The fathers may soar And the children may know their names The opening epigraph to Toni Morrison's epic Song of Solomon establishes three themes that persist throughout the novel -- flight, names, and paternal relationships. These themes systematically exclude women, highlighting problematic gender dynamics. First of all, none of the women in Milkman's world are physically able to fly. Morrison describes Mr. Smith's flight, Solomon's flight, and Milkman's flight; all three aviators are male. It's clear that flight is a skill reserved for only the men in Milkman's world. Rather than experiencing flight themselves, the women are forced to deal with the consequences of male flight. Just as Solomon leaves Ryna to care for twenty-something children, Milkman leaves his mother, his sisters, and his cousin Reba to cope with his absence. In these examples, Morrison shows a pattern of seemingly heroic men who leave their female family members behind. The women...