Preview

Dysfunctional Relationships Between Sonny's Blues and Shiloh

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1148 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Dysfunctional Relationships Between Sonny's Blues and Shiloh
Jeremy Raymond
Professor Gazzara
ENG 102-109
April 6th, 2013
It Takes Two To Tango What makes a relationship dysfunctional? Is it the changes one sees in another whether they be physical, emotional, or financial? Is it a change in their own personality that is now changing their views on their family member or significant other? Tina B. Tessina defines a dysfunctional relationship as this: Dysfunctional Relationships are relationships that do not perform their appropriate function; that is, they do not emotionally support the participants, foster communication among them, appropriately challenge them, or prepare or fortify them for life in the larger world. (Tessina 1) In "Sonny 's Blues" and "Shiloh", we see two different types of dysfunctional relationships. In "Shiloh" we see a marriage relationship between Norma Jean and Leroy Moffit. In "Sonny 's Blues", we see a brotherhood relationship between Sonny and his brother. These relationships are considered dysfunctional based on the actions and lack of actions based on those involved. In Mason 's "Shiloh", the relationship between Leroy and Norma Jean was off to a good start. They have been married sixteen years and had a kid named Randy. Randy passed away from sudden infant death syndrome at a very young age. We can infer through the text that both Norma Jean and Leroy were left traumatized by this. The death of a child can leave a person traumatized and shook-up for the rest of their lives. The couple 's relationship takes a turn south due to numerous reasons. One reason being Norma Jeans newfound lifestyle. Ever since Leroy suffered his accident, She has morphed into the manly figure of the household. She 's starting to lift weights to strengthen herself up. Leroy is now observing changes in Norma Jean he has never seen before. In addition to lifting weights at home, she is now attending a body building class which puzzles Leroy. Through Leroy 's eyes, she is already a changed woman. Besides for



Cited: Tessina, Tina. "What Is A Dysfunctional Relationship?" What Is A Dysfunctional Relationship? N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2013 Mason, Bobbie Ann. Shiloh. N.p.: Flamingo, 1988. Print. Baldwin, James. Sonny 's Blues. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 1993. Print.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Characters In “Sonny’s blues” represent a wide range about human nature. For example, Sonny is a character with very non serious sense of humor and he is drug addict his brother (narrator) is character with good sense of humor and he was not drug addict. Sonny is the musician But he cared mostly about himself and not about the nation but narrator he cared about the nation and place where he was more then just himself. Furthermore most of the other people in Harlem were drug addicts and had no reason to live, this is the reason why Sonny wanted to leave Harlem just…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Often, by the time a couple enters into marriage counseling the couple has been participation in a cycle of destructive behavior ranging from, anger, hostility criticism, communication issues, and so forth. It is reported that more than 40% of clients who seek psychotherapy of any kind state marital distress and the reason (Gurman and Fraenkal,…

    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shiloh Character Analysis

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages

    She is very emotional and confused about what she wants and about what is going on. Norma Jean is used to not having Leroy around very much when he was truck driving but he is now home all the time and she doesn't know what to think of it and wants him to find another job. She is very distant with what she is thinking. Norma Jean is driven by having independence, "In the mornings, Norma Jean disappears, leaving a cooling place in the bed" (236). Norma Jeans relates to history differently than the other two characters because she strives to gain her mothers acceptance and wants her to be happy with the way she is living her life. She wouldn't have been as upset for being caught smoking if she didn't care about her mothers…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mason, who is the author of Shiloh, provides an important element of setting that helps signify the deteriorating relationship between Leroy Moffitt and his wife Norma Jean as well as the mood and essence of the story. Throughout the story, the author mentions the characters’ home. In Leroy’s world, home would represent togetherness, love, affection, and comfort because he would now spend time with Norma and feel secure. Ultimately, this would display a sign of a growing relationship. Ironically, home represents peculiarity and discomfort for Norma. According to the passage, “They never speak about their memories of Randy, which have almost faded, but now that Leroy is home all the time, they sometimes feel awkward around each other” (Mason…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Glass Castle

    • 1539 Words
    • 2 Pages

    children, Jeanettes parents loved her and her siblings in some sort of way anyhow. Rex seemed…

    • 1539 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Short stories are entertaining tales, not very high in details, about an assortment of people, places, events, etc. While reading the short stories, I found that the main characters, the narrator of “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, Leroy in “Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason and Julia in “Country Husband” by John Cheever, all experienced their worlds through different scenarios that caused isolation throughout their story. Isolation consists of a character, or person, taking themselves into their own world and how they want to see it. Personally, I isolate myself from having fun with friends to go into my room, with complete silence, to do my homework in a relaxing environment. Sonny experiences his life with immature control over his brother, Leroy…

