Grappling with Christian Mythology: First Corinthians Coming-of-Age within Song of Solomon

Abstract

Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, published in 1977, is one of the foremost examples of literature in the African American context that employs Christian mythology and thematically develops the notions of love, morality, and difference. Therefore, this work presents qualitative descriptive research that explores how the character created in the coming-of-age process is portrayed in relationship to the biblical passages about the ecclesiastical work. First, Epistle to the Corinthians focuses specifically on the Dead, a character from the work, in attempting to identify how Morrison employs poetic languages, mythology, and folklore to create an Afro-centric bildungsroman; secondary data such as theological interpretations and scholarly commentaries are also utilized. The research demonstrates how the moral and psychological growth of the protagonist, First Corinthians, in the context of Toni Morrison’s novel, is impacted by the father figure Macon Dead and her transition to a new level of recognition of her worth and freedom due to her affiliation with Henry Porter. Such sociocultural antagonisms are then exemplified through the political statement of elitism and the psychological effects reflected by African Americans; they come to a climax in First Corinthians’ escape from her past while embracing a gratifying future in Mormonism.