Sonny's Blues: The Inevitability Of Suffering
Sonny’s Blues
Explanation of Theme
The Inevitability of Suffering
Clyde Farmer
UMUC
Eng. 102 The Inevitability of Suffering
In the story Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin uses many themes for the reader to explore from art, to imprisonment to being safe and redemption. The over arching theme however seems to be suffering which will be the focus of this essay. Suffering is a constant presence in "Sonny 's Blues" starting from Sonny 's drug addiction to the death of the narrator 's daughter to the brutal murder of the narrator 's uncle, suffering is a constant presence in their environment. Suffering is, as Sonny so strongly argues, inescapable. This suffering is symbolized throughout the story by darkness, which constantly revolves …show more content…
Although suffering causes so much pain in each of the characters lives it is essential for both art and redemption. Sonny comments on how much suffering the revival singer must have had to go through in order to sing so beautifully. One can imagine that Sonny 's music comes from similarly dark experiences however, suffering and darkness, if used creatively can inspire works of beauty. Suffering also confers the ability to understand and feel true compassion for others, which is essential for redemption. An example …show more content…
Sonny leaves and gets into trouble and maybe the narrator felt that if he couldn 't keep his brother safe, then he would protect himself and his family by not contacting Sonny while he was in prison. The narrator soon realizes that he couldn 't protect his little daughter Grace from dying and this seemed to be the motivation he needed to pick up the pen and write his brother "My trouble made his real," he said (What is Baldwin saying) The truth is people are never truly safe from anything no one and nothing can protect any person. This idea is brought out numerous times in the story, while driving past housing projects where people have attempted to make nice, safe homes for themselves and their children in the middle of Harlem, and noticing the grass, big windows, and the playground, Sonny 's brother thinks to himself about the hedges and how they will never hold out the streets, and the people know it. Sonny 's brother is taking on the attitude he remembers hearing from their father " Safe! my father grunted, whenever Mama suggested trying to move to a neighborhood which might be safer for children. 'Safe, hell! Ain’t no place safe for kids, nor nobody! '" (Mays, 2014,
Explanation of Theme
The Inevitability of Suffering
Clyde Farmer
UMUC
Eng. 102 The Inevitability of Suffering
In the story Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin uses many themes for the reader to explore from art, to imprisonment to being safe and redemption. The over arching theme however seems to be suffering which will be the focus of this essay. Suffering is a constant presence in "Sonny 's Blues" starting from Sonny 's drug addiction to the death of the narrator 's daughter to the brutal murder of the narrator 's uncle, suffering is a constant presence in their environment. Suffering is, as Sonny so strongly argues, inescapable. This suffering is symbolized throughout the story by darkness, which constantly revolves …show more content…
Although suffering causes so much pain in each of the characters lives it is essential for both art and redemption. Sonny comments on how much suffering the revival singer must have had to go through in order to sing so beautifully. One can imagine that Sonny 's music comes from similarly dark experiences however, suffering and darkness, if used creatively can inspire works of beauty. Suffering also confers the ability to understand and feel true compassion for others, which is essential for redemption. An example …show more content…
Sonny leaves and gets into trouble and maybe the narrator felt that if he couldn 't keep his brother safe, then he would protect himself and his family by not contacting Sonny while he was in prison. The narrator soon realizes that he couldn 't protect his little daughter Grace from dying and this seemed to be the motivation he needed to pick up the pen and write his brother "My trouble made his real," he said (What is Baldwin saying) The truth is people are never truly safe from anything no one and nothing can protect any person. This idea is brought out numerous times in the story, while driving past housing projects where people have attempted to make nice, safe homes for themselves and their children in the middle of Harlem, and noticing the grass, big windows, and the playground, Sonny 's brother thinks to himself about the hedges and how they will never hold out the streets, and the people know it. Sonny 's brother is taking on the attitude he remembers hearing from their father " Safe! my father grunted, whenever Mama suggested trying to move to a neighborhood which might be safer for children. 'Safe, hell! Ain’t no place safe for kids, nor nobody! '" (Mays, 2014,