Flight and Change

     Initially, I really did not enjoy the book and did not see how Milkman was maturing. Even when Lena called him out, he still seemed to be like, ok, whatever. But something must have struck a chord and he started subconsciously maturing. Thats when we start Part two of the book; the flight.
    
     All through the first part, we hear of how Milkman always wanted to fly. It was the biggest disappointment to him when he realized he could not take off and fly above the Earth. But in Part 2, Milkman's soul starts to fly. The section starts out with him taking off and flying physically, in a plane.  We see Milkman as happy, something we have not seen throughout the whole book yet. He is by himself, doing something for himself (or at least that's how he sees it), and going out into the world for the first time. It is almost like he is given a second life, he is born anew. We watch him experience so many new things that normal people experience from their first days. He starts his life for real this time, and it is very refreshing, and optimistic for us as readers to read. But mentally, he isn't flying yet. Before he goes hunting, he is still of the same mindset as he was before with the exception that he gains some confidence in some places, and loses it in others. But it is in the forest where he "confronts death" and wins over it. In mythical terms, this is like the test of mind and body as here he is, confronted by his best friend which is an extreme emotional test. But he turns around and beats the dark, and the second sight opens up to him. Milkman sees the world differently now, and the world start accepting him. No longer is he doing stupid things, but rather he is living in the world, not along side it. He begins to start thinking ahead for the first time (when he thinks of his travels to the Byrd house and how he had to get back before dark and as to what he would take with him) and he is no longer stuck in the front seat between his parents, looking back into his past. Yes, on this trip he does delve into his past a lot, but this uncovering of truths comes with his progress forward. It seems as though gold becomes the point that when reached, he will know all of his past, some grave secret or realization will be released, and with the gold will come the last test and the last piece to the puzzle; the puzzle of Milkman's past.