1.1.4.2. Deconstructing Afro- American Literature and Song of Solomon as a Working Model            7

• • The Argument 9

• • Methodology and Approach      11

• • Literature Review      14

• • Research Outline                        17

• • Definition of Key Terms 18

Chapter Two: Afro- American World of Literature and Deconstruction                                20 2.1. African-American World                                                                                                  21 2.1.1. African Soul                                                                                                        22 2.1.2. Black Identity out of Slavery                                                                              25

2. 2. 2. Racism in Development of Afro-American literature     28

2. 2. 2. 1. Historical Development of African- American Literature                       29

2. 2. 2. 2. Racial Identity in African- American Literature                          32

2.3. Construction of Collective Identity in Toni Morrison’s Narrative                                    36 2.4. Theoretical Concept: Deconstruction                                                                                37

2. 2. 4.1. Deconstruction and Literature                                                                          40

2. 2. 4.2. The Language of African- American Literature and Racial Identity       42

Chapter Three: Construction and De-construction of Identity in Morrison’s Fiction              46 3.1. Toni Morrison’s Fiction Depicting African- American Identity                                       48 3.2. Toni Morrison Deconstructing African-American Literature and Black Identity            53 3.3. A Critical Review of Song of Solomon: A Deconstructive Narration of the Black          55 3.3. 1. Formation of Identity in Song of Solomon                                                        60

3. 3. 3.1.1. Milkman Dead Reconstructing Identity in Gold Quest 60

3. 3. 3.1.2. Macon Dead Constructing Identity in World of Wealth and White 62

3. 3. 3.2. Tension and Paradox in the Construction of Individual and Collective Identity

in Toni Morrison’s Narrative                                                                           68 Chapter Four: Black Narrative Signifying Racial Identity                                                       72

4. 4. 1. The Mythic and the Historic, Fiction and Reality in Song of Solomon             73

4. 4. 2. The Urban and the Rural: Space in Identity Formation 78

4. 4. 3. Black Manhood, Black Femininity in Morrison’s Narrative 89

Chapter Five: Conclusion                                                                                                         96 5.1. Summing Up                                                                                                                     97 5.2.