Throughout history, mystical concepts and magical elements have been woven into the culture of virtually every civilization. From angels and demons to fantastical creatures like unicorns and goblins, supernatural beliefs have permeated the songs, stories, and other fundamental aspects of numerous societies throughout history. This characterization is especially true in African culture. For thousands of years, indigenous Africans have worshiped myriad spirits and divine practices that have allowed them to accept seemingly supernatural events into their daily reality. Circumstances like these have been recorded and documented extensively through art and literature, creating a genre of expression known as magical realism. This technique allows the author to blend a realistic narrative with surreal elements of the supernatural. Examples of this can be seen in the novel Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. Morrison's novel follows a young African American man named Milkman Dead as he explores his heritage on an existential journey of self-discovery. Throughout Song of Solomon, Morrison incorporates magical realism to blur the line between supernatural and plausible reality in order to challenge various elements of modern American society's accepted sensibility towards African Americans. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Morrison begins his transcendence into the world of magical realism by introducing Pilate Dead, Milkman's aunt, without a navel. Pilate's stomach “...was as smooth and strong as his back, nowhere interrupted by a navel...there was no other stomach on earth like his” (Morrison 29). This almost supernatural absence of the navel, a scientific implausibility, distinguishes Pilate from his peers. He is the only person on earth who lacks this characteristic and is therefore rejected by society. People “... froze at the sight of that belly... even became inert... 'What are you?' a man had shouted…that isolated her…even a traveling sideshow would have repelled her…” (Morrison 148). Pilate is a person of exceptional character; she is honest, thoughtful, and wise, but these facts are forgotten when people discover that she is different from them. Kamal Pradhan, an English literature researcher at Academia, describes Pilate as "...a fearless mother who is selfless and devoted to others... is responsible for Milkman's healthy birth and continues to protect him for years..." (Pradhan 1). She continues to state, “Despite these positive attributes…she is discriminated against because…she is different” (Pradhan 2). It is through Pilate and his unbroken stomach that Morrison comments on the mistreatment of African Americans throughout history and even in America today. He presents the reasoning behind Pilate's isolation, the missing navel, as absurd and unrealistic. This allegorical message extends throughout the novel as racial tension and acts of discrimination are prominent. Morrison suggests that the society that hates African Americans based solely on the color of their skin is just as irrational as a community that isolates an individual who is born, through some act of magic, without a belly button. It incorporates magical realism to challenge audiences to consider the progress their great nation has made towards African Americans in recent decades, because, despite the civil rights movement, many are still fighting for basic equality. This theme of racial injustice continues as Morrison explores Pilate Dead's connection to the spiritual world. Although her father died when she was oneas a young girl, Pilate is constantly visited by her ghost. She “…sees him around…guides…helps” (Morrison 168-169). It is Pilate's ability to accept his father's spirit that allows him to visit and assist her. His presence comforts and guides her through difficult times, and her belief in the supernatural strengthens her connection with the natural world and with herself, allowing her to lead a more sincere and authentic life. Freda Kirkham, author of “Women and Voice in the Song of Songs” states that “…her spirituality…including her connection to her dead father…him speaking to her from the spirit world, telling her to 'Sing ' ...defines Pilate as a person. She is willing to learn… to accept… and introduces those close to her to this… connection with this realm… this use of spiritual song,” (Kirkham 4-5). Open-mindedness and Pilate's acceptance of the supernatural led to his ability to live a happy and authentic life, unmarred by the corruption of greed and capitalist motivation. This is in stark contrast to his granddaughter, First Corinthians Dead starts with his father, Macon Dead, who “…acts like a white man, thinks like a white man…raised his children like a white man…is greedy” (Morrison 224- 226). she was never introduced to the possibility of a supernatural world beyond the one she lives in. Instead, she was taught the conservative lessons of 1940s America and asked to follow the path expected of her Corinthians she goes to college and “her education taught her how to be an enlightened mother and wife, capable of contributing to civilization…she believed herself to be a professional’s prize” (Morrison 188). Corinthians is intelligent and well-educated, but because she is unable to connect to the world of supernatural possibilities, she is closed-minded and unable to connect to herself fully and truly be successful and happy. She “… lacked the drive… nor the hunger, nor the hustle” (Morrison 188). Morrison highlights this contrast between Pilate and Corinthians to address the issue of discredited knowledge among African Americans. Throughout history, African Americans and their knowledge have often been ignored because it was insinuated that blacks were morally and intellectually inferior to whites. Comparing the innate, supernatural wisdom of Pilate to the "white...academic knowledge" of the Corinthians, which leaves the Corinthians completely unable to deal with the harsh realities of society, Morrison uses magical realism to show the importance of knowledge that African Americans they own. (Morrison 187-188). Corinthian knowledge represents the idealistic vision of white education, but this intelligence leaves her defenseless in a world of unexpectedly difficult realities, while Pilate's seemingly useless wisdom, representative of African American knowledge, allows her to thrive. Magical realism continues to assert itself throughout the novel as Morrison incorporates examples of human flight. From the moment Milkman comes into the world, human flight is accepted as possible by the community around him. The only person who is skeptical of this supernatural ability is Milkman himself. When “…he discovered, at the age of four…that only birds and airplanes could fly, he lost all interest in himself. Having to live without that one gift saddened him and left his imagination so empty it made him seem dull…” (Morrison 9). As an African American, Milkman comes from a culture that considers flight and other surreal events plausible. Since he chooses not to believe in his own ability to fly, he chooses to ignore an entire aspect of his background. Because he doesn't accept his,.