Song of Solomon also challenges readers to consider the definitions of concepts such as "success" and "progress." Although Macon Dead has achieved a certain measure of material success, the drive for success has left him morally and spiritually bankrupt and unable to relate to himself, his family, or his community. Macon's dilemma symbolizes the dilemma of contemporary middle-class blacks who find that the trappings of success — a big house, a new car, and name-brand luxuries — do not guarantee them respect and social equality. Consequently, Morrison challenges us to consider the price of success in our capitalistic society and to ponder the progress made by African Americans over the last several decades, given that — despite the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s — many are still struggling for basic human rights.
In addition to the various levels of meaning inherent in the novel in general, readers should be alert to the multiple meanings of words and phrases — that is, literal versus figurative language — and to the relationships between oral and written language (how words sound versus what they mean within a specific context). Readers should also note Morrison's use of verbal irony, which explores the meaning behind seemingly innocuous words and phrases, such as "agent," "mercy," and "life insurance." They should also be familiar with the concept of "signifying," a type of wordplay originating in African-American culture.
Morrison expects readers to note not only what is being said but what is left unsaid. As she points out in "Unspeakable Things Unspoken," "Invisible things are not necessarily 'not there,' [and] a void may be empty, but it is not a vacuum. . . . Certain absences are so stressed, so ornate, so planned, they call attention to themselves." Consider, for example, Pilate's missing navel, which is conspicuous by its absence. Consequently, Song of Solomon challenges readers to examine the various ways language can be manipulated to reveal or conceal information, and to consider how silence can be used to send subtle but powerful messages. For example, in Chapter 1, the narrator relates how the "official notice" informing Southside residents of the naming of Mains Avenue is posted "in stores, barbershops, and restaurants." Left unsaid is the fact that the notice is not posted in churches, schools, or libraries. The narrator also refers to a time "when black men were being drafted." Left unsaid is that in the not-too-distant past, black men were not being drafted and were, in fact, barred from serving in the military.
