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After FINALY finishing both books and reading your comments... thanks to those of you unlike me who blogged during the summer and asked the questions I'm sure we all had while reading, especially during Song of Solomon.

I would like to say that I really enjoyed the story structure they both had. The divided plot line confused me at first where the authors would mention something that was not yet explained (finger sucking SOS/Smokey the Bear MBW), but both had a way of giving the reader the background later on where you would get that whole "ohh" moment. I hadn't really read any books with that type of structure so predominant throughout the story. Good exposure.

I loved the character names in Song of Solomon and the whole overall theme of Milkman trying to fly and learning to find his place. I'm interested in finding out what you all thought of the symbols of the character names, and what the people represented as well as their motives. Why did Guitar change so much in the end, or was he just the same as before? Milkman's sisters Lena and First Corinthians still child like in their forties, Hagar's deadly affection for Milkman, Macon and Ruth's relationship/early courtship, and Pilate's navel. Morrison's character development lost me a little bit when she skipped through Milkman's life at times and there were other parts that left me confused (the whole killing of the man in the cave, the bag of bones, gold mystery). We'll talk in class.

Both authors were such descriptors!

John Nichols described some aspects well (the coyote, the dusty Milagro town) but it took me a while to understand his characters names/nicknames that were often too similar. I loved poor Herbie and the arm of Onofre. where did that come from? Nichols definitely had some OConnor-type characters. The whole Beanfield War got monotonous for me at times and I have lots of questions for you guys, but overall the story had some elements that interested me: Old vs. New, Race issues (as did Morrison of course), and the different characters' interpretations of life and value. What did the Beanfield actually represent?
Okay but the whole "Ai, Chihuahua" thing bugged me after the first couple of times, "que no?"

See you guys tomorrow
sorry sheehy for my lame procrastination on the blog