Equal Ground

In the book Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Milkman seeks to uncover his identity through his past. This longing leads him to his estranged aunt Pilate. The following passage is the dialogue of Pilate upon first meeting Milkman and Guitar:

"'The water and the egg have to meat each other on equal standing. One can't get the upper hand over the other. So the temperature has to be just the same for both. I knock the chill off the water first. Just the chill... when the tiny bubbles come to the surface...take the pot off the fire'" (39).

This passage can be interpreted many ways. Instead of really wanting to teach Milkman how to properly boil an egg, Pilate is trying to get across a deeper message. It is really a way for Pilate to ask Milkman to come to her on even ground, and forget his preconceived notions that his dad and the town’s hateful words have created. If he can be open to her and truly meet her before making judgments, he can see that Pilate may be a good person for him to have in his life.

When I first read this passage, I interpreted it as a message about racism. Pilate begins by saying that she doesn't like her "whites to move" (39). While she is talking about her hard-boiled egg, on another level she is referencing the racial tension present between black and white people during this time period. Morrison is telling readers that in order for these issues to be resolved, one group can't hold on to attitudes of resentment or feelings of superiority. If people can come together on equal ground, problems can be resolved. Knocking the chill off of the water is taking away the cold hearts. Hot temperatures reference anger and hatred, so Morrison is also showing that the pot, or rather the town, cannot be allowed to boil in this heat and animosity. 

Not only must Milkman be open to Pilate, but people of different races must be open to each other as well.