Pilate as the pillar of Song of Solomon: almost like Christophine in Wide Sargasso Sea

I feel that Pilate can almost be seen as one of the biggest protagonist of Song of Solomon as she is the story's moral guide (almost like a Christophine like figure). Although it is true that the narrator of the book hardly ever focuses on what Pilate is feeling or the state she is in, her presence in the book is strongly felt throughout. Ironically, although she is named after the Roman statesman who crucified Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament, Pilate has a complete lack of cruelty. Most often, she is actually leading someone who is in need of guidance.

While Pilate's role in the novel isn't as physically visible as someone like Milkman's, it is definitely just as important (perhaps even more).  Pilate is a survivor of the strong racism and yet she is loving and altruistic. Her loving nature implies strength rather than weakness. Most importantly,when a man tries to beat her daughter, Reba, Pilate takes the event very calmly (as Mr. Mitchell mentioned almost like an experienced ‘badass’) pushes a knife within just an inch of his heart and persuades him (and he obviously accepts) to never touch Reba again.  Impressively, Pilate is in her sixties (again old age, like Christophine, where old age shows power, experience and knowledge) and the abuser is a strong young man, Pilate still prevails.

In Song of Solomon, Morrison seems to suggest that Pilate’s powers, strength, and everlasting love above all, come from the African-American cultural traditions. By singing and expressing her feeling indirectly through the songs about Sugarman’s flight, Pilate shows her strength and tries to calm the memories of the past, specifically the oppression that her ancestors had to go through. Not only does she make herself content, she also makes the other characters who live in the present surrounding her joyful. In the end, Pilate becomes the novel’s model character, clearly expressing that power does not have to come at the expense of gentleness (although it is hard), and that freedom does not have to come at the expense of the happiness of others.

In these manners, Pilate is much like Christophine. Christophine was the character who was the mentor to Antoinette in the Wide Sargasso Sea and here, Pilate can be seen almost like a mentor like figure to Milkman (his life is empty without her initial guidance). Another factor is when Christophine makes the love potion, and Pilate does something similar. There is also the fact that both are seen as figures with some kind of “supernatural” power. So all in all, both characters have many similarities.