The topic of race will forever keep the ideas of the world split. Some believe that the races can coexist, while others have said that only violence can solve the racial issue. In Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison, race is a topic of wide debate as the racial barriers between white and black are expressed in the views of African Americans.
Guitar, a young man from Michigan, is caught up in this debate and his strong passion for his point of view, leads him into becoming a member of the Seven Days, a radical group of seven black men that kill white people in the same exact manner that previous blacks were killed in. Guitar strongly belives that society is set up that the black man is inferior, and the only way to take down this barrier which produces abuse is to treat white people in the same way back. His extreme views lead him into killing innocent people, in order to avenge the death of his own race.
When Milkman, the lead character in this novel, and his good friend Guitar, argue about the Seven Days, and the morality of the group, Guitar expresses that the only way to put an end to this, is through violence. He also demonstrates his fervor when he says that "I do not do this because I hate whites, but I do this for the love of my own." Here, he expresses that the only reason for his actions is to help his own race, however in reality he is only harming its reputation.
Guitar might be wrong, but he is definitely not confused. He wants to equal out the proportion of the races and try to stop the "damn" whites from continuing their hate crimes against the blacks. Guitar does not want "his people" to continue being the victims, and if they are, he believes that the violent deeds he performs as a member of the Seven Days are fair and completely justified. .
The topic of race will be a center for debate between people in society forever. Most hope that all races can live together in complete harmony, however there is a possibility that this will never occur.
