Category: Sonny’s Blues

James Baldwin is one of the greatest writers of the Civil Rights era. His words are like beautiful lyrics that attract readers from all walks of life. He knows how to choose the right words to describe a complex problem. He paints an image with a few strokes, and he does not need to write down several paragraphs to explain his point. In just a few words he can describe the issue at hand. For example, he described the socio-economic issues surrounding his little community with only a few words.

Consider the following line: “their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities” (Baldwin 123). There was no need to say more, as the reader immediately understands the kind of economic and social struggles teenagers are contending on a regular basis. His writing style is truly a marvel. Therefore, it is hard to analyze what was written.

The reader wants to go along with the ride, eager to know the end of the story. However, a closer examination of the story will reveal that this is a modern version of the story of the prodigal son who came back to save his older brother.

The fact that Sonny was the black sheep of the family was obvious even in the story’s opening paragraphs. He fits the usual image of the prodigal son, because he was the youngest child and he was carefree. He stands in stark contrast to his older brother, because he was the born leader.

In the beginning of the story the readers were told that law enforcement officers apprehended Sonny because of his drug habit. He was locked up, but the older brother knew about his circumstances through a common acquaintance. The older brother learned that Sonny had to go through a certain type of rehabilitation process. It was also the same person that prepared the reader to the eventual return of the prodigal son.

The story unfolded without giving any clue that the black sheep of the family, the drug addict, and the less successful brother was the one who will someday liberate the older brother from bondage. However, this message was not clear to those who were reading the story. All eyes were focused on the sins of Sonny. Conventional criticisms of the story echo the same reaction. All eyes bored down on the sins of Sonny. The following is a typical reaction from literary experts:

Like the sinners in the book of Isaiah, Sonny had sinned; he has, indeed, drunk from the cup of trembling. And like the people of Jerusalem in the Old Testament story, Sonny has suffered God’s fury, but is now free from affliction. The glowing glass on the piano above Sonny, his personal cup of trembling, has become, in effect, a shining halo above Sonny’s head; his sinning and suffering and redemption, in some way, have sainted Sonny (Tackach 117)

Once again the discussion goes back to the original assertion that Sonny was the prodigal son who eventually became the savior of his older brother. As mentioned earlier, Sonny’s future role in the life of his older brother was not obvious. It is because of statements like the following: “Yet, when he smiled, when we shook hands, the baby brother I’d never known looked out from the depths of his private life, like an animal waiting to be coaxed into the light” (Baldwin 127).

In this statement, Sonny was depicted as a scared animal. This is not the typical quality of a knight in shining armor. A rescue expert is someone who is courageous. A savior is someone who is confident to rescue people from a burning building. But self-confidence was not a major attribute of Sonny. Therefore, the readers are waiting for the older brother to step in, and save Sonny from a drug-crazed life.

In the early stages of the story’s development no one will suspect that Sonny’s absence, and his tough experience in the rehabilitation center made him wise beyond his years. But at the start, the only wise person in the room it seems was his older brother. The readers are made to believe that Sonny had nothing substantial to offer.

His youth was his problem, because his older brother was far advanced in terms of experience as a teacher and family man. Statements like the following created significant contrast between the two men. His older brother said, “The seven years’ difference in our ages lay between us like a chasm: I wondered if these years would ever operate between us as a bridge” (Baldwin 128). The seven-year gap seems an insurmountable challenge to overcome. It seems that Sonny was no match to his older brother when it comes to wisdom and maturity.

Although Sonny was seven years younger than his older brother, he was wise beyond his years, because of his dreadful experience in the rehabilitation center. He also matured because of his music.

His ability to play the piano is not only because of an inborn talent. It is also because he had this inner sensitivity, and the ability to see the world using a different set of lenses. It is this gift that enabled him to penetrate the high walls of pride and self-sufficiency that his older brother had created in order to survive in a world full of chaos and tragedies.

Sonny’s advantage was his ability to use music to cut through the lies, hate, and hypocrisy. Music is an important component of Sonny’s story. It was a powerful force that will transform his older brother’s outlook in life. Baldwin prepared the audience for the unveiling of Sonny’s power to transform and heal through his music.

However, this power to change lives was not obvious in the beginning of the story. The reader’s reaction mirrors the reaction of the older brother whenever he is confronted by something that he is not ready to embrace and understand.

The older brother seems to project the image of a person who looks down on others, especially African Americans who were unable to triumph over the evils in their society. It does not mean that he does not appreciate music, however, his idea of acceptable musicianship is classical music.

The rest are poor copies of the genuine article. This was made clear when he had a hard time appreciating the skill of a young man who had an extraordinary talent when it comes to whistling tunes. The older brother described the experience through the following statements:

One boy was whistling a tune, at once very complicated and very simple, it seemed to be pouring out of him as though he were a bird, and it sounded very cool and moving through all that harsh, bright air, only just holding its own through all those other sounds (Baldwin 123)

At this point Baldwin attempts to prepare the readers to the power of music. However, it was not yet clear how it could create a significant difference in the lives of the main characters. The older brother had no clue that Sonny’s power lies in his music. This was made clear when he saw a young black woman dancing to the music coming from a jukebox, and the older brother exclaimed:

And I watched her face as she laughingly responded to something someone said to her, still keeping time to the music. When she smiled one saw the little girl one sensed the doomed, still-struggling woman beneath the battered face of the semi-whore (Baldwin 125).