    • 2416 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sonny's Blues Thesis

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sonny’s Blues was first published in 1957 by James Baldwin. The story takes place in Harlem, a historically African American neighborhood in New York City. This story was the start of Baldwin commitment to the civil rights movement, and he became a spokesman for African Americans during the 60’s. Sonny’s Blues is about two brothers, Sonny and the narrator, that suffer in multiple ways that involves music, drug abuse, the way the interact with each other, and even nightmares. Suffering can cause a human to change their point of view drastically. Only a few can overcome the curve balls life decides to throw at one. “Sonny’s Blues” is a fantastic example about how suffering can change a person, but…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sonny’s Blues shows a theme of salvation, or being saved. Not only do the two brothers need salvation from the world but they need salvation from their inner beings as well. Their world is filled with drugs, imprisonment, and the evil that resides around them. Salvation comes in many forms in this short story. The narrator is haunted by the thought of not responding to his brother, a failure that continues to haunt him because he denied all his obligations to his brother, Sonny and his dying mother. Also the death of the narrator’s daughter, Grace, is actually a form of salvation. It makes the narrator write a letter to his brother in search of forgiveness. This serves as salvation for Sonny who had just got out of jail, and wants to be…

    • 177 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    There are many examples of symbolism and figurative language in Bobbie Ann Mason 's short story "Shiloh." The importance of names: the main character is Leroy Moffitt, his wife is Norma Jean, her mother is Mabel, and their deceased son, who died of sudden infant death syndrome at the age of 4 months, is Randy. In the story, Norma Jean says to Leroy, while doing her studies for school, "Your name means the king." Leroy questions his place in their relationship, "Am I still the king around here?" She assures him she is not cheating on him, but his questioning is coming from a deeper place. Leroy is worried that he is not the powerful husband that he should be to his wife, and he can tell. Going back to the beginning of the story, Norma Jean "reminds Leroy of Wonder Woman," foreshadowing the reverse of roles the couples face after Leroy 's accident.…

    • 1387 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sonny's Blues

    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages

    During the course of this writing, you begin to understand exactly what trials and tribulations Sonny was going through. Having grown up in the projects/low income housing, finding out the truth out how his father had really passed and their rocky relationship with one another, his turbulent dynamic with his own brother, his heroin addiction and the problems it brought on, his struggle to fulfill the typical American dream, and finding the courage to do what he really loves; play music. Sonny’s Blues are the story of his life, and the failures or pitfalls he endured feeling imprisoned in his own body”.…

    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Structural family theory

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Individuals, subsystems, and whole families are demarcated by interpersonal boundaries, invisible barriers that regulate contact with others. Subsystems that aren’t adequately protected by boundaries limit the development of interpersonal skills achievable in these subsystems (Nichols & Schwartz, 2004). Consequently, the family should be considered as a system whose function depends on the members of this structure. Minuchin’s Family structural theory was created with subsystems that changed all the time as they were adapting to external (job, school, and relocation) and internal (divorce, illness, and birth) influences. Thus, the dysfunctional family is one whose external and internal boundaries are excessively diffuse or rigid. A diffuse boundary deprives the couple subsystem of integrity, resulting in a lack of identity as a couple. A rigid boundary, on the other hand, cuts the couple off from its environment.…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism In Sonny's Blues

    • 1165 Words
    • 5 Pages

    A high school algebra teacher and a drug addict brother. Two different personalities who want nothing but a brotherly relationship. The unknown narrator cares about his brother Sonny but blames himself for who his brother has become. He wishes he could have protected his brother more and in doing so, prevent him his brother’s drug addiction. Sonny and his brother’s relationship is nowhere close to perfect but tries to prove that people can change. In Sonny’s Blue’s, Baldwin uses symbols of Jazz and Blues music, and colors of light and darkness to show their brotherly relationship and their capability of having a good relationship.…

    • 1165 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the end of the story the narrator states that Norma Jean said, “--you won't leave me alone." She says this while crying after Leroy ask, “You and me could start all over again. Right back at the beginning." Norma Jean said that, “We have started all over again, and this is how it turned out." She says that she “feels eighteen again” and that “can't face that all over again." Referring to all the trauma and sadness that they went through when she got pregnant at eighteen and the loss of their son Randy at such an early age. Such trauma usually causes strife in a relationship. After starting a body building class Norma Jean starts to have a new leash on life, feeling brand new. This usually causes trouble as…

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The test of a “Good” Relationship is whether we believe it provides us: a) what we want-- solid substantive outcomes, b) peace of mind, and c) an ability to deal with differences. If these basic needs are being met for one or both parties, any effort to improve the relationship will likely be unnecessary or unproductive.…

    • 2005 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Types of Violence

    • 1939 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The American Psychiatric Association planning and research committees for the forthcoming DSM-5 (2013) have canvassed a series of new Relational disorders which include Marital Conflict Disorder Without Violence or Marital Abuse Disorder (Marital Conflict Disorder With Violence).[23] Couples with marital disorders sometimes come to clinical…

    • 1939 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays