Song of Solomon is a richly textured novel that functions on multiple levels. For example, the theme of flight, which pervades the novel, alludes to numerous flights: Mr. Smith's flight; the mythical flight of Solomon/Sugarman; the literal flight of birds, pilots, and airplanes; the historical flight of black people from slavery, poverty, and violence; and the metaphorical flight of Pilate, who transcends the arbitrary boundaries of society. Allusions to flight pervade the novel. In addition to frequent references to birds (hens, chickens, ravens, peacocks) and to characters whose names allude to birds (Singing Bird, Susan Byrd, Crowell Byrd), readers should also note references that suggest bird imagery — for example, Pilate's eggs, Ruth's "peck basket" of rose petals, and Feather's pool hall.
Understanding the significance of Solomon's song is a key to understanding the novel since it is the language of the song that eventually reveals the secrets of Milkman's past. Once Milkman deciphers the song's code and understands its language, he also understands the meaning of his inheritance. Consequently, he is able to view his life not simply as a series of random, disconnected events but as part of a vital link between the past and future. (This tension between fusion and fragmentation, which emphasizes the need for the individual to gather the bones of experience in order to recreate himself into a unified, whole — albeit imperfect — human being, is a key theme in the novel.)