The older brother was quick to judge the woman as a semi-whore. His judgmental attitude was darkened by the music that was played in the background. His stereotypes blinded him to the beauty that was around him. Finally, Sonny was strong enough to confront the older brother. The conversation they had before they went to the bar was the start of the healing process. For the first time, the older brother realized that he did something wrong. Consider the following conversation between the two brothers:

But we just agreed, I said, that there’s no way to suffer. Isn’t it better, then, just to – take it? But nobody just takes it, Sonny cried, that’s what I’m telling you! Everybody tries not to. You’re just hung up on the way some people try – it’s not your way (Baldwin 143).

The older brother was unable to speak after the said conversation. He realized that he looked down on other people. He believed that his way was the only way. He realized that Sonny was correct when he rebuked him about his narrow view about life. When he admitted his failure to accept Sonny’s view about life, the older brother began to realize other things.

The older brother was able to make the admission: “All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it. And even then, on the rare occasions when something opens within, and the music enters, what we mainly hear, or her corroborated, are personal; private vanishing evocations” (Baldwin 146).

When the older brother opened his heart and his mind, he was able to hear the salvation message coming from Sonny’s piano (Byerman 369). He was able to forgive himself (Murray 356). He was able to let go of his daughter who died because of a terrible sickness. He is now ready to become a good father, and he is now ready to bring happiness back into his family. He is now able to make his wife smile once again.

Conclusion

In the beginning, Sonny’s role as the prodigal son turned savior was not clear to the readers. Sonny was seen as the black sheep of the family. He was the sinner and the older brother was the righteous one.

However, it became clear at the end that the older brother desperately needed help. Nevertheless, he received assistance from an unlikely source. Sonny made him understand why he was suffering. He was suffering because he could not accept other people’s behavior, especially the way they deal with suffering. When he realized his mistakes he was free and he was saved.

Works Cited

Baldwin, J. Sonny’s Blues. New York: Klett Sprachen, 2009. Print.

Byerman, K. “Words and Music: Narrative Ambiguity in Sonny’s Blues.” Studies in Short Fiction 14.4 (1977): 367-372. Print.

Murray, D. “James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues: Complicated and Simple.” Partisan Review 24.3 (1957): 327-358. Print.

Tackach, J. “The Biblical Foundation of James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues.” The Renaissance Journal 59.2 (2007): 109-117. Print.

The short story entitled Sony’s Blues is discussing the secrets of family and community, as well as gives insight into family’s and community’s inability to communicate. The story involves family members: the narrator, who is the older brother of Sonny – a young man who learned communication through music and now strives to become a musician. His desire is supported by adoration of this music style, as blues is a combination of lyrics of social and personal significance mixed with great music.

The older brother who had managed to make something of himself is narrating the story of his brother Sonny, who has become a heroin addict and is leading a rebellious life. It is clear that the narrator disapproves the way chosen by his younger brother.. “I didn’t like the way he carried himself, loose and dreamlike all the time…and I didn’t like his friends, and his music seemed to be merely an excuse for the life he led. It just sounded weird and disordered” (126). Narrator’s negative attitude becomes even clearer when he says: “So I got mad and then he got mad, and then I told him that he might as well be dead as live the way he was living” (126). However this spiteful attitude is not 100% accurate, as while Sony is in prison, the narrator ponders of his responsibility to watch over his brother.

After Sonny is released, his brother welcomes him home, and they make peace. In the final scene Sonny is performing in a jazz club, and at this point his brother comes to understand his passion for blues, and how it helps Sonny overcome life’s difficulties. As the band starts playing “hit that” the older brother realizes that “the only light we’ve got in all this darkness” (139), and it becomes clear that music has become a new substitution for heroin, that shall grant him full freedom.

“Greasy Lake” is a short story narrated by an adolescent who considers that he and his friends are “bad characters”, however later in the story they discover that “bad” is not near what they thought it was, and living a perilous lifestyle is not their ballgame. Although they were trying to be bad, acting rebelliously, they forgot that they were not bad at heart. “If he is truly bad, he would not care his Mother’s car is damaged, and no car arriving would have stopped the rape” (115).

Although the characters are described as dangerous, one of them is “allowing his father to pay the tuition” (111), another wants to become a painter, and the protagonist drives his mother’s old car. These 19 year old kids are not from the slums, and are not tough guys with their own interpretation of life. They are simply teens who rebel against anything just because they want to look cool, acting and pretending that they are something they are not. And this is what makes them cross the line from normal teenagers to criminals, but they learn about that the hard way.

“Where are you going, where have you been?” is in a way an allegory, which describes the seductiveness of evil, as there are indication that the villain Arnold Friend is not human, but the devil. The deadly fatal attraction is clearly visible throughout the story. It is suggested the Arnold Friend is the devil by the knowledge of the dead neighbor, as well as what Connie’s family is doing at the picnic. Friend’s persuasive “smooth talk” is similar to the devil’s forked tongue, especially towards women.

Another diabolical allusion is when Friend refuses to come into Connie’s home, unless invited. Another vivid indication of the devilish nature could be considered the physical appearance of Arnold Friend, including, his mask and wig, unnatural eyes, as well as his boots turned at a strange angle, as though he had devil’s hooves for feet.

Works Cited

Baldwin, James and Kirby, George. Sonny’s Blues. Klett, 1994.

Boyle, T.C. Greasy Lake and Other Stories Penguin, 1986).

Oates, Joyce Carol. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. Rutgers University Press, 1994.

This paper would discuss and evaluate the significance of perspective in the telling of a story. It would consider how the story would have changed dramatically if it were told from the perspective of a different narrator. Would it be the same story? How are perspective and plot-related? How might descriptions of places and characters be influenced by a particular narrator’s perspective and the attitudes he holds?

