page 17: [Macon Dead] walked there now . . . thinking of names. Surely, he thought, he and his sister had some ancestor, some lithe young man with onyx skin and legs as straight as cane stalks, who had a name that was real. A name given to him at birth with love and seriousness. A name that was not a joke, nor a disguise, nor a brand name . . . His own parents, in some mood of pervesness or resignation, had agreed to abide by a naming done to them by somebody who couldn't have cared less.
Questions:1) Why doesn't Macon change his family name if he is so bothered by it? Isn't he perpetuating the "resignation" by accepting the name of Macon Dead?
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I think Macon didn’t change his name because other than his sister it was the only thing he had left. He may say he hates it on the outside but really deep down he is proud to be a Dead and would never change it. I also think that he doesn’t change his name because he is trying to save the Dead name from extinction. He wants the name to stay alive and keep going. Yes, he may have wanted a more meaningful and serious name that was agreed on by his parents but he is proud of it and he is just too afraid to admit it. He is a Dead and he wants it to stay that way.
-Gillie Jacobi
As much as Macon may say he doesn't like his name he truthfully does. There is a history behind the Dead's that Macon wants to stay alive. Milkman finds out that history and is in awe at everything the family name means, says, and does. Macon isn't bothered by his family name and is grateful to be a dead. Yes, he is perpetuating the resignation of his name by accepting it. People in Macon's town see the name as kind of a joke with no real seriousness involved when this name actually means a lot more to a lot of others.
Milkman really does appreciate his name because he doesn't have much and his name is one of the only things for him to old on to other than Guitar and his sister. Macon doesn't change his name because he really does like deep down and what he does not like is how his name has been made a joke when he wants his name to be serious. He wants people to think of him and perceive him well when they think of the name "Macon Dead" and not laugh or make it a joke. Macon is perpetuating the resignation by accepting the name but the only thing that Milkman wants to prevent and stop is not his name but the name's reputation and for his label not to be mad into a joke.
I think that deep down Macon is grateful to have his name and be able to say that he has something in the world other than just his sister. He was angry that his parents didn't get to pick their own name or weren't given their rightful name when they became free, but were instead given the name by someone who could care less about his family. Macon is perpetuating the resignation of his name by accepting it because if he didn't accept it and changed it then it would be lost forever.
I think Macon kept his last name because his last name defines him. It defines what is left of his family other than his sister. He is finally accepting who he is and his families past. If he would've changed his last name there would be no past history carried down. No matter how bad it is, it's still apart of his family's background. He has agreed to just accept it and take pride in it.
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