In Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison gives us a list of characters whose lives revolve around the basic principle that completes us all, love. Morrison's most grounded character is Pilate Dead. Even though Pilate doesn't say much, she is one of the most important and beloved characters in the story. She is loved not only by Milkman but also by readers. As Morrison says: “[Pilate is very great] because it resembles something that we wish existed. She represents a little hope in all of us” (“An Interview with Toni Morrison” 419). Pilate Dead is many things to many different people. She is a mother, a savior, a role model, a woman of great strength and a woman full of mystery. Pilate is arguably the most important character, along with Milkman, in Morrison's novel. In the novel, Pilate has a connection to everyone in one way or another. Although Pilate is not mentioned much in the story, it still revolves around not only Milkman, but also Pilate. In fact, Morrison said in an interview: “Sometimes a writer imagines characters who are threatening, who are able to take control of the book. To avoid this, the writer must exercise some sort of control. Pilate in Song of Solomon was this type of character. She was a very important character and occupies a very important place in the book. So I wouldn’t let her say too much” (“An Interview with Toni Morrison” 418). And Pilate actually looms large in the novel, no matter where you read, there's something that always leads back to her. Before you even know who Pilate is. For example, Pilate was there when Mr. Smith, the insurance agent, decided to leave Not Mercy Hospital and was talking to Ruth about how her baby was going to be born the next day. At the beginning of this interaction between Ruth and Pilate, a m...... middle of paper ......actor. It is the love she shows that makes the reader love her too. In Morrison's novel we are constantly shown the theme of love with Pilate, given to show us the strongest and healthiest example of it. Pilate who hid deep in the reader's mind, who was the most beloved of all the characters. She is considered a mystery to those inside and outside of history, due to her perceptive ability and lack of agenda. Pilate was the strongest character, not a passive woman either. This is truly an unusual work, one that the reader would like to see more often in the world around them. Pilate is also a personal favorite, and it's not hard to see why. Pilate is the embodiment of what love is supposed to be and that is why she is so important and so dearly loved among readers. In Milman's words: "There must be another like you.,” (336).