Milkman's Leg in Song of Solomon

 In Song of Solomon, one of the most striking and important physical descriptions of Milkman is that one of his legs is shorter than the other. Milkman makes the discovery about himself at the age of 14 and it quickly becomes one of his most important characteristics. Shortly before the first section of the novel concludes, Milkman (now an adult), looks in the mirror following a verbal beatdown from his sister and notices that his legs are now the same length. 

I think that Milkman’s abnormal condition with his leg is a symbol for his immaturity and lack of connection to the black community. When we first hear about Milkman’s leg situation, the novel notes that the abnormality made him resonate deeply with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Milkman’s connection with FDR continues throughout the novel, such as a scene where he raises FDR as an example of an admirable white man while in a conversation with Guitar about the Seven Days. Throughout the first part of the novel, Milkman lives his life as a manchild living his life with no purpose. When issues of race, such as Emmett Till’s story, are brought up at the barbershop, he feels no connection to the topic or concern. 

Milkman noticing that his legs are finally the same length at the end of the first section signifies his transition away from the immaturity which has characterized him so far, and a connection to the black community which he has avoided for so long in the novel. In the second section, Milkman finally learns to appreciate his family’s personal history and develops a deeper understanding for his parents, a stark contrast to the first section of the novel in which his disconnect from his father and his abnormal leg causes him to identify himself with white public figures.