“Sonny’s Blues” written by James Baldwin is a story that deals with very real aspects of society and is done so through the use of symbolism and imagery. The story is craftily written, using lightness and darkness as symbols throughout the entire story. Baldwin focuses “Sonny’s Blues” on the character of Sonny who is continuously struggling to find what makes him happy. Ultimately, Sonny finds two escapes, one of them being fatal: drug abuse and music. Baldwin opens the story at the school where Sonny’s older brother (the speaker) works as a teacher. He reflects on what happened to his brother as he watches the boys in the schoolyard.

“…here I was, talking about algebra to a lot of boys who might, everyone of them for all I knew, be popping off needles every time they went to the head. Maybe it did more for them than algebra could…These boys, now were living as we’d been living then, they were growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities. They were filled with rage. All they really knew were two types of darkness, the darkness of their lives, which was now closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to that other darkness, and in which they now, vindictively, dreamed, at once more together than they were at any other time, and more alone” (Baldwin, p. 110).

This quote describes not only how unaware the speaker felt about the youth abusing drugs, but also describes their lives using the term darkness. Darkness symbolizes all of the hardships that the boys are faced with which is masked by the movies and media making life look easy. The term darkness has a negative connotation and gives the reader a sense that this word symbolizes something depressing or troubling. Throughout the entire story, the terms lightness and darkness are used as symbols to describe several occurrences.

Additionally, Baldwin creates strong imagery in different instances throughout the story. For example, the speaker, Sonny’s brother says: “A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting there slowly all day long…It was a special kind of ice. It kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less. Sometimes it hardened and seemed to expand until I felt my guts were going to come spilling out or that I was going to choke or scream. This would always be at a moment when I was remembering some specific thing Sonny had once said or done” (Baldwin, p. 109). Visually, the author creates vivid images for the reader to see as they are reading the story. This instance could be interpreted as a reference to Sonny’s use of heroin. The speaker describes feeling this way when thinking about past things Sonny had done, and perhaps the speaker felt this as he reflected on Sonny’s use of heroin. The ice moving slowly up and down his veins could perhaps be linked to Sonny shooting heroin into his veins.

The entire idea of perspectives change and switching over directly relates to what happened to Sonny. As Sonny grew up he saw the harshness of life and was unable to find happiness within himself. He grew distant from his family and did his own thing. Sonny became very independent and relied on music to express his inner pain. (Murray, pp. 353-57) Sonny also used heroin and other drugs as means for an escape from the harsh realities of his life. Sonny encompassed eternal darkness inside of him and was unable to be happy. He viewed the world as an ugly place and longed for an escape just as the child in the quotation was fated to do. Sonny was able to relate his two escapes (music and heroin) to each other: “when she was singing before…her voice reminded me for a minute of what heroin feels like sometimes-when it’s in your veins. It makes you feel sort of warm and cool at the same time. And distant: And-and sure” (Baldwin, p. 130). Sonny goes on to explain to his brother that music makes him feel in control and helps him “to keep from shaking to pieces” (Baldwin, p.131). Ironically, the heroin is what ultimately kills Sonny and his brother can see that.

A final example of the use of lightness and darkness occurs on page 135 when the speaker remembers going to see Sonny play music at a club: “The light from the bandstand spilled just a little short of them and, watching them laughing and gesturing and moving about, I had the feeling that they, nevertheless, were being most careful not step into that circle of light too suddenly; that if they moved into the light too suddenly, without thinking, they would perish in flame. Then, while I watched, one of them, the small, black man, moved into the light and crossed the bandstand and started fooling around with his drums” (Baldwin, p. 135).

This quote is significant in that it is contrasting with the darkness that has been repeated throughout the beginning of the story. Now the author brings on a light. Light leads the reader to see hope and happiness. The music is creating hope and happiness despite all of the harshnesses in the world. (Byerman, pp. 360-72) The speaker describes the band members as being fearful of the light, but then when in the light they can shine and express themselves. The author earlier describes the music’s power of healing: “the music seemed to soothe the poison out of them” (Baldwin, 129). From these passages, it is evident that Sonny had found his place and his escape that made him happy. Yet the heroin addiction was more powerful and took his life.

The story may be termed and interpreted as the story of two brothers who come to understand each other but their perspectives keep changing and the story itself twists with its plot. More specifically, it shows, through its two main characters, Sonny and his older brother, the two sides of African-American’s experience with much of racism. The narrator, Sonny’s brother, has tried to assimilate into the white society, but still feels the pain and the limits on his opportunity. (Terry, pp. 125-30) On the other hand, Sonny has never tried to assimilate and has to find a way out for his pain through drugs. Analyzing the plot of “Sonny’s Blues,” we can understand what happened, why it happened, and why characters acted the way they do. The exposition of the story starts when the narrator introduces the characters, scene, and situation of the story. The narrator learns from a newspaper that his younger brother, Sonny, has been arrested “for peddling and using heroin.” (Baldwin, p. 83)

The narrator is a high school teacher, and his wife is Isabel. Leaving the school, the narrator comes across an old friend of Sonny’s in the schoolyard. They talk about Sonny’s arrest and tell each other some of their fears. The friend says that he “can’t much help old Sonny no more.” This angers the narrator because it reminds him that he had given up trying to help his brother and not even seen Sonny in a year. However, he keeps in touch with Sonny again after his daughter dies. It is also the moment the narrator begins to wonder about Sonny again. The scene ends the exposition and opens the story’s rising action part. The story continues as the narrator meets Sonny after Sonny gets out of prison. At Sonny’s request, they take a long cab ride and recall the memories that they had experienced in “vivid, killing streets” in their childhood. Next, we hear the conversation between the narrator and his mother about his father and the death of his father’s brother. (Bieganowski, pp. 69-80)

