Sonny's Blues Literary Analysis
Sonny’s Life in Conflict
In James Baldwin’s short story, “Sonny’s Blues,” the narrator provides multiple expressions and ideas to give us readers a better understanding of what is going on throughout the story. The narrator not only gives us thorough information, but displays major themes as the story changes roles. The term conflict really stood out to me as I was reading through the story. Playing the role of a big brother was not all that easy for the narrator, in which he found out first handed how big of a role it really is. Also in “Sonny 's Blues,” the narrator is reflecting his experiences with family members such as his mother and his younger brother. A special promise was made by the narrator to his mom; “Promise me when …show more content…
I die, you will take care and look after Sonny” (60). This was very challenging for him, because he knew Sonny wasn’t perfect by any means, and always finding a way to get in trouble. Sonny and the narrator are brothers with a seven year difference between them. The conflict due to his interest in becoming a musician really stood out to the narrator. He thought it was just a stage Sonny was going through, and that it would change with a matter of time. The narrator changed his thoughts about music when he began to notice how much it angered Sonny. He tried to convince his little brother that the jazz industry was not gone lead him to a successful future. After arguing about this situation the brothers’ relationship seemed to grow distant from each other. Sonny tries explaining to his older brother about his drug addiction, but the narrator tries his best not to accept what he was hearing.
He knew Sonny’s friend was doing drugs, but had no clue his little brother were doing them to. He mentioned in the story that he knew Sonny was a little wild at times, but he sure wasn’t crazy. The narrator wants to make sure Sonny is safe and off the streets; so he demands for him to come live with him and Isabel. Sonny agreed and it just so happened that they have a piano for him to practice his music on. Little did the narrator know, Sonny was still unhappy and wanted to move somewhere else. One day Isabel went to check on Sonny, and he was nowhere to be found. Months later a letter was received at the narrator’s home saying; Sonny had joined the navy and would go as far as they would take him. The two brothers didn’t meet back up until they were both back in New York. First thing Sonny wanted to do was going back to his hometown streets and play some …show more content…
blues. After a few days had past, Sonny and the Narrator head out to a dark, and packed out night club for a night out.
“Hello, boy,” said a voice coming from very a very large black guy behind him (70). Sonny immediately recognizes the voice that turned out to be his old friend Creole that was a musician. They begin shaking hands, and introducing each other to one another. Creole then came up with the wonderful idea of them performing together in front the live audience “Sonny do you want to perform tonight?” (71). The narrator, being a big brother, had to discuss this over with Sonny. “For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness” (71). This was the perfect time for Sonny to show off what he could do on the piano. The two friends and a light skinned black man began performing for the crowd that was cheering them on. Sonny couldn’t have been any happier, because he knew he had redeemed himself for all of the pain and sorrow put on the
family. The narrator is finally pleased about what Sonny has grown to be. He knew that he’d done everything possible to maintain his promise to mom. Sonny encountered a many of conflict situations throughout the short story in which I think made him a stronger person. The overall moral of the story can be summed up by saying that no matter how much you struggle in life, there is always a brighter side to everything. Sonny’s goal from the beginning of the story was to become a blues musician and play the piano. From the help of the narrator, Sonny was able to accomplish his life-long dream.
Works Cited
Walker, Alice. “Sonny’s Blues.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and
Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. 58-78. Print.
In James Baldwin’s short story, “Sonny’s Blues,” the narrator provides multiple expressions and ideas to give us readers a better understanding of what is going on throughout the story. The narrator not only gives us thorough information, but displays major themes as the story changes roles. The term conflict really stood out to me as I was reading through the story. Playing the role of a big brother was not all that easy for the narrator, in which he found out first handed how big of a role it really is. Also in “Sonny 's Blues,” the narrator is reflecting his experiences with family members such as his mother and his younger brother. A special promise was made by the narrator to his mom; “Promise me when …show more content…
I die, you will take care and look after Sonny” (60). This was very challenging for him, because he knew Sonny wasn’t perfect by any means, and always finding a way to get in trouble. Sonny and the narrator are brothers with a seven year difference between them. The conflict due to his interest in becoming a musician really stood out to the narrator. He thought it was just a stage Sonny was going through, and that it would change with a matter of time. The narrator changed his thoughts about music when he began to notice how much it angered Sonny. He tried to convince his little brother that the jazz industry was not gone lead him to a successful future. After arguing about this situation the brothers’ relationship seemed to grow distant from each other. Sonny tries explaining to his older brother about his drug addiction, but the narrator tries his best not to accept what he was hearing.
He knew Sonny’s friend was doing drugs, but had no clue his little brother were doing them to. He mentioned in the story that he knew Sonny was a little wild at times, but he sure wasn’t crazy. The narrator wants to make sure Sonny is safe and off the streets; so he demands for him to come live with him and Isabel. Sonny agreed and it just so happened that they have a piano for him to practice his music on. Little did the narrator know, Sonny was still unhappy and wanted to move somewhere else. One day Isabel went to check on Sonny, and he was nowhere to be found. Months later a letter was received at the narrator’s home saying; Sonny had joined the navy and would go as far as they would take him. The two brothers didn’t meet back up until they were both back in New York. First thing Sonny wanted to do was going back to his hometown streets and play some …show more content…
blues. After a few days had past, Sonny and the Narrator head out to a dark, and packed out night club for a night out.
“Hello, boy,” said a voice coming from very a very large black guy behind him (70). Sonny immediately recognizes the voice that turned out to be his old friend Creole that was a musician. They begin shaking hands, and introducing each other to one another. Creole then came up with the wonderful idea of them performing together in front the live audience “Sonny do you want to perform tonight?” (71). The narrator, being a big brother, had to discuss this over with Sonny. “For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness” (71). This was the perfect time for Sonny to show off what he could do on the piano. The two friends and a light skinned black man began performing for the crowd that was cheering them on. Sonny couldn’t have been any happier, because he knew he had redeemed himself for all of the pain and sorrow put on the
family. The narrator is finally pleased about what Sonny has grown to be. He knew that he’d done everything possible to maintain his promise to mom. Sonny encountered a many of conflict situations throughout the short story in which I think made him a stronger person. The overall moral of the story can be summed up by saying that no matter how much you struggle in life, there is always a brighter side to everything. Sonny’s goal from the beginning of the story was to become a blues musician and play the piano. From the help of the narrator, Sonny was able to accomplish his life-long dream.
Works Cited
Walker, Alice. “Sonny’s Blues.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and
Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. 58-78. Print.