Us and Abstract Identities

We can all be represented by abstract identities, whether it is by the Chinese Zodiac or your daily horoscope. In Song of Solomon, Milkman is compared to the white peacock from his ideals all the way down to how he walks with a “strut.” It first appears right before Milkman and Guitar plan to rob Pilate of a green sack hanging from her ceiling. It is completely white, with a tail “full of jewelry.” It represents how wealth can weigh people down and hinder them from being able to take flight. It embodies Milkman’s mindset at the time and that is something the author uses to represent him. In China from the past to the present, depending on the year someone is born in, they get assigned an animal. Most juniors are either year of the horse or year of the snake, and they each have specific traits that distinguish them. The snake is said to be charming, introverted, generous, and smart, whereas the horse is said to be energetic, independent, and impatient. Horoscopes are another way people can be categorized into abstract identities. There are 12 total, and they vary depending on what your birth month is. There are fire signs, water signs and earth signs that serve as the base characteristics for the personality of your zodiac. They are each ruled by different planets and stars, with different constellations matching each sign. They are something that can be universally used to group and distinguish people and represent them.