The mother’s story makes the narrator realize how important he and his brother are to each other and how he, as the older, needs to let Sonny know “he is there” for Sonny. The narrator experiences a feeling of guilt, as he has not done as his mother asked, but he also remembers that Sonny’s choice of being a jazz musician “seemed beneath him, some how.” The conflict keeps rising as Sonny and the narrator argue about Sonny’s choice to be a jazz musician while Sonny has not finished his high school degree yet. We can see that the narrator’s actions and decisions are influenced by his promise to his mother. On the other hand, Sonny’s actions are because that is his choice. There is a close relationship between playing jazz and using drugs. This suggests that Sonny’s action of using the drug is “the accident of fate.” He can not control it; he uses drugs to “keep from drowning in” the suffering all humans have to go through. “… And then, when I ran away, that’s what I was running from… nothing changed, I hadn’t changed, I was just older.” (Baldwin, p. 102)

Sonny tries to escape from drugs, but he can not. Sonny confesses that he uses drugs again when the narrator and Sonny have a conversation after they witnessed a woman in an old-fashioned revival meeting. “So it comes again, All right,” Sonny’s brother said. “I had to try to tell you,” Sonny replied. “Yes, I understand that… I understand that…” Sonny’s brother repeated. (Baldwin, p. 102) The story reaches its climax when Sonny and his brother come to understand each other. The falling action part of the story describes the scene when the narrator goes with Sonny to a jazz club. It is difficult for Sonny to rejoin his music band since he has not played for a while. However, he begins to play “Am I blue,” Sonny takes control of the music, and becomes “part of a family again.” The story gives its conclusion when the narrator realizes that music has helped Sonny to stay free.

Furthermore, the narrator recognizes that the blues can help everyone be true to what and who they are. The story tells us that it is a good idea to follow your decision or judgment on your future life. Prejudice is wrong. However, there is a difference between prejudice and the elder’s advice. Those are valuable experiences that the elders have learned, or even paid from their lives. Listening to that advice can give people have a better choice for their career or a way to live.

Works Cited

1. Baldwin, James. “Sonny’s Blues” An Introduction to Fiction. 8th ed. Eds. X.J.Kennedy, Dana Gioia. New York: Longman, 2002.
2. Bieganowski, Ronald. “James Baldwin’s Vision of Otherness in ‘Sonny’s Blues’ and Giovanni’s Room.” CLA Journal 32 (1988): 69-80.
3. Byerman, Keith. “Words and Music: Narrative Ambiguity in ‘Sonny’s Blues.’” Studies in Short Fiction 19 (1982): 367-72.
4. Murray, Donald C. “James Baldwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues’: Complicated and Simple.” Studies in Short Fiction 14 (1977): 353-57.
5. Terry Teachout, James Baldwin: Early Novels and Stories: “National Review,” 1998; 125-30

Introduction

“Sonny’s Blue” is a story about two brothers who see life in a different way but later find understanding in each other. Music brings this understanding. The story begins as the narrator is on his way to his teaching job when he finds out that is the younger brother is in jail (Baldwin 2). Sonny has been caught dealing drugs.

On his way home, the narrator meets sonny’s friend who tells him about the challenges of his brother’s drug addiction. However, the narrator does not make any attempt to help his brother. After some time, the narrator’s daughter, Grace dies. The pain and anguish of this ordeal inspire the narrator to communicate with his brother. Their communication continues until Sonny is released from jail.

The narrator then welcomes Sonny into his home. Though Sonny appreciates his help, he feels uncomfortable at his relative’s home and turns to music. It is an outlet where he expresses his feelings. We can learn from the Sonny’s Blue that music and art is a source of conflict and understanding. This paper examines how music and art affect the two brothers. It further discusses why music and art make the love between the siblings coherent.

How music and art affect the narrator and Sonny

Conflict

Sonny’s passion for music is a source of disagreements. After their mother’s funeral, the two siblings discuss Sonny’s expectations. When the narrator asks Sonny what plans he has for the future, his answer dismays the narrator. Sonny tells his brother “I want to play with-jazz musicians” (Baldwin 12).

He tells his brother about his vision and dreams but the narrator dismisses these ideas. They argue about it for a while before they part ways. In another incidence, music causes conflict between Sonny and his sister-in –law’s mother. While living in their house, Sonny gets into a habit of missing School.

When he is confronted, he discloses that he was hanging out with the musicians in Greenwich Village. This revelation evokes a conflict between the two parties. Later, Sonny is sad because he recognizes that his dream is a burden to the people he loves (Baldwin 17). His passion for music causes them grief. Sonny enlists in the navy following this argument. After his return from the war, the two brothers argue again because of Sonny’s choices. Sonny becomes furious with his brother and shouts at him.

Understanding

Despite the fact that music is a source of conflict, it brings understanding. While sonny is living with his brother, the narrator has an urge to search his room for signs of drugs or mischief. As he thinks about his actions, he witnesses a street revival and reflects on its importance.

In the evening, Sonny invites him to attend one of his music concerts. Sonny explains that in music, he finds an avenue to express his pain and release his fears and struggles. In the club, the narrator realizes that his brother has earned the respect of the people because of his passion for music. He is a common figure among the people. Throughout the night, the narrator watches his younger brother struggle while playing music.

He becomes part of their family through his music. He then understands that Sonny’s problems emanates through his music. The narrator realizes that his brother is giving back to the society. He says “And he was giving it back, as everything must be given back, so that, passing through death, it can live forever” (Baldwin 25). This incidence brings understanding. The narrator finally comprehends Sonny’s identity and personality. He is proud of sonny’s undertakings as a musician.

