near Lincoln's Heaven. It seems the exhumation of the body caused the apparitions to begin with. Although Milkman did not witness the spirit directly, the