Macon is the epitome of the black man who has acquiesced to the white capitalist system. Estranged from his family, his community, and his African heritage, Macon is hated and feared by blacks, who detest his arrogance, and ignored and ostracized by whites, who use him primarily to keep black tenants in their place.
A fervent believer in the mythological American Dream, Macon prizes his ring of keys, which distinguishes him as a man of property. Convinced that his wealth will compensate for his race, Macon has no time for lower-class blacks, whom he considers beneath him socially and economically. Oblivious to the devastating spiritual toll that his lifestyle has taken on him, Macon is determined to have his son, Milkman, follow in his footsteps and does his best to convince Milkman that money is the key to power and success.
Macon is the only father in the novel who is physically present with his children, but his presence is so overpowering that it appears to do more harm than good. Cold, controlling, and domineering, Macon rules his household like a tyrant. With a wife who is "stunned into silence" by his rejection, two "half-grown" daughters, and a son who refuses to accept responsibility for his life, Macon exemplifies the Western patriarch whose penchant for order and discipline provides him with the illusion of being in control.
