In a neglected Michigan town, an insurance examiner, Robert Smith, leaps from the peak of Mercy Hospital sporting azure silk wings, with aspirations of soaring over Lake Superior, only to tragically plunge to his demise. The subsequent day witnesses Ruth Foster Dead, daughter of the town’s original African-American doctor, welcoming the first Black newborn at the hospital, christened Milkman Dead. Upon realizing the limitations of human flight at the tender age of four, Milkman’s enthusiasm for life wanes. Despite the affection lavished upon him by his mother, Aunt Pilate, siblings First Corinthians and Lena (also known as Magdalene), and his cousin and paramour, Hagar, he remains emotionally disengaged and indifferent. His demeanor mirrors that of his father, Macon Dead II, a harsh landowner preoccupied with wealth accumulation.
Milkman grapples with a hereditary affliction, a psychological malady stemming from the historical injustices endured by previous generations. His grandfather, Macon Dead, acquired his peculiar name from a drunken Union soldier completing his documentation, obscuring his true identity. Macon met a violent end while defending his territory. His untimely death left his children, Macon Jr. and Pilate, permanently scarred and emotionally estranged. Pilate grew up to be a destitute yet resilient and self-sufficient woman, while Macon Jr. fixated on amassing riches, earning him disdain from both his family and tenants. By the time he reaches his thirties, Milkman yearns to break free from the confines of his family abode. Macon Jr. divulges to him the potential fortune rumored to be concealed by Pilate in her run-down dwelling. With the aid of his close confidant, Guitar Bains, Milkman pilfers from Pilate only to stumble upon stones and a human remains identified later as his grandparent, Macon Dead I.
Guitar is disheartened as he had anticipated utilizing the money to fund his mission for the Seven Days, a clandestine faction seeking retribution for injustices inflicted on African-Americans. Pursuing his lineage’s past, Milkman crosses paths with Circe, an aged midwife, who discloses that his grandfather’s original name was Jake and he wedded an Indian girl named Sing. His journey leads him to Shalimar, his grandfather’s ancestral homestead in Virginia, where he unearths the revelation that his great-grandfather was the legendary aerial African, Solomon, who absconded slavery by flying back to Africa, leaving behind his wife and twenty-one offspring. Despite the heartaches, Milkman finds a sense of purpose and matures into a compassionate and grown man. Upon his return home, he learns of Hagar’s demise, and his family’s emotional turmoils persist. Nevertheless, he voyages back to Shalimar with Pilate to inter Jake’s remains, where Pilate succumbs to a gunshot intended for Milkman. Crushed by Pilate’s demise yet invigorated by his metamorphosis, Milkman confronts Guitar.
Chapter 1
On a chilly day in February 1931, an insurance representative named Robert Smith perches atop Mercy Hospital in a Michigan town, donned in silk wings, pledging to take flight. His spectacle draws a throng of nearly fifty, predominantly comprising African-American locals. The infirmary, dubbed “No Mercy Hospital” due to its discriminatory treatment of Black individuals, sits at the terminus of a street known as both “Mains Avenue” and “Not Doctor Street”. The latter moniker stemmed from a Black physician named Dr. Foster who once resided and practiced in the area. As Smith prepares to take off from the roof, Ruth Foster Dead, the gravid daughter of Dr. Foster, observes alongside her daughters, Lena and First Corinthians. Ruth unexpectedly goes into labor. Ruth stands out from the crowd, attired in finery that underscores her elevated socioeconomic status, while her sister-in-law, Pilate Dead, wraps herself in an aged quilt. Pilate croons “O Sugarman done fly away,” gazing at Smith.