Why music and art make the love between the siblings coherent

The love between the narrator and sonny is coherent because the narrator believes that it is his responsibility to look after his brother. The narrator loves his brother, but he feels that, by becoming a musician, Sonny will fail. In one of the flashbacks in the story, the narrator recalls his mother asking him to watch out for sonny.

His mother reminds him that when his father was young, he witnessed his brother’s murder. He was knocked by a car, and the occupants of the car did not bother to check on him. His father never recovered from that the incidence and his mother did not want the same thing to happen to the narrator.

His mother’s words encourage him to be his brother’s keeper (Baldwin 9). As a result, the narrator feels compelled to ensure that his brother is safe. This obligation strengthens their relationship. However, the narrator still feels like music is not the best option for Sonny. The narrator wants only the best for his brother. The narrator has a loving family and a respectable career, and he wishes that his brother will find the same success in something else other than music.

Music makes the love among the siblings more coherently because of the narrator’s feelings towards musicians. The narrator believes musicians are lazy people in search of a way to escape the issues of life.

Furthermore, the narrator thinks that musicians are drug addicts who lead immoral lifestyles. He relates this lifestyle to his neighborhood. Both of them are brought up in Harlem where, they endure the same poverty and hopelessness that engulf their neighborhood (Baldwin 10). The narrator decides to be a teacher while sonny desires to be a musician.

When he finds out that his brother is arrested, he does not attempt to help him because he is torn between love and disgust, apprehension and distrust. He is frustrated because Sonny has no intentions of leaving the poverty in Harlem. Music represents a cage that keeps him locked up in Harlem. He fails to comprehend why Sonny still goes back to the same lifestyle. This assumption and fear make his relationship with his brother coherent. He dismisses his dreams of being a musician because he believes it is a poor choice.

Conclusion

Music and art affect the relationship between the narrator and Sonny in many ways. They fight because of music, but in the end, they understand each other because of the same. The narrator does not appreciate the lifestyle of musicians. He believes they are lazy people without a vision. For that reason, he disapproves Sonny’s decisions.

He associates music with poverty and does not comprehend how musicians can become successful. The narrator loves his brother, but he is frustrated with his choices. He wants his brother to rise above poverty and hopelessness. He feels a sense of obligation towards him and desires the best for him. Music is a source of conflict as well as understanding of this story.

Works Cited

Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Stuttgart: Klett Ernst /Schulbuch, 2009. Scribd Net Library. Web.

Introduction

Sonny’s Blues is a story that was written as a reflection of flashbacks and memories of family bonds and suffering. The author introduces to the audience a sole narrator who discusses the life of his brother, Sonny, who the authorities had nubbed because of indulging in drugs (Silber 309). Sonny had been influenced by Harlem life, where they were residing, and had strived to learn how to play jazz piano to overcome his limitations. The narrator had ups and downs with Sonny, and through the story, there is a significant aspect of racism which is the main focus of this proposal.

The Theme of Racism

In the story, there were many limits placed on African American teenagers by the racist society then, but many of the victims were discovering their abilities. As seen in the introductory segment, society restricted black Americans from doing what whites did. Sonny remembers that at one point, his uncle had died in an accident caused by drunken whites who had hit him in an attempt to frighten the man (Silber 309). The history of oppression of people of color is the main aspect informing Sonny’s Blues. The upbringing of Sonny and the narrator in Harlem gives a glimpse of what it means to be black. That is the main reason why the narrator restricts his brother from learning all the concepts of the whites, such as driving and playing the jazz piano.

The author has detailed the poverty in Harlem neighborhood that had led to neglect of black persons around the city. That shows that people of color had few opportunities to make a life for themselves, which is why Sonny, at one point, had to leave school to join the Navy (Silber 311). It is an indication that the black people community would only get opportunities that risked their lives since the story had mentioned war.

Conclusion

Therefore, that is an aspect of racism that cannot be overlooked, and the author has showcased it. The perspective of suffering forms a significant part of the narrative and is mostly defined by the fact that the characters at the central part of the story are people of color. Thus, Sonny’s Blues is a story that highlights the presence of race and racism in society through the various scenes and occasions covered in the text.

Work Cited

Silber, Joan. “‘Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin.”Why I Like This Story, 2019, pp. 309–315. Web.

The Narrator’s Epiphany

The narrator in “Sonny’s Blues” is aware of social problems expressed in his brother’s music. The narrator, Sonny’s brother, realizes that music helps Sonny overcome his inner pain and suffering. For a long time, he has been detached from Sonny because they had different perspectives on life. Once they went to a night club where Sonny was offered a chance to play music to the audience. Therefore, music is used symbolically to connect the two brothers together because of their shared blood relations.

It gives the narrator and his brother a chance to escape from their pain, which they experienced while growing up in an environment full of poverty, crime and suffering. The narrator watches Sonny playing the piano in the club and concludes that this helps him deal with frustrations he has experienced in his life. He says, “He seemed to have found, right there beneath his fingers, a damn brand-new piano. It seemed that he couldn’t get over it” (Baldwin).

The narrator discovers that Sonny’s true calling lies in music. He manages to captivate the narrator and other people who are gathered in the club, because of the way he expresses personal emotions through singing. Sonny is deeply involved in singing, which makes the narrator have strong memories.

The song makes the narrator have a sentimental reconnection with his past, because of the way Sonny expresses himself through music. The performance by Sonny helps the narrator understand him better and thus, it manages to bring them closer as members of one family. The narrator offers Sonny a drink after he takes a rest from the performance. And according to the narrator, the one had carried him away. (Baldwin).

