What does it mean to be black? For centuries, authors, philosophers, and brilliant thinkers have claimed that race is solely a biological construct. That is, race is a result of the chromosomes in one’s body, the melanin content in one’s skin. But this explanation is all too vague; at what point can one determine skin color from DNA samples? How much melanin must one have in his or her skin to be considered black? Because of these objections, others argue that to be black is not biological but rather to share a common experience of “blackness.” Generally, this experience highlights what are considered commonalities in black life, such as racist encounters with police officers and private individuals. However, this explanation runs into the same problems as its predecessor. What does the “shared black experience” entail? Not all black people have the same experiences. A black person of a higher class may face different types of discrimination than a black person who lives in a poor neighborhood. And although it is impossible for one to deny the harrowing content of black history, it is possible for one to deny that this history can essentially delineate a “black experience” in the modern day world. Philosopher Arun Saldanha separates himself from these two views, contending that race is not essential (ie. a shared experience or a result of DNA), but rather contingent on connections with others. Coining the phrase “viscosity” to describe racial categories, Saldanha claims that “Race must similarly be conceived...in which the connections between its constituent components are not given, but are made viscous through local attractions. Whiteness, for example, is about the sticky connections between property, privilege, and a paler skin. There is no essence of whiteness, but there is a relative fixity that inheres in all the `local pulls' of its many elements in flux” (Saldanha). The philosophical dispute over race becomes evident in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. This is most clearly shown through the disagreement between main characters Guitar and Milkman. Guitar believes that black people are utterly doomed in such a racist society, and thus the only shot at liberation is to engage in a compensatory strategy to kill innocent white people. Milkman, on the other hand, is able to understand what race can become, retaining hope for a better society. The variance and juxtaposition between Guitar’s and Milkman’s perspectives and actions only supports Saldanha’s claim that the reduction of race to biology is harmful.

The conventional view of race as biological, one that is taken up by Guitar, is destructive. Throughout the book, Guitar repeatedly uses common black stereotypes to crush Milkman’s aspirations. In one of their notable arguments, Milkman claims, “‘If this is tea, I’m a soft fried egg,’” to which Guitar then responds, “‘N****’s been a lotta things, but he ain’t never been no egg.’” When Milkman asks, “‘How come? How come a n****r can’t be an egg… if he wants to[?]’” Guitar resorts to biology, declaring, “‘Nope. Can’t be no egg… His genes won’t let him be no egg no matter how hard he wants to. Nature says no.’” (Morrison 115). Although the debate is about a trivial issue, that of being an egg, it reveals the fundamental difference between Guitar’s and Milkman’s perspectives. The concept of an egg serves as a proxy for that of a future different from that of the past. While Milkman wants to strive beyond the limits that people of his race have historically faced (ie. not being eggs), Guitar is quick to shut down his hopes with a whole-hearted “Nope.” The view of race-as-biological extends beyond being a tool to squash hopes and dreams; in fact, it allows bigots to feel their beliefs are justified. The race-as-biological view empowers bigots to isolate “inferior” genetics as an essential feature of all black people. This essential feature remains the same from one black-skinned person to another, enabling negative stereotypes that degrade the entire population. Bigots now feel justified in fabricating sweeping generalizations of black people, because after all, they are supposedly all the same. Saldanha argues that this one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter model of a black person is counterproductive, as individual people (regardless of color) are all different from one another and cannot be reduced to stereotypes. “––If the mind is necessarily linked to, perhaps even a part of, the body and if bodies themselves are... racially distinct, incapable of being incorporated into a singular universal model, then the very forms that subjectivity takes are not generalizable… Bodies are always irreducibly… specific” (Saldanha). The “singular universal model” that Saldanha refers to is synonymous with Guitar’s position that black people can never be eggs, that they must be this way or that as history dictates. However, this argument holds no weight when confronted with the complex and multifaceted nature of life. Although it can be argued that Milkman is able to hold a more open-minded view of blackness than Guitar due to his higher class status, it is important to note that this does not disprove Saldanha’s philosophy. Milkman’s higher class status is a testament to the plight of black people. A world that was truly predestined to racism would never permit black people to succeed economically as well as Milkman’s family has. Milkman’s higher economic status only allows him to see a larger set of possibilities that people like him can pursue. Therefore, the notion that race is biological is not only false but also detrimental to progress and future improvement.  

