As we follow the Dead family on their Sunday drive, we realize that their being "pressed" into the Packard symbolizes their being trapped by materialism. Like the Deads' house, which is "more prison than palace," the green Packard provides no joy for its owner; like Macon's ring of keys, the car is strictly a status symbol. The Packard, which is the color of money, elicits a range of emotions among both passengers and onlookers. Lena and Corinthians fantasize that they are princesses riding in a "regal chariot driven by a powerful coachman"; Milkman views it as a cramped space that inhibits his mobility; Macon is satisfied with the Packard only because it is a symbol of success: "These rides . . . had become rituals and much too important for Macon to enjoy"; and the townspeople name the car "Macon Dead's hearse," emphasizing the link between material wealth and spiritual death.
By referring to the Packard as a "chariot," Morrison merges the elements of fairy tale and black culture, much like she did with the golden thread and "Rumpelstiltskin" in Chapter 1. Here in Chapter 2, the image of the "coachman" suggests the royal coach in "Cinderella," and the term "chariot" alludes to "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," a spiritual often sung at black funerals. Readers should also note the numerous allusions to flight, including Lena and Corinthians' perception of "the summer day flying past them," the Packard's "silver winged woman" hood ornament, and the car's "dove gray" seats. Perhaps more important is Milkman's sensation of "flying blind" — yet another reference to his dulled, unenlightened existence. However, Milkman's spirits are raised when he is later introduced to Hagar: "He seemed to be floating. More alive than he'd been, and floating." This new feeling in Milkman emphasizes the relationship between flying and living, experiencing life on one's own terms rather than on someone else's.
