The motif of music — with an emphasis on the blues — resonates throughout the novel. Readers should note the numerous references and allusions to music, including references to musical instruments (drums, guitars, trumpets, pianos); references to musical terms (notes, keys, scales); references to blues musicians (Blind Lemon Jefferson, Fats Waller, B. B. King); references to sounds made by humans and animals (the humming Weimaraners, the screaming hounds, the shouting men); references to radios, records, and jukeboxes; and plays on words such as "grooves" and "jam."
Another key to the novel is the vital role of "the ancestor," who plays a pivotal role in African and African-American culture. In her essay "Rootedness: The Ancestor as Foundation," Morrison defines ancestors as "timeless people whose relationships to the characters are benevolent, instructive, and protective, and [who] provide a certain kind of wisdom." According to her, the role of the ancestor is to render a source of comfort or solace. Consequently, the function of the ancestor in African-American literature is equivalent to "the contemplation of serene nature" in white mainstream literature. Morrison contends that, in order to build and maintain a strong, culturally rooted African-American community, each member of that community must assume responsibility for keeping the ancestor alive; killing the ancestor is equivalent to killing oneself. In Song of Solomon, Pilate is the ancestor who provides solace and guidance for her family and community, and whose wisdom enables Milkman to "fly."