Additionally, the reduction of race to biology can be used to vindicate atrocities such as murder. This is best demonstrated through Guitar’s tirade, in which he explains his reasoning for joining the Seven Days. Guitar proclaims, “White people are unnatural...as a race[.]...The disease they have is in their blood, in the structure of their chromosomes” (Morrison 156-7). Guitar remains committed to his stance despite Milkman’s protestations that there are certain exceptions, that some white people can be good and kind. Guitar’s ability to quickly dismiss Milkman’s durmuralls shows how disastrous this view of race can become. Guitar, in his twisted perception of society, is able to distort his moral compass and feel pride in murder. Saldanha, on the other hand, anticipates this consequence in his writing. “The insistence on the natural stability of ‘races’ has been integral to empire, genocide, and eugenics, and continues to be evoked to justify racial hierarchies and antagonisms... But why are nature and biology, just like the body and matter in general, assumed to be static and deterministic?” (Saldanha). Even more frighteningly, every murder that Guitar commits is in the name of balancing ratios between white and black people (Morrison 157). Yet, the logic of “balancing ratios” is consistent with Saldanha’s warning about deadliness of the race-as-biological view. Guitar’s act of balancing ratios between White and Black is comparable to Hitler’s balancing of ratios between Jewish and Aryan. This mindset is able to translate into actual acts of murder that prove fatal. Hence, the race-as-biological view easily takes a disastrous turn and becomes dangerous.

The conflict between Milkman and Guitar reaches its apex at the end of the book, when Milkman attempts to make his wish for a better world into a reality. At the end of the book, Milkman tries to “fly” with his aunt Pilate to escape his oppression. However, Guitar is so filled with contempt at Milkman’s exuberance that he tries to murder him, accidentally killing Pilate in the process. In the wake of his aunt’s murder, Milkman is still able to jump off a cliff and fly (Morrison 337).  Milkman’s bold act of flying without fear of repercussions demonstrates how there is potential for a better and different future for black people. Yet, the success of Milkman’s optimistic outlook on race spurs Guitar into insanity, causing him to turn violent. Guitar’s stubborn race-as-biological perspective manifests in him trying to kill Milkman to rid him of this opportunity. This furthers the claim that the race-as-biological perspective attempts to impede future progress. Ultimately, this action is not enough to prevent Milkman from flying, which demonstrates the persistence and triumph of Saldanha’s optimistic philosophy. The DNA sequence in Milkman’s body and his melanin content does not determine his fate as Guitar would like; Milkman’s hopes and dreams are enough to propel him to a better world absent society’s expectations. Saldanha corroborates, “What is needed is an affirmation of race's creativity and virtuality: what race can be. Race need not be about order and oppression, it can be wild, far-from-equilibrium, liberatory… Race shows the openness of the body, the way organisms connect to their environment and establish uneven relationships amongst each other… The molecular energies of race can be sensed, understood, and harnessed to crumble the systemic violence currently keeping bodies in place” (Saldanha). Saldanha believes that nature, and race itself, is never fixed but rather contingent, able to be changed across time. He emphasizes the potential of every individual, regardless of their skin color, to transcend what is known. Saldanha’s diversion from what is considered “natural” parallels Morrison’s attempts to show that nature is not always as it seems. The supernatural act of “flying” in Morrison’s book challenges the reader to blur the lines between reality (nature) and fantasy (a better world). The elusive power of nature in Saldanha’s philosophy and the ability to transcend a current status in Morrison’s further disprove the validity of the race-as-biology position. Milkman is able to succeed in escaping the oppression of the material world by “flying,” while Guitar remains stubborn and upset.

Consequently, Milkman’s perspective and Saldanha’s philosophy are wholly similar. Guitar and Milkman’s continuous disagreements correspond to Saldanha’s objections to the race-as-biological view. However, this conflict cannot be understood in a vacuum; it is widely applicable today. Biracial individuals are told they are “not black enough,” lighter-skinned individuals are told they have “too much privilege” and are ousted from social circles, and individuals that enjoy common activities deemed “white” are called defectors. Esi Mensah of MadamNoire outlines, “Feel like going surfing? Sorry, but that’s for white people. How about some golf instead? Nope sorry, once again that’s too white... As much as we all know that a person’s character should not be defined by their race, we still see it happen...We all agreed with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he said that people should be judged on the content of their character, not by the color of their skin...So why do some black people still think it’s okay to do this in a reverse way?” The race-as-biological view reduces individuals to their physical appearance, which undercuts their ability to be what they want to be and pursue what they want to pursue. What ought to be understood from this conflict is that people cannot be labelled, categorized, and placed in boxes that they cannot break from. One ought to maintain an optimistic outlook of the world and refuse to accept the status quo as reality.

Works Cited

Mensah, Esi. “7 Traits & Habits That Make People Accuse You Of Not Being Black

Enough.” Madamenoire, 1 Nov. 2012.

Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. Vintage Books, 2016.

Saldanha, Arun. “Reontologising Race: the Machinic Geography of Phenotype.” Environment

and Planning D: Society and Space 2006, vol. 24, pp. 9–24., doi:10.1068/d61j. pdf.