Sonny’s Performance and its Impact on Narrator’s Consciousness

As Sonny continues singing, the narrator becomes more involved in his brother’s struggles. Sonny interacts freely with Creole and other band members, which makes him realize the importance of forming strong relationships with family and friends. The narrator realizes that music means a lot to Sonny because it helps him build strong social bonds that give him happiness.

Sonny’s musical talents and the way he expresses them enchant everyone in the audience. He becomes more excited by the way he draws them in. Sonny’s lyrics resonate with most people gathered in there and for a brief moment, he helps them forget about struggles they are facing in their lives (Baldwin).

Sonny’s performance makes the writer more conscious about his roots. The narrator and his brother had experienced a lot of suffering in their lives which affected the way they grew up. The narrator manages to reflect on the near hopeless situation which many people in the community face and finds solace in music played by his brother together with other band -mates. The experience at the club helps the narrator to discover his brother’s true personality and his outlook on life.

This gives him a chance to reflect on his heritage positively, without thinking about the suffering which people living in surrounding areas have to endure every day. This experience makes him accept the difficult situations which he and his brother have gone through and gives him the courage to forge ahead. He says “And I was yet aware that this was only a moment, that the world waited outside, as hungry as a tiger, and that trouble stretched above us, longer than the sky” (Baldwin).

Narrator’s Epiphany Sentimental Value

This self discovery by the narrator makes him understand his own background and issues faced by other people living where he grew up. Sonny has served a prison sentence which has made him suffer the pain of being incarcerated. He has difficulties in adjusting to life outside prison; a situation which is experienced by most former convicts.

The narrator becomes aware that his inconsiderate attitude towards the well-being of his brother failed Sonny and made him deviate into crime. He realizes that he cannot escape the reality that African Americans will continue being persecuted by the political system because of their race.

His brother did not get opportunities which would have empowered him to become a good citizen. Therefore, the narrator manages to overcome his fears and come to terms with the pain he has felt for most of his adult life. His perception of the African American society changes, because he gets to understand the root cause of their social problems (Baldwin).

Important Life Lessons

The narrator leads a successful life as a teacher with his family, in a new residential area. This area is more comfortable and differs greatly from the unpleasant environment he was raised in. He gets to understand the importance of having compassion to other people who are not successful like him.

The narrator discovers the strong emotional connections he has with his brother, even though they do not share the same level of success. He learns that with the right determination, any person can get out of any hopeless situation. In the past, he thought it was wise to move away from where he was raised to a new area, which did not have a lot of suffering. This had made him reject his brother and heritage, so as to escape the pain he had lived with since childhood (Baldwin).

Flibbert describes the way the narrator has developed, “a mental and emotional state arising from recognition of limitation imposed-in the case of African-Americans-by racial barriers to opportunity” (69). This argument reveals how racially discriminative policies make it difficult for black people to live a better life.

Therefore, this consigns them to a life full of poverty, which makes Sonny and others like him to resort to crime and other undesirable activities. This assertion is true because issues which are raised in the story relate to what many African Americans endured before the Civil Rights movement era.

Conclusion

Clark explains the use of imagery in the story to show different stages of life which the narrator and Sonny had to pass through while growing up He says, “The light and dark imagery is pervasive in “Sonny’s Blues” and that this imagery can be roughly equated with the respective conditions of childhood and adulthood” (Clark 202).

This shows that the narrator had not yet understood what made his brother and other people in the neighborhood to live in poverty. The narrator manages to overcome the rejection he had of his heritage, which had been influenced by unpleasant memories he had while growing up. He has to deal with the burden of protecting his brother from any harm because of the promise he made to his mother before she passed away.

Works Cited

Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Scribd Digital Library, 2013. Web.

Clark, Michael. “ James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues: Childhood Light and Art.” CLA Journal 29.2 (1985): 197-205. Print.

Flibbert, Joseph. “Sonny’s Blues: Overview.” Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. New York: St James Press, 1994. 69-80. Print.

Introduction

The readings under analysis are Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin. Both stories are devoted to the theme of black people sufferings through the cultural and social misunderstandings and conflicts. The authors managed to illustrate cruel struggles both personal and intercultural reflecting hurts and sufferings of the society.

Things Fall Apart and World of Ideas by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe is focused on the intercultural problem of African society. The author analyzed and highlighted gradual disappearing of a culture. This novel is an address of the writer to the cultural society; to people suffering cultural changes and facing intercultural conflicts. The basic theme of the novel is Ibo culture which is to be changed because of the pressure on the part of the external forces.

The main idea of the story is to show the process of cultural degradation made by people of different race. The idea of Things Fall Apart is global and thought provoking. The author raised the problem of racial discrimination and minority. Not in vain the structure of the novel covers gradual description of the Ibo customs and traditions before the white colonizers’ arrival. It means that the author strived to underline the significance of his favorite cultural form.

The introduction of the protagonist of the story Okonkwo is the link to the main problems of the text. The first point to analyze is the social status within the culture described. Okonkwo is a representative of a hard working social community where work is always rewarded.

“If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings” (Achebe, 293)

Nevertheless the author managed to show how high social status can change a person and his view on the society he lives in. The position in the society which is appreciated may lead to the mental change of a man which was proved by the author on the example of the protagonist.

The second point which deserves analysis in the story is devoted to religious and political aspect of the culture. Here the book can be compared with one more author’s work World of Ideas. It is a video recording where the writer raised the problem of intercultural interaction. The theme is similar to the book under analysis. The author wanted to show how Africa views American culture. He tried to underline the fact that colonial regimes never promoted and supported democracy. Such policy resulted in many modern problems faced by contemporary Africa. (Timberg, 2008)

Both the book and the video highlight problematic side of the cultural aspect. Achebe tries to stress the fact how other big developing cultures can influence small ones. He underlined the effects of this impact both on the population Africa in World of Ideas and the inhabitants of Ibo in Things Fall Apart.