Among the onlookers is a senior lady with numerous grandchildren, including an astute six-year-old named Guitar Bains, who rectifies a nurse’s spelling error. Upon Smith’s leap, Ruth emerges as the premier Black patient at Mercy Hospital. The ensuing day witnesses her delivering Macon Dead III. At four years of age, he comprehends the exclusive airborne capabilities of birds and airplanes, marking the onset of disinterest in himself and a transition into an introspective child. Ruth, her offspring, and her oppressive spouse, Macon Dead II, inhabit Dr. Foster’s capacious abode. To mitigate her unfulfilling marital life, Ruth finds solace in minor pleasures, such as burnishing a watermark and nursing Macon III well beyond infancy. Upon witnessing the prolonged breastfeeding, the custodian, Freddie, bestows the designation of “Milkman” upon the lad—a title he retains throughout his lifetime. The narrator unveils that Milkman’s sire, Macon Dead II, is a frigid, money-driven landlord. His appellation was inherited from his unlettered forebear, Macon Dead I, christened by an inebriated Union soldier. Macon II manages a real estate agency, exacting every conceivable penny from his lessees, even denying lease lenience to a grandmother striving to nourish her grandchildren. When a tenant contemplates self-annihilation, Macon II pays a visit, not to offer aid but to demand rent. In his idleness, Macon II sifts through his account books and reflects on his progeny.
He recollects his mother passing during childbirth and his younger sibling, Pilate, miraculously surviving. Pilate, akin to other Dead offspring, was ascribed a name haphazardly from the Bible. Macon II severed connections with Pilate in their youth and only encountered her again a year before Milkman’s birth. Revolted by Pilate’s disheveled appearance and repudiation of materialism, Macon II bars her entry into his household. Nonetheless, he finds himself drawn to her residence on the night of a tenant’s suicide bid, concealing himself in her yard to eavesdrop on Pilate, her daughter Reba, and granddaughter Hagar melodiously crooning.
Chapter 2
The Dead family embarks towards the Honoré beach locale in their well-maintained verdant Packard. Macon Jr. aspires to erect opulent residences here for affluent Black clientele. While driving through the destitute Blood Bank precinct, home to many of his lessees, Macon Jr. draws both admiration and derision from other African-American locals due to the immaculate state of his automobile. During the journey, young Milkman throws a tantrum insisting on a pit stop for relief. Initially dismissive, Macon Jr. eventually acquiesces, and Lena aids Milkman in the woods. Inadvertently tarnishing Lena’s attire, Milkman initiates a pattern of fixating more on his past rather than the future ahead. At the age of twelve, Milkman forges a companionship with Guitar Bains, a more seasoned and sagacious high school pupil. On one occasion, Milkman flouts his father’s orders and tails Guitar to Pilate’s residence. Intrigued by her imposing stature and hygiene despite her modest appearance, Milkman queries Pilate about their kinship, prompting cryptic revelations. Pilate invites Milkman and Guitar into her distinctly ornamented abode and recounts tales of her and Macon Jr.‘s upbringing on a Pennsylvania farm. She narrates the tale of their father’s demise and their subsequent wandering in the countryside, where they once encountered the apparition of their father. Her narrative is abridged by the entrance of her granddaughter, Hagar. Milkman instantaneously falls for Hagar, even before glimpsing her countenance. Pilate introduces Milkman as Hagar’s sibling, not cousin, underscoring the significance of familial bonds equally. Pilate along with her daughter, Reba, reassure Hagar they will cater to all her requirements. Their visit culminates in a melody recounting Sugarman, a tune Pilate performed the day Robert Smith fled. Milkman returns home smitten by Hagar, bravely facing his father’s anger. Macon Jr. questions Milkman regarding his unsanctioned visit to Pilate’s abode. However, he softens as he reminisces about his childhood and the events around his father’s appellation. Yet, he evades revealing Milkman his grandfather’s true name, and instead shares details about his fair-skinned mother. Eventually, Macon Jr. cautions Milkman against seeing Pilate, branding her as deceitful. Nonetheless, he commits to guiding Milkman in the property business.
