In Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, there are many characters which do abnormal things, or act abnormally in the eyes of the reader. There are, however, few characters with physical abnormalities. The two characters with the most prevalent abnormalities are Pilate Dead, with her lack of a navel, and Milkman Dead, with his legs being two different lengths. While seemingly different, the two characters are quite similar. Both characters' deformities separate them from society as well as one of their parents, yet they learn to cope with their deformity, and they will not only eventually fit in with society, but also be able to finally identify with their parent.

Pilate Dead has no navel, which represents how she has little connection to society and her mother. Everybody has a navel, and the simple fact that Pilate does not makes her different from society. Additionally, she came into the...