Macon Dead Jr. is Milkman’s father who purpose in life is to gain as much money and material possessions as possible before he dies. He is a wealthy black business man and the husband of Ruth, Milkman’s mother. Macon is an unfeeling, manipulative and dominating man. He thinks of Milkman as being another one of his possessions.
Macon Dead Jr. is a wealthy business man. He wants his son to take over his business, in the future, but this is not in Milkman’s plans. “You’ll be free. Money is freedom, Macon. The only real freedom there is.” Macon Jr. has not realized that his son is not about getting rich.
Guitar Bains is Milkman’s best friend and confidant who shows Milkman the real world and its problems. He meets Milkman when he was seventeen years old, five years older than Milkman. He was a member of a political group called Seven Days. “You can stop them from killing us, from trying to get rid of us. And each time they succeed, they get rid of five of seven generations.” The Seven Days only purpose is to murder a white person for every black person murdered in the same manner of death.
Pilate Dead is Milkman’s aunt and his father’s estranged sister who’s unconditional love has caused changes in Milkman’s character. She is the grandmother of Hagar, Milkman’s lover. She is an independent woman who is not manipulated or controlled by money. Her unconventional approaches and love of life draw Milkman in. He compares this to his cold, unloving family members and other close to him.
Hagar, Milkman’s lover, has had an impact on his life because of the shame and guilt he felt for his poor treatment of her after her death of a broken heart. Milkman volunteers to care for Hagar’s locks of hair symbolizing the Dead family’s soul. This honor he feels he owes Hagar for all the pain he has caused in her life leading to her death. “…he wasn’t sure he wanted to keep it up. Keep up the whole business of “of going with” Hagar.” He should have ended the relationship when he realized he did not have feelings for her.
In conclusion, the characters that have had an impact on Milkman’s life both positively and negatively, have helped to mold and shape a mature, responsible man. He learned that money does not make someone happy and is not the solution to problems. He learned from his mistakes and made life altering changes so as not to repeat them in the future.