Chapter 3
At the age of twelve, Milkman commences employment under his father, Macon Jr., granting him more time with his companions Guitar, Pilate, and Hagar in the Southside. He and Guitar occasionally frequent a barbershop owned by Railroad Tommy and Hospital Tommy, overhearing discussions about the racial disparities prevalent in 1940s America. Guitar discloses to Milkman the tragic demise of his father in a sawmill accident, fueling his resentment towards his father’s Caucasian employer and white individuals in general. By fourteen, Milkman’s leg differs in length, a fact he conceals with a swagger. Maturing, he strives to shatter the town’s perception of him as a mere replica of his father. He often acts counter to Macon Jr., cultivating facial hair, smoking, and squandering money recklessly. At twenty-two, following his father’s aggression towards his mother during a dinner spat, Milkman retaliates, threatening to end his father’s life if he harms Ruth again. Macon Jr. clarifies his animosity toward Ruth by narrating how Ruth’s father, Dr. Foster, abhorred him and labeled other African Americans as “cannibals.” He insinuates a potential incestuous relationship between Ruth and her ineffective father, painting a disturbing image of Ruth lying bare beside her father’s lifeless form. Perturbed by this revelation, Milkman visits Guitar. En route, he dwells on being breastfed past infancy, a memory unsettling him. He acknowledges that his reaction towards his father stemmed not from his love for his mother but from other sentiments. Finding Guitar engrossed in a conversation about the recent slayings of two boys, Emmet Till, a Northern African-American boy slain in Mississippi, and a Caucasian boy from their town, Milkman joins in. Guitar condemns the injustices against African Americans, underscoring the urgency for change. Later at a bar, Milkman confides in Guitar about his showdown with his father. Guitar elucidates the systemic oppression faced by Black men, sometimes driving them to harm their own. Guitar strives to draw parallels between Milkman’s ordeal and Till’s homicide, but Milkman brushes it off. Upon introspection, Milkman realizes his indifference towards everything: wealth, urbanity, politics, and the racial struggles affecting fellow African Americans.
Chapter 4
Over the years, the dynamic between Milkman and Hagar fluctuates. At seventeen, Milkman is welcomed into Hagar’s chamber, igniting their intimate bond. Across the ensuing three years, Hagar stokes and douses Milkman’s ardor alternatively, but gradually, her refusals diminish as she becomes devoted to him, always awaiting his presence and chiding him for neglect. Despite relishing their physical intimacy, Milkman regards Hagar as a convenience rather than a romantic interest, deeming her beneath him socially. He seeks a spouse amongst the affluent Black women of Honoré but finds them uninspiring. By thirty-one, he tires of Hagar, terminating their liaison through a missive that sends Hagar spiraling into a frenzy, prompting her pursuit.
Meanwhile, Milkman’s bond with Guitar has chilled. Despite their camaraderie, Milkman perceives Guitar as concealing something. Guitar reproaches Milkman for his reckless lifestyle. Amid a conversation, Milkman recounts a dream wherein his mother, Ruth, is nearly asphyxiated by rapidly sprouting flower bulbs in their backyard, a dream he believes is real. Oblivious to Hagar’s frantic quest for him, Milkman engages in dialogue with Freddie, the custodian. Freddie confides in Milkman about his faith in spirits and recounts his own eerie tale of his mother’s demise just after his birth, triggered by a spectral white bull. Milkman reacts with a smirk. Freddie also divulges his past of growing up in confinement due to the absence of facilities for Black orphans in Jacksonville, Florida. He hints at Guitar’s potential involvement in dubious deeds, including the recent murder of a Caucasian boy in their vicinity.
Chapter 5
Driven by overwhelming love for Milkman, Hagar succumbs to a state of desolation and fixation. Despite solace from Pilate and Reba, she persistently shadows Milkman, attempting his life. Meanwhile, Milkman frequently seeks refuge at Guitar’s abode, now consumed by paranoia and political fervor, deliberating on the exploitation of African Americans and oppressed populations globally. One eve, Milkman challenges Guitar regarding his clandestine operations. Guitar nonchalantly grins and departs for a peculiar abode occupied by six aged men, leaving Milkman alone, expecting another assault from Hagar. Recalling a disquieting secret about his mother, Ruth, unearthed a week earlier, Milkman discusses following Ruth one night to Fairfield Cemetery, where she paid respects at her father, Dr. Foster’s, grave. Confronting her, Ruth unveils her intimate bond with her father and debunks Macon Jr.‘s version of their relationship. Ruth discloses to Milkman that Macon Jr. terminated Dr. Foster’s life by tampering with his medications, leading to the cessation of their intimacy after his demise.