The story Things Fall Apart highlights some episodes of killings and cruelty which is above understanding for the inhabitants of the village. The problem of racial discrimination and intercultural conflict is sharply presented in the center of the story. Things Fall Apart discloses the change of the whole culture which was not global but had the right for existence. It is important to note that the arrival of the white nation brings vivid transformation of the whole community.

The author shows how the invaders change the structure of the fixed norms in the village. He tries to grab attention to the point that all legal and political tenets are completely changed with the interference of another nation and race. This inequality and intercultural conflict gives a start to the war between two societies bringing a lot of sufferings to the whole community. Complete change of the cultural structure results in the usual cultural taboo disappearance and values change. Complete transformation of the social order in the village cannot but influence the cultural place in the community. (Louisa, 2007)

One more central point to discuss in the story is the problem of unity. The author tried to show the gradual way of the wholesome society to the complete destroy of the culture developed by them. The story discloses the main reason for the failure of the black community. He stresses the fact that the following of the individual interests of the protagonist of the story results in the enemies’ victory. Political features are as well underlined in the story. Thus, the author stressed that the town

“never went to war unless its case was clear”(Achebe, 299)

Things Fall Apart is also the illustration of the women’s role in the Ibo society. By describing this aspect of the story the author tries to express his respect to the culture and values of the village. He notes that women have a special place; they are respected and are considered to be the main educators for the children. Besides, the author underlined the fact that the first wife of the Ibo man is especially respected by the society.

“the others [other wives] could not drink before her” (22)

This theme is disclosed by the author in order to show his love to his motherland; he wanted to highlight the aspect of cultural values of Ibo society which was devoted to their land and people living around them. (Louisa, 2007)

So, the analysis of the Things Fall Apart and World of Ideas provides a clear picture of the main problems raised in the text which are the following:

• Intercultural conflict;
• Racial inequality;
• Cultural disappearance;
• Social position discrimination;
• The role of the woman in the society;
• The meaning of the social community;

Evaluation of the main aspects of the story gives an opportunity to read between the lines and see the profound sense of the text. World of Ideas and Things Fall Apart show the combination of global problems existing in the society in previous centuries. Ibo culture reflected its power and value in the society being not strong enough to fight another civilization and win their place in the world. The author showed a thought provoking idea as to underlining the features of historical cultural development together with the peculiarities of the nation.

Sonny’s Blues and The Price of the Ticket by James Baldwin

The analysis of one more story Sonny’s Blues written by James Baldwin shows that it is also devoted to the theme of African society and its problems and sufferings. In comparison with the above mentioned analysis this story concerns more personal questions covering family relations within the African society.

The main theme of the story under consideration is sufferings. The thing is that the story covers hurts and troubles of Black people living in America. It is important to underline the fact that the story is written from the first person which is aimed at showing the narrators attitude to the atmosphere he lives in. African society in the American community is shown to be in extreme conditions in which they had to fight for their survival and place in the state.

On the example of a small family the author managed to disclose all the peculiarities of that time. Oppressive society surrounding black families influenced their moral and physical state; people had no chance to live in normal standard conditions as the entire American nation. The author highlighted the main characters who try to escape sharp pain underlining the reasons for their unhappiness and sufferings. (Annette, 2002)

The theme showed in the story is considerably reflected in his biographical video The Price of the Ticket. The author never tried to hide his origin and social position. The problems of his novel and video film are closely interacted. The video discloses all the facts from his life and life of his family. He managed to disclose all the aspects of his personal life. He showed the relation of white nation he suffered and how it was reflected on his close friends. The problems raised in the story and in the film cover the same aspects of the authors’ life and the life of Africans. (Boyd, 2008).

The theme of racism is considered to be the central one in the story and in the film. The characters of Sonny’s Blues used to suffer the hatred of the representatives of the white community and fight misunderstanding and humiliation on the part of white race; the same feelings suffered the author during his life as it was shown in The Price of the Ticket. (Boyd, 2008) The idea of describing African culture and society is considered to be important as it reflects the reality of that time when the question of racial discrimination was the central one.

Sonny, a character of the story, plays the role of one of the leading people presented in the masterpiece. The author used a number of stylistic devices in order to make the text more living and involving. For example, the usage of metaphors used in order to underline the feeling of fear:

“A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting there slowly all day long…” (Baldwin, 277).

The description of two brothers’ sensibilities clash highlights the relations within the family but concerning global aspects of the whole African community. The same topic is described in the video The Price of the Ticket. Drug usage and murders are the global problem existing in African society. The author showed another lower level of the whole nation on the example of his characters. Sonny’s Blues covers the lives only of several people though it is possible to see the deep meaning of the contents. The author tried to compare and contrast the position of two different races showing the level of discrimination of that time.

The story under analysis is rather symbolic. The usage of literary means was compulsory in the story because they made it more alive and emotionally colored. The sphere of music is not the most meaningless in the analysis. Two brothers’ relationships are based on music in future; they are deep and exciting. The author tried to show their mutual relations at different stages of their life. He stresses how time can change everything.

Two brothers became respect the interests of each other. One of the themes of the story is also considered to be growing understanding reached by them with the time. Though the story abounds in negative aspects and problems such as race discrimination, national sufferings and drugs promotion, the author managed to devote the climax of the story to the reaching of the harmony between two close people no matter in what conditions they appeared to be. (Annette, 2002)

So, Baldwin managed to highlight the most important aspects and problems of the nation of African origin. He stressed the humiliation on the part of white people in their attitude to Africans and the social position of black people who were under the influence of drugs promotion.

