In the novel, Song of Solomon, the character Macon Dead’s son, who is named after him, gets stuck with the nick-name, “Milkman”. This nick-name has shaped milkman into a childish character that relies too much on his parents. His name originates from a scene in the novel where his mother is caught breast-feeding him past a normal age, and is a source of shame for both his mother and father. While this takes place at an age where he should remember the happenings of his youth, despite “his legs dangling almost to the floor,” his memory of this moment gets suppressed until he finally finds out the origin of this name. His name is also a major source of shame for his father, which puts strain on both the relationship between Milkman and his father