Yearning for physical affection from her husband, Ruth clandestinely administered an aphrodisiac prepared by Pilate to him, culminating in Milkman’s conception. Macon Jr. pressed Ruth to abort the fetus, but Pilate obstructed his scheme using a voodoo doll. Ruth admitted to nursing Milkman beyond infancy and offering daily prayers for him. Amid his contemplation, Hagar materializes, brandishing a butcher knife. Instead of halting her, Milkman silently entreats an unseen force to arbitrate. Hagar delivers a feeble strike, hesitating to resume, leaving Milkman to provoke her. Learning of Hagar’s violent outburst, Ruth, who regards Milkman as her sole triumph, beseeches Pilate to shield him. At Pilate’s abode, Ruth and Hagar engage in a heated dispute over their sentiments for Milkman before Pilate interjects, admonishing their excess emotional investment in a man. Pilate narrates her life saga, rejecting marital ties despite being in love, and rearing Reba and Hagar as a single parent. She divulges her relocation to Macon Jr.‘s township, her vocation as a wine producer for self-sufficiency, and her conviction that the essence of Macon Dead I trailed her, whispering “sing.” The protracted narrative serves as a deliberate diversion to redirect Ruth’s focus from Hagar.
Chapter 6
Milkman demands elucidations from Guitar regarding his clandestine undertakings. Guitar confides about his association with a covert faction, the Seven Days, comprising seven African-American men, each designated a day of the week. This group orchestrates aggressive, arbitrary killings of white individuals whenever a black individual is unfairly murdered, mirroring the cruelty inflicted on the black victim. For instance, if a black victim was hanged, the group picked a white person for hanging. The retaliation occurs on the corresponding weekday as the initial black victim’s demise, with Guitar serving as the group’s youngest member. Guitar rationalizes his deeds to Milkman by asserting that whites are “unnatural” and likely to commit murder under specific circumstances. He mentions Hitler’s massacre as an illustration, contending that in the absence of blacks, Jews became targets.
He insists that black individuals must take action to defend themselves since they cannot seek legal recourse, unlike the Jews post World War II. He contends that his retaliatory acts maintain the black-to-white ratio balanced, preventing whites from annihilating blacks. In return, Milkman disputes that many whites have made notable sacrifices for blacks. He questions why Guitar doesn’t change his name like Malcom X, to reject his “slave name.” However, Guitar ponders more about his enslaved status than his slave name, Bains. Despite Milkman’s pleas for Guitar to view people as individuals rather than colors, Guitar remains unmoved. Milkman concludes the conversation by branding Guitar’s actions as “unstable” and ingrained. He even cautions that Guitar’s effortless killing capacity could pose a danger to blacks, including Milkman himself.
Chapter 7
Following his interaction with Guitar, Milkman confers with Macon Jr., articulating his wish to depart from home for a year to pursue his interests after feeling stifled by his domestic environment. During their dialogue, Milkman inadvertently mentions the verdant sack from Pilate’s abode. Macon Jr. becomes profoundly intrigued by this. He imparts his narrative to Milkman concerning sheltering at Circe’s abode with Pilate after their father’s demise. While there, Pilate fashioned an earring from a snuffbox, embedding a slip of paper carrying her name into it. Following their departure from Circe’s residence, they roamed the countryside, encountered their father’s phantasm on a tree stump, and once more near a cavern. They bivouacked in the cavern, where they encountered another individual, an elderly white man. Macon Jr., frightened and assuming he was a specter, dispatched him. Beneath the man’s verdant covering, he discovered gold nuggets. He envisioned a luxurious existence, akin to the “plumage of a peacock,” but then caught sight of his father. After his disappearance, a conflict over the gold transpired between Macon Jr. and Pilate. Three days later, he retraced his steps to find the body, yet Pilate, the tarp, and the gold had vanished. Upon hearing about the green tarp from Milkman, Macon Jr. believes it contains the gold from the cave. He urges Milkman to “acquire the gold” for them to divide.