Conclusions

Comparing these two stories disclosing the peculiarities of African culture it should be stressed that both authors successfully reflected the problematic side of intercultural conflicts. The authors managed to disclose the basic themes of their novels in the vivid in order to illustrate problematic aspects in more vivid and emotional way. Both texts are devoted to the racial discrimination which made a millions of black people suffer unjust and cruel attitude. The peculiarities of the African culture structure prove the power of the black community but their inability to resist the majority. All the characters in the stories carry symbolic features because they are the reflection of the African culture and society in its fight for self respect and self realization.

Thus, what is important is the structure of the mentality of black and white people. Being in minority black people have no chance to win their place for normal life because it is almost impossible to resist the majority of white society. Both stories managed to show fight with racism dominating in the period of the texts creations. The authors depicted the division of the society according to race, social position and class. Such division was reached by people themselves due to their disability to live in unity and national friendship.

References

Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart. In Mack, Maynard. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 1997.

Luisa, Maria. Achebe’s Lament for a Vanishing World. NY, 2007.

Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Creative Education. 1993.

Torrez, Annette. Identity in America. Center, USA. 2002.

Boyd, Herb. James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket. NY, 2008.

Timberg, Bernard. Bill Moyers: The Theme of the World of Ideas. US. 2008.

Introduction

The reading of James Baldwin’s short story Sonny’s Blues leaves few doubts as to the fact that one of story’s foremost motifs is light vs. darkness. In its turn, this can be explained by the particulars of author’s biography as someone who was brought up in the religious family, sublimated in Baldwin’s strive to provide a symbolical meaning to story’s semantic content.

Apparently, the references to darkness in Sonny’s Blues are meant to symbolize the essence of Sonny’s drug addiction; whereas, the references to light are meant to prompt readers to think of Sonny’s story of reconciliation with his brother in terms of Christian ‘redemption’.

Nevertheless, there is also another aspect to Baldwin’s utilization of earlier mentioned motif – author’s realization of the sheer unnaturalness of African-Americans’ low social status through fifties and sixties. By making continuous references to this particular motif, author wanted to expose the actual reason why these people often end up being underachievers. In my paper, I will aim to explore the soundness of this thesis at length.

Analytical part

Baldwin’s utilization of light vs. darkness motif starts at the very beginning of the story: “I stared… in the swinging lights of the subway car… and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside” (1). By saying that, narrator reflects upon his own deep-seated anxieties of someone who was born and raised in the ‘ghetto’. Apparently, even though he was able to gain social prominence as a teacher, narrator never forgot its own humble origins.

This is exactly the reason why, while watching Harlem’s Black boys in the midst of socializing with each other, narrator never ceases being aware of the nature of intellectual oppression, they have to deal with on daily basis: “These boys, now, were living as we’d been living then… All they really knew were two darknesses, the darkness of their lives… and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to that other darkness” (Baldwin 1).

The context of this particular referral to darkness, on the part of narrator, reveals the nature of African-Americans’ oppression as such that is not only being concerned with these people suffering from poverty but also from the fact that American mainstream Medias of the time used to portray such state of affairs as perfectly natural.

Hence, the symbolic sounding of narrator’s following remark, in regards to Sonny friend’s physical appearance: “The bright sun deadened his damp dark brown skin and it made his eyes look yellow and showed up the dirt in his kinked hair” (Baldwin 2) – apparently, narrator wanted to emphasize once again that, while being exposed to the ‘light’ of America’s racialist mass-culture, African-Americans simply could not avoid being degraded.

Nevertheless, given Baldwin’s strong sense of religiosity, it does not come as a particular surprise that the majority of narrator’s referrals to light connote positiveness, as these referrals symbolize the process of African-Americans gaining self-confidence. For example, while elaborating on how he felt when struggling with his drug-addiction, Sonny states: “I feel like a man who’s been trying to climb up out of some deep, real deep and funky hole and just saw the sun up there, outside” (Baldwin 5).

Yet, being rather a good psychologist, Baldwin was fully aware of the fact that the process of socially and racially underprivileged ghetto-residents striving to make the best out of their lives could never be too easy, as the very essence of racially secluded living in the ghetto predisposes people to succumb to depression: “Cab moved uptown through streets which seemed, with a rush, to darken with dark people” (Baldwin 7).

According to narrator, this is exactly the reason why it often proves impossible for ghetto-residents to attain social prominence through education – while trying to affiliate themselves with light, even the brightest kids from the ‘hood’ have no choice but to continue to exist in darkness, in allegorical sense of this word.

In its turn, this causes them to experience a certain cognitive dissonance – the harder they try to make the best of their lives; the more acute appear their inferiority-related anxieties: “When light fills the room, the child is filled with darkness. He knows that every time this happens he’s moved just a little closer to that darkness outside” (Baldwin 9).

Thus, there are clearly defined humanist undertones to Sonny’s Blues, as the story that provides readers with the insight on why, despite having a potential to become society’s outstanding members, many African-Americans nevertheless end up descending to society’s ‘rock bottom’.

Conclusion

As it was implied in the Introduction, in order for the readers to be able to fully understand Baldwin story’s message, they need to be aware of the significance of light vs. darkness motif, deployed throughout story’s entirety.

The reason for this simple – the understanding of this motif’s implications, on the part of readers, is being quite indispensible within the context of them gaining an insight onto the very root of African-Americans’ clearly unprivileged social status. I believe that this conclusion is being fully consistent with paper’s initial thesis.

Bibliography

Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. PDFCAST.Org. 1957. Web.

Symbolism uses objects or scenarios to represent other objects and