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…
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” explores the narrator’s and Sonny’s roles in their fraternal relationship. After their mother’s death, the narrator assumes a parental role while Sonny matures and grows more independent. This causes Sonny to run away from home in search of control over his own life. Baldwin puts his characters through immense suffering.…
The short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin exposes and explores many social and internal issues. The story is told by an unnamed, self-loathing narrator living in Harlem during the middle of the 20th century. He is an everyday family man and school teacher who does not like to expose his emotions and the pain that he’s dealt with in his life. Much of this pain has come from his brother Sonny, the main character in the story. Sonny is a long-time heroin addict that has just recently been released from prison, and his brother feels as though he has had something to do with Sonny’s addiction. I believe that this feeling could come from the fact that even though they both have come from the same racially-oppressed…
“Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin is about two brothers, Sonny and the unnamed narrator. The story chronicles a part of their lives. It begins with Sonny’s drug arrest. The tale then travels back to Sonny’s teenage years and ends up with Sonny living with his brother after his arrest. The story uses imagery throughout the tale. One of the most used is that of the contrast of light and darkness. This becomes the theme of the story. Even though Sonny has struggled with a drug problem and arrest readers may wonder who is in more darkness.…
James Baldwin’s authorial attitude in “Sonny’s Blues” represents his view that in order to escape the metaphorical darkness and reach the light, Sonny must strike a balance between his personal lightness and darkness. James Baldwin uses powerful diction and the narration of Sonny’s escape to prove this.…
What is the past? Webster 's Dictionary defines the past as a person 's history or background. The experiences of the past help make people who they are. It is the sorrows and joys, the losses and the victories of the past that shape and mold people into what they become. The past can affect someone for the rest of his life. James Baldwin 's story "Sonny 's Blues" is a story about two brothers who grew up in the ghetto of Harlem. As adults they both try to find themselves and escape their past in Harlem. Sonny 's brother tries making a better life for himself. He uses his family and his success as a schoolteacher as a way of overcoming his childhood. On the other hand, Sonny uses his drug addiction and his love of music as means of escape from the past. The idea of the story is that no matter how hard they try to escape the past, they will never be able to. The past is a part of them, and until they learn to accept that fact, they will never truly know how it feels to be free.…
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” is a story about two brothers who grow apart and reunite after many struggles. The narrator, Sonny’s brother, tells the story through his point of view regarding their issues, heartache, and finally their acceptance. The brother has the knowledge of the past from his mother that helps to shape the story and makes his point of view credible. His point of view, knowledge of the past, and his own experiences help to give the reader clarity of the overall meaning.…
Brothers tend to grow apart yet eventually find a way to revive an old beat up relationship. These brothers grew up on the rough streets of Harlem and went their separate ways. Sonny was a drug-addicted musician and his older brother was a high school algebra teacher with a family. The way the two brothers reunite through addiction, memories and strife make their bond seem stronger than ever. Sonny's Blues, by James Baldwin, is a story about enlightenment through brotherhood when Sonny and his brother go to the club.…
James Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues" explains how the narrator does not trust his brother, Sonny after learning that he is going to jail for the use and sale of heroin. Just after the death of their mother, Sonny expresses to the narrator that he has a passion for playing jazz music. The narrator does not agree with this which causes a strained relationship between the two brothers. After watching Sonny perform one night at a nightclub, the narrator realizes that Sonny is a person who has been through pain and heartache, but also that he has a wonderful soul. The two brothers learn to overcome thir differences, even when one is an algebra teacher and the other is a musician. Baldwin tells the story through the use of flashbacks,…
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…
In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, a brother named Sonny was arrested for using and selling drugs. The narrator is the older brother of Sonny who finds out he’s in jail through the newspaper, he had not spoken to him in years. After Sonny’s release from prison, he moves in with his older brother and for a period of time they both attempt to deal with each other. Drugs had taken over most of Sonny’s life mainly because of his father’s personality, his neglecting brother and the harsh living environment.…
The story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin makes excellent use of multiple literary elements. Namely, I think the writer utilizes symbolism and the nuances of point of view to give the story a deeper connotation that could not be said plainly. The meat of the story is about an unnamed older brother’s relationship and differences with his younger brother, Sonny. Sonny’s aspiration to become a jazz pianist leads him in an opposite direction than his brother, and into a world where the common suffering is dealt with by heroin and music. The fundamental differences between the brothers in their lack of understanding for each other and their gradual acceptance of one another is highlighted and explained by what the symbolism adds to the story and the change in the narrator’s point of view at the end of the story.…
“Sonny’s Blues” is a short story, written by James Baldwin, about two brothers from Harlem, NY. The story is told in the first person perspective by one brother about is younger brother, Sonny. The narrator, who remains unnamed throughout the story, is Sonny’s older brother and no other siblings are mentioned, so it is safe to assume it is only the two of them. The narrator remains unnamed simply because his name is not relevant. The story is told by him, from his perspective, however, it does not matter who he is exactly. The narrator is a representation of the few black men in that time that were able to overcome the effects of…
James Baldwin’s literary piece “Sonny’s Blues” is one that can be interpreted in Various ways. However, it is clear that one theme repeated throughout the short story is the idea of emotional complications attached to brotherhood. One which evokes positive intentions along with an extremely strong desire to make sure your brother is okay. Still, this feeling can unintentionally become dreadful. This is depicted in Sonny’s Blues as it overcomes the narrator's senses suppressing him from not only understanding but listening to other people's perception, which Keith E. Byerman also illustrates in his piece, “Words And Music: Narrative ambiguity In ‘Sonny’s Blues.’” Baldwin’s use of Blues depicts the power of nonverbal communication that enables…
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.…