Chapter 8
Guitar is scheming vengeance for a tragic church explosion that claimed the lives of four black girls by devising a similar assault on a white church. However, he faces financial constraints and cannot afford explosives. Subsequently, his comrade Milkman arrives with news of an alleged treasure concealed by Pilate beneath a green tarp. The two begin brainstorming strategies to seize the fortune and fantasize about the prospects it may bring. Amidst their conversation, a white peacock materializes out of nowhere and commences parading around. Both Guitar and Milkman endeavor to capture the bird, yet swiftly become preoccupied with thoughts of the gold. Guitar ponders utilizing the riches to aid his family but recollects his mission with the Seven Days gang. Milkman, conversely, perceives the money as an opportunity to liberate himself from his father’s influence. That evening, they surreptitiously enter Pilate’s abode and snatch the green bundle. As they depart, Guitar believes he spots a man behind Milkman. Awake in the house, Reba observes them, perplexed by their curiosity in the bundle.
Chapter 9
First Corinthians, despite her advantaged education, is surreptitiously toiling as a servant for Michael-Mary Graham, the state poet laureate. Her position enables her to escape from her father, Macon Jr.‘s residence, and achieve a degree of autonomy. She forms a clandestine relationship with Henry Porter, an elder Black man and lessee of her father’s property, whom she meets during her bus journeys home from work. A vehement argument unfolds between Macon Jr. and Milkman upon First Corinthians’ return. Through this altercation, it comes to light that Guitar and Milkman were apprehended consequent to a botched burglary where they assumed they were looting gold, but were actually carrying rocks and a human skeleton. They were rescued by Pilate, who persuaded the authorities that the bones belonged to her deceased spouse, Mr. Solomon. Pilate divulges to Macon Jr. that she did not purloin the gold but revisited the cavern years later to retrieve the bones, under the directives of Macon Dead I. Amid a late-night confrontation in their abode, Macon Jr. excoriates Milkman for involving Guitar in their plans. Shaken by the police interference, Milkman disregards his father’s accusations. However, Macon Jr. asserts that the gold is likely still concealed in the cavern and needs to be recovered. Upon awakening the next day, Milkman ponders the prior day’s events, laden with shame about the attempted theft and realizing Guitar’s propensity for violence. Stepping outside, Milkman espies Guitar’s vehicle filled with companions, including Porter. He connects the dots and discerns that Porter is First Corinthians’ covert paramour. After sharing this intelligence with Macon Jr., the latter terminates the clandestine association, compels First Corinthians to resign from her job, and expels Porter. Days later, Milkman is confronted and reproved by Lena for terminating her sister’s sole relationship. She likens Milkman to their father, accusing him of exploiting the efforts of the women in his life. Lena recounts an anecdote from Milkman’s childhood where he urinated on her, utilizing it as a metaphor for his lifelong indifference towards others. She discredits Milkman as a pitiful, egocentric individual and proclaims she will no longer craft artificial roses, effectively banishing him from her chamber.
Chapter 10
Milkman shares his intentions with Guitar concerning his visit to Montour County, Pennsylvania, hoping to locate the treasure in the cavern. He offers to divide any discovered riches with Guitar, who is skeptical and apprehensive that Milkman might deceive him. Guitar cites his need for funds for his Seven Days assignment and to aid Henry Porter, evicted following his relationship with First Corinthians. Their dialogue concludes disconcertingly. Milkman flies to Pittsburgh and subsequently travels by bus to Danville, Pennsylvania, the nearest locale to Lincoln’s Heaven. In Danville, he encounters Reverend Cooper, an acquaintance of his father’s, who recounts anecdotes about his family. Through these chronicles, Milkman comprehends the profound bond between his father and grandfather and learns about his family’s history, including the Butlers’ involvement in his grandfather’s demise. Advancing towards Lincoln’s Heaven, Milkman visits the dilapidated Butler manor. Within, he meets an elderly woman, Circe, who greets him warmly, initially mistaking him for his father. Circe reveals that his grandfather’s actual moniker was Jake and his grandmother was named Sing. She discloses that the Butlers’ ill-gotten riches stemmed from exploiting farmers like Jake. She also imparts that Jake’s remains emerged from its burial site and were consigned to the same cave where Macon Jr. and Pilate venturedAsylum. Milkman persuades Circe to reveal to him the way to the cavern (Hunter’s Cave), deceitfully claiming he requires guidance to reach his grandfather’s remains. He proposes to aid Circe in departing the decaying estate, but she insists on staying until the residence completely declines. Milkman exits the estate, and traverses the woods toward Hunter’s Cave, spoiling his lavish clothes and harming his golden timepiece. An intense urge to discover the treasure thrives him. Inside the grotto, he uncovers solely some planks and a tin cup. Milkman hitches a ride back to the Danville terminal with an individual named Fred Garnett. Despite offering to pay for the trip, Garnett declines his money and departs offended. At the terminal diner, Milkman supports a man with a sizable crate and realizes that Pilate might have transported the treasure to Virginia. He resolves to trace her route.
Chapter 11
Milkman reaches Shalimar, Virginia, his clan’s starting point, in a low-priced vehicle that breaks down close to Solomon’s General Store. Women resembling his aunt Pilate capture his attention. In the store, the proprietor, Mr. Solomon, conveys an enigmatic message left by a companion “Your day is here.” He identifies the acquaintance as Guitar, pondering over the ominous tenor of the communication. Exiting, Milkman witnesses youngsters chanting a verse about a gentleman named Jay, Solomon’s offspring, evoking his own troubled childhood and dreams of soaring. Reentering, he faces hostility from the local males, leading to a physical altercation with an individual named Saul. Milkman sustains wounds to his visage and hand. Impressed by his combat abilities, the elder men at the store invite Milkman on a hunting expedition. Despite his lack of experience, he joins them. The team, attired in military garb with firearms, reaches Ryna’s Gulch—a site with an eerie local myth. Amidst this, a peculiar vehicle speeds past. Partnered with Calvin for the hunt, Milkman takes a break as Calvin persists. Alone beneath the stars, Milkman ponders on his existence and acknowledges his past blunders and advantages. His solitude is interrupted by Guitar’s sudden appearance. He commences choking Milkman, echoing the ominous message: “Your day has come.” As he nears oblivion, Milkman envisions Hagar’s affection for him and discerns the strength to discharge his firearm and deter Guitar. The other men return, ridiculing Milkman for his clumsy firearm handling. Disregarding their taunts, Milkman ambles with renewed confidence. The ensuing day, over breakfast, Milkman discovers that his grandmother, Sing, had Native American ancestry, and her heiress, Susan Byrd, resides nearby. He opts to visit her. Nonetheless, he enjoys an intimate evening with Sweet, a local lady, before embarking. This association concludes with Milkman helping her with chores, offering funds, and agreeing to return later.
Chapter 12
Milkman enjoys an evening with Sweet before meeting Susan Byrd and a girl named Grace Long, who is captivated by him. Susan Byrd discloses that her late father Crowell had a sibling called Sing who did not marry and departed Virginia for Massachusetts instead of Pennsylvania. Disappointed by his fruitless quest, Milkman departs, inadvertently leaving his timepiece and retaining merely a box of cookies and Grace’s details. Progressing from Susan’s residence, Milkman comprehends the importance of his family history and the significance of recognizing “his own kindred.” He crosses paths with Guitar, who accuses him of purloining the gold and dispatching it to Virginia. Despite Milkman’s rebuttal, Guitar is certain of his culpability, recalling a vision of Milkman aiding an elder man with a weighty crate in Danville. Convinced that Milkman has snatched the gold and thwarted his mission for the Seven Days, Guitar menaces to exterminate him. Under questioning, Guitar admits leaving a death ultimatum at Solomon’s store as a modest courtesy to a comrade. After his encounter with Guitar, Milkman spends another evening with Sweet and returns to Shalimar. Recent episodes help him realize his longing for Pilate and grant him an impartial vantage on his parentage’s strengths and shortcomings. He also attains insight into their ancient traumas. Milkman laments his treatment of Hagar and acknowledges how he profited from her fervent love as it validated his masculinity. Upon hearing the local younglings’ hymn about Jay, Solomon’s lone son, Milkman memorizes the verse. The song narrates Solomon’s voyage home through the firmament, leaving Ryna mourning and Heddy rearing Jay in a “crimson manor.” Absorbing the song, Milkman comprehends that it concerns his forefather, Macon Dead I, and his great-grandfather, Solomon. He realizes that Susan Byrd withheld information and intends to re-visit her, galvanized by his newfound understanding.
Chapter 13
Guitar uncovers an unclothed and heartbroken Hagar in his lodgings upon his return to Michigan. He pities her, escorting her back home and advising her to cease tormenting herself over Milkman. However, efforts from Pilate and Reba to uplift Hagar’s spirits prove unproductive. Abruptly, Hagar emerges from her despondency and becomes frenzied, believing she can earn Milkman’s affection by enhancing her appearance. Embarking on an intensive shopping spree funded by $200 Reba secured by pawning her Sears gem, she procures various fashion commodities and cosmetics, including a garter belt, sheer hosiery, undergarments, and nylon gowns. Nevertheless, a deluge spoils her recent acquisitions en route back. Undeterred, she hastens to her quarters to don her new attire without even drying herself. Hagar appears disheveled upon encountering Pilate and Reba, her hose ripped, her gown soiled, her facial powder clotted, and her tresses unkempt. Shortly after, she falls gravely ill and tragically perishes. Ruth visits Macon Jr.’s bureau to request resources for Hagar’s funeral. Despite his reluctance, he accedes to her entreaty. As the sparsely attended funeral service nears its end, Pilate and Reba grandly arrive and croon a traditional hymn, “Mercy.” Pilate approaches Hagar’s casket, repeatedly calling her “[m]y baby girl” before pronouncing, “And she was loved!” as she concludes her lament.
Chapter 14
Susan Byrd uncovers further details about Milkman’s family lineage. Sing, his forebearer migrated northward with Jake, a member of the mythical soaring African tribe, Solomon’s descendants. Solomon and Ryna, previously slaves on a cotton plantation, fathered twenty-one boys, with Jake being the youngest. Solomon endeavored to soar away from Virginia with infant Jake, but inadvertently dropped him near an Indian lady, Heddy, during flight. Heddy, maternal figure to a babe called Singing Bird (later Sing), embraced Jake when Ryna descended into madness post-Solomon’s vanishing. Eventually, Heddy birthed another son, Crow Bird (later Crowell Byrd), Susan Byrd’s father. Eventually, Jake and Sing embarked on a clandestine escape together.
Chapter 15
Following his revelation from his relative, Milkman departs Susan’s dwelling and revisits Sweet. In high spirits, he elects to swim instead of taking Sweet’s suggested bath, bellowing Solomon’s hymn with immense fervor. Eventually, Milkman chooses to return to Michigan, vend his vehicle, and travel by bus. Reflecting on his kin and his fractured camaraderie with Guitar during the journey. Upon his return, he proceeds to Pilate’s abode to disclose his newfound awareness, only to be rendered unconscious by a wine bottle due to his ignorance of Hagar’s demise. Upon regaining consciousness, Milkman finds himself amidst Hagar’s possessions in Pilate’s cellar, compelling him to recognize that Hagar is deceased.
He comprehends Pilate’s philosophy of owning the lives taken, exemplified in the green tarp she bears with what she believes to be a Caucasian man’s remains. Milkman acknowledges Pilate’s endeavor to hold him responsible for Hagar’s life, a burden he will carry indefinitely. He informs Pilate that the bones in the tarp are her father’s and should be interred. Pilate dispatches him home with Hagar’s tresses in a receptacle. Back home, Milkman observes shifts in his family’s dynamics, with First Corinthians moving in with Henry Porter and Lena electing civility notwithstanding her resentment. His progenitors’ affiliation remains strained. Macon Jr., however, ponders visiting Reverend Cooper and others in Danville. Milkman and Pilate pilgrimage to Virginia to lay to rest Jake’s remains. They arrive at Solomon’s Leap, where they bury the bones. Pilate designates the grave with her snuff-box earring. Upon completing the interment, Pilate is shot by a projectile intended for Milkman and succumbs in his embrace, despite his efforts to console her by chanting Solomon’s song. A throng of birds materializes overhead, with one swooping to retrieve the snuffbox from the grave. After Pilate’s decease, Milkman confronts Guitar, unwavering in the face of his firearm. He vocalizes Guitar’s appellation and vaults towards him upon discerning his silhouette, understanding that “if you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.”
