Song of Solomon: Final Review

Tony Morrison really likes to open a novel in an oddly way; as in Beloved, so is in Song of Solomon. It is opened with a suicide letter from an insurance agent, who announced that he will fly from the hospital top on certain date and hour. ‘Why?’ I instantly asked myself. And my question remained unanswered through almost the whole story. The insurance agent turns out not to be the main character either. He only serves as a symbol. The center of the story is about Macon ‘Milkman’ Dead and his people.

It was on the day of the insurance agent’s suicide, that Milkman was born. He was born in the richest black family in the town; his father was in property business, while his mother was a daughter of a respectable doctor. While he was growing up, little by little the dark secrets of the family were revealed. The ugly truths disturbed Milkman; he felt that he did not have freedom. His father—who wanted to kill him before he was born—now wanted him to help him in business. His mother has used him as a boy to amuse herself. Hagar wanted to have his life because she could not get his love. Even his name he got from someone else’s faults. He felt that everything is a mess, no one lived normally within his family and his people. He was weary of all that and wanted to leave everything behind but had no power to do that as he did not have money.

While Milkman was searching the value of his life, Guitar—his best friend since childhood—was getting weird. He became too serious and was obsessed with racial issues. Milkman found out later that he has joined a society called Seven Days, whose aim was to kill white people as many as they have killed the blacks. Guitar believed that by holding up the population of the whites, they would have less power to oppress the blacks. So, both Milkman and Guitar were finding their own way to escape the crushed world they were now living.

Since Milkman has been living quite comfortably, he did not get as desperate as Guitar. His father asked him to trace the sack of gold of his, which he suspected has been stolen by his sister Pilate. This mission finally led Milkman not to the gold, but to the true history of his ancestors. From a children’s song he learned the story of Solomon, his great grandfather, a great Negro who was praised by his people because he managed to ‘fly’. And so Milkman was inspired by Solomon; if his great grandfather could ‘fly’, so could he.

It was only when I was in the last chapter, that I realized what Morrison has been fussing about the ‘fly’. First the fly of the insurance agent in the opening, then Solomon’s fly. And people here don’t feel it strange that a human can fly; instead, they praised Solomon for succeeding in flying, although by doing that he ought to leave his wife grieving. Milkman too was overjoyed of his great grandfather’s achievement. And so I began to think that the ‘fly’ here might means the efforts to leave their present depressing situation to a brighter future. Morrison encourages us that to keep hoping and thinking positively, that someday you might see the chance to fly away.

This is my second Toni Morrison, and I still enjoyed it. Unlike Beloved that is quite shocking, Song of Solomon feels like reading an adventure novel. The plot flows nicely, although Morrison keeps starting chapters from the middle of an event, and while we are asking what it is all about, she throws the clues here and there, until at one point the whole event is revealed.

Four stars for Song of Solomon, and I think I might read Morrison other novels in the future.

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*I read Signet edition*

*This book is counted as:*

22^nd book for What's In a Name Reading Challenge 2013

11^th book for Back To The Classics 2013

62^nd book for The Classics Club Project

Beloved by Toni Morrison

This is a bitter, powerful, yet beautiful novel about slavery in the South of America around the end of Civil War, or in the Reconstruction era. Beloved portrayed a devotional love of a mother towards her children which—when the worst, unthinkable terrifying situation was approaching—lead her to kill her daughter. Wait, do you mean she really killed her own daughter? How can you call that love? What kind of love is that—killing your own child? I know, before getting into the whole story, you will call it insanity, but wait until you finish it, you will understand why I could not condemn Sethe for committing such a cruel thing to her beloved daughter—whom she later did name Beloved.

Sethe had been through a lot of hard times during her slavery. Throughout the novel Morrison took us to see how white people had ill treated their slaves. Not only they tortured their slaves and took away their freedom, Beloved distinctly pictured how they dehumanized the slaves; so much that the slaves were even scared to love; that their definition of freedom was as simple as to be able to love and to have desires.

“To get to a place where you could love anything you chose—not to need permission for desire—well, now, that was freedom.”

The situation of Baby Suggs, when she was freed by her son, is more than sufficient to reflect what the slaves lost their entire lives. Baby Suggs and few of other characters in this book was fortunate to at last had freedom. But what about them who had lived their entire lives as slaves? And once they were free at last, how would they leave the dark past behind and take steps to the future?

And what Sethe must have endured here was so great—and I won’t write it down here explicitly, it was something you need to feel yourself—that she was determined to not let her children through the same path, ever. Morrison takes us to judge Sethe’s choice through other central characters—but mostly through Beloved, the victim.

Beloved is not an easy reading. Morrison takes us back and forth almost without any particular notice; through each character’s memory and point of view, the whole story is slowly and painfully revealed. It’s a bit strange and confusing at first, but you will get more familiar after few chapters.

I have read somewhere on the internet that Morrison based the story on a true account of a slave mother killing her children rather than having them be returned to slavery under the Fugitive Slave Act, so that they wouldn’t suffer being killed in another way. I don’t know whether it’s accurate or not, but one thing is sure: there is no greater thing in the universe, than love. Sethe killed her daughter not because she didn’t love her, but because she had never felt any kind of love most of her own life; and now—when she was finally able to love after so much sufferings—she would never give anybody a chance to take her children and let them suffer as she had.

Ah….I have tried so hard to picture my feeling through this review, but I guess I can never tell you how powerful this book had affected me and made me re-shape my definition of love. I will only close this review with an emotional dialog that will reflect the desperation and powerlessness of the slaves….

“Tell me something, Stamp,” Paul D’s eyes were rheumy.
“Tell me this one thing. How much is a nigger supposed to take? Tell me. How much?”
“All he can, said Stamp Paid. “All he can.”
“Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?”

:(

Five stars for Beloved. And special thanks to Nishita, whose review made me want to read this book, and to Joon Ann and Listra who were reading this book with me...

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Toni Morrison is an American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and Beloved (won Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988).

Born as Chloe Adelia Wofford in February 18, 1931 from a work class family, Morrison grew up as a fervent reader; Austen and Tolstoy were among her reading list. She married a Harold Morrison in 1958, but divorced in 1964. She wrote a short story about a girl who longed to have blue eyes, and the story later on developed into her first novel: The Bluest Eye (1970), which she wrote while raising two children and teaching at Howard University.

Beloved (1987) was her fourth novel and brought her to success. Not only Pulitzer, it also won American Book Award. In May 2006 The New York Times Book Review named Beloved the best American novel published in the previous twenty-five years. In 1993 Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her citation reads: Toni Morrison, "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality." She is currently the last American to have been awarded the honor. In addition to her novels, Morrison has also co-written books for children with her younger son, Slade Morrison. Toni Morrison is currently a member of the editorial board of The Nation magazine.

[all from Wikipedia]

Love in the Time of Cholera

Oprah Winfrey mengatakan bahwa buku ini adalah “One of the greatest love stories I have ever read, it is so beautifully written.” Maaf Oprah, kali ini aku tak setuju. Kalau yang anda maksud adalah kisah cinta antara Florentino Ariza si pecundang itu—begitu ia kujuluki—dengan Fermina Daza, menurutku cinta mereka sama sekali bukan cinta sejati. Baik, mari kutunjukkan mengapa aku tak setuju dengan anda.

Florentino Ariza adalah anak tidak sah seorang pemilik perusahaan pelayaran di perairan Karibia. Tak diakui oleh ayahnya, ia hidup bersama ibunya dalam kemiskinan. Jujur saja, tak ada satupun sisi positif yang bisa kutemukan pada pria ini. Pemimpi, lemah, terlalu terobsesi pada cinta, tapi juga sex-addicted. Florentino boleh dikatakan jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama pada seorang gadis dari keluarga berada yang saat itu masih berusia tigabelas tahun: Fermina Daza. Fermina adalah putri Lorenzo Daza, pengusaha ternama di kotanya. Florentino yang bekerja di kantor telegram, pada suatu hari harus mengantar telegram ke rumah Lorenzo Daza. Saat itulah ia melihat sosok Fermina, dan panah cinta pun langsung tertancap di hatinya.

Karena Florentino pria yang tak percaya diri—wajar saja dengan penampilannya yang lusuh seperti orang tua itu—ia merasa minder. Alih-alih mendekati langsung, Florentino memilih cara memperhatikan dari jauh. Setiap hari pada jam tertentu ia duduk di bangku taman Park of the Avengels di bawah bayangan pohon almond, sambil berpura-pura asyik membaca buku. Melihat Fermina Daza melewati bangku itu ketika berjalan pergi-pulang sekolah dikawal oleh bibinya, merupakan pemandangan yang menyejukkan hati Florentino muda. Florentino yang memang berjiwa puitis mulai menulis sepucuk surat, tanpa tahu bagaimana cara menyampaikannya—karena ia menyadari bahwa hubungan mereka tak mungkin dijalani karena perbedaan kelas sosial.

Selama berbulan-bulan hal itu berlangsung, hingga suatu hari Florentino memiliki keberanian bertemu dengan Fermina. Pertemuan yang amat singkat, sama sekali tak dapat disebut berpacaran. Selama penantian Florentino menunggu “panggilan” Fermina, ia sempat jatuh sakit. Karena saat itu Kolumbia sedang berjangkit epidemi kolera, tak heran bila dokter yang memeriksa Florentino mengira pemuda itu terkena kolera. Ibunya saja yang yakin bahwa penyakit yang diderita putranya adalah penyakit cinta!

