Song of Solomon

by

Toni Morrison

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Song of Solomon makes teaching easy.

Pilate Dead Character Analysis

Macon II’s sister, and a Christ-like character who selflessly devotes herself to others, including Reba, Hagar, and Milkman. Her supposed possession of a huge fortune in gold provides the setup for the second half of the novel. Pilate seems free of the anxiety and claustrophobia of the novel’s wealthier characters, such as Ruth, and she challenges gender norms by wearing men’s clothing and taking a traditionally masculine job, bootlegging, for herself. A largely static character, Pilate displays boundless sympathy and love for her daughter, Reba, and her granddaughter, Hagar. On the few occasions when she shows any aggression or anger, she’s proving her loyalty to her family.

Pilate Dead Quotes in Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon quotes below are all either spoken by Pilate Dead or refer to Pilate Dead. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Power of Names Theme Icon
).
Part 2, Chapter 13 Quotes

The people turned around. Reba had entered and was singing too. Pilate neither acknowledged her entrance nor missed a beat. She simply repeated the word “Mercy,” and Reba replied. The daughter standing at the back of the chapel, the mother up front, they sang.

Related Characters: Pilate Dead, Hagar, Reba
Page Number: 317
Explanation and Analysis:
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Song of Solomon PDF

Pilate Dead Quotes in Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon quotes below are all either spoken by Pilate Dead or refer to Pilate Dead. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Power of Names Theme Icon
).
Part 2, Chapter 13 Quotes

The people turned around. Reba had entered and was singing too. Pilate neither acknowledged her entrance nor missed a beat. She simply repeated the word “Mercy,” and Reba replied. The daughter standing at the back of the chapel, the mother up front, they sang.

Related Characters: Pilate Dead, Hagar, Reba
Page Number: 317
Explanation and Analysis: