It follows the life of Macon "Milkman" Dead III, an African-American man living in Michigan, from birth to adulthood.

[2] Robert Smith, an African-American insurance agent, jumps off a roof while trying to fly as a crowd of people gather to watch.

Macon Dead III grows up stifled, alienated, and disinterested in his home life in Southside.

As Milkman enters his teens, his aunt Pilate, a bootlegger and conjure woman, becomes a central figure in his life.

When they were younger, Pilate and Macon Jr. found a cave filled with bags of gold, but did not take it for fear of reprisals.

Milkman mentions to his father, Macon, the heavy bag that hangs from the ceiling of Pilate's modest home.

A collection is taken up by the community to bury Hagar, and Pilate sings a mournful song at her granddaughter's funeral.

[3] Reynolds Price, reviewing the novel for The New York Times, concluded: "Toni Morrison has earned attention and praise.

[8][9] In 2015, Robert McCrum's chronological list of the 100 best novels written in English, which was published in The Guardian newspaper, named Song of Solomon at No.