Fermina dan Florentino akhirnya sempat berkirim-kiriman surat dengan cara sembunyi-sembunyi. Bisa diduga, surat mereka dipenuhi kata-kata manis lengkap dengan bunga camelia. Khas cinta monyet remaja. Suatu hari kisah cinta mereka tercium Lorenzo Daza, padahal sang ayah sudah mengatur supaya putrinya menikah dengan pria terpandang. Maka Fermina pun tiba-tiba dijauhkan dari segala surat cinta, puisi romantis dan permainan serenade biola, dan dikirim lewat laut ke rumah saudara sepupunya di kota yang jauh: San Juan de la Ciénaga.

Setelah kembali ke kotanya, Fermina Daza telah tumbuh menjadi wanita yang lebih dewasa, bukan lagi gadis ingusan yang bertukar surat dengan Florentino. Meski awalnya sering memikirkan Florentino, namun begitu bertemu kembali dengan pria itu, Fermina mulai merasa muak. Muak akan kisah cinta monyetnya, dan baru menyadari bahwa Florentino adalah "pria payah". Sementara itu ada seorang dokter muda dari kalangan keluarga terhormat yang karirnya sedang menanjak: Dokter Juvenal Urbino. Saat mengobati penyakit Fermina, sang dokter pun terpikat kepadanya, dan tak lama kemudian ia melamarnya. Fermina sama sekali tak merasakan cinta pada sang dokter, namun mengingat target yang ia tentukan sendiri untuk menikah di usia 21 tahun hampir terlewati, dan mengingat Urbino seorang pria terhormat, sopan, berpendidikan, Fermina pun menerima pinangannya.

Fermina Daza dan Dokter Juvenal Urbino memasuki hidup perkawinan tanpa cinta. Meski awalnya perkawinan mereka sempat bergolak--terutama saat masa adaptasi--namun setelah mereka mengarungi bahtera perkawinan itu, mereka menjadi tak terpisahkan. Hal ini jelas terungkap saat mereka sudah beranjak tua, di mana mereka menjadi lebih saling membutuhkan daripada sebelumnya. Ini salah satu bukti bahwa yang terpenting dalam perkawinan bukan hanya cinta, namun kemauan untuk saling menerima dan berusaha mempertahankan perkawinan itu. Maka cinta pun akan tumbuh, meski bukan cinta nafsu seperti yang awalnya mereka inginkan atau rasakan. Cinta macam inilah yang menurutku adalah cinta sejati. Cinta yang menerima, alih-alih menuntut. Apakah perkawinan mereka bahagia? Menarik menyimak apa yang dikatakan Dokter Urbino:

"Always remember that the most important thing in a good marriage is not happiness, but stability."

Bagaimana dengan Florentino? Di luar dugaan, meski sakit hati, Florentino tetap memendam impian untuk kelak bisa bersatu dengan Fermina. Lima puluh satu tahun ia menunggu. Tapi jangan bayangkan cinta Florentino bak cinta seorang martir yang tak tergoyahkan. Di masa itu ia memang tak menikah, tapi ia bertualang cinta dengan sangat banyak wanita, dan bahkan menjadi kecanduan seks. Sampai-sampai di usia tujuh puluh tahun, ia masih bercinta dengan gadis remaja yang dititipkan kepadanya. Dua kata yang bisa menggambarkan Florentino Ariza: menjijikkan! Dan hingga akhir hayatnya, Florentino selalu mengatakan bahwa ia tetap setia kepada Fermina. Pembohong yang menjijikkan!

Keanehan Florentino yang membuatku makin mual terjadi ketika secara tak sengaja ia berada di satu restoran yang sama dengan Fermina dan suaminya. Ia menghadap ke cermin yang merefleksikan pantulan Fermina. Lalu tebak apa yang dilakukan Florentino! Ia berkeras membeli cermin itu dari pemilik restoran dengan harga berapapun, hanya untuk mengenang hari ketika ia bisa menatap Fermina lewat cermin itu. Obsesif? Kegilaan? Entahlah...

Lalu apakah Florentino dan Fermina akan benar-benar bersatu di usia tua mereka? Itu sebaiknya anda baca sendiri di bukunya, karena itulah yang akan menjadi hadiah dari penantian anda selama membaca buku yang beralur lambat ini. Yang jelas, aku tak bisa menyebut Love in the Time of Cholera ini sebagai kisah cinta sepanjang masa. Mungkin persistensi Florentino untuk menunggu Fermina selama lima puluh satu tahun bisa dikatakan hebat, tapi kalau selama itu ia membagi hati dan tubuhnya bagi orang lain--sambil membohongi diri sendiri--dapatkah itu disebut cinta sejati?

Maka sekali lagi...maaf Oprah, aku hanya bisa memberi 3 bintang untuk buku ini, karena meski kisahnya absurd, namun kepiawaian Marquez dalam merangkai kata cukup menghibur.

*Review ini kubuat tepat di Hari Ulang Tahun Gabriel García Márquez yang ke 85 (6 Maret 1927 - 6 Maret 2012)*

Judul: Love in the Time of Cholera
Penulis: Gabriel García Márquez
Penerbit: Penguin Books
Terbit: 2008
Tebal: 424 hlm