Sejal Says, “The Peacock Motif Goes Beyond the Novel”
The peacock makes another appearance later on in the book when the bobcat is killed. The presence of the peacock at this moment is related to the peacock’s earlier scene in the novel. Previously, the peacock’s wealthy appearance weighed it down however, now it’s able to fly. The message is obvious — Milkman is no longer weighed down with his greed and his entitlement, so his soul can feel free in a way it couldn’t back in Michigan. He is also not burdened by Guitar and is able to leave his past behind.
Now to discuss the motif of the peacock in correlation to Hinduism, an Indian Religion. When I was reading Song Of Solomon, all of the peacock appearances reminded me of the peacock’s role in Hinduism. The Peacock is associated with Saraswati, a figure representing benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion, and knowledge. Peacocks are also identified with the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. That is why people keep peacock feathers at home because it is believed to bring wealth and prosperity to the house. This religious interpretation of the peacock is consistent with its meaning in the Song Of Solomon. It also helped me personally make real-world connections from the novel.
![Image result for peacock hinduism](https://www.boldsky.com/img/400x80/2015/01/05-1420459125-peacock-feather-symbolism.jpg)
I really like how you connected the peacock motif into a real world example. I think that adds depth into your analysis. Also, while it did strike me, the fact that the peacock is white was never something that I though about in depth. So the part about the peacock being white and not the regular blue and green was interesting to think about. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected all of the little details of the peacock to Milkman to show how the peacock represents Milkman. Also, that's so interesting that the culture view of peacocks is so similar to how we've interpreted the peacock in the story. I really enjoyed reading all the connections you made and how they fit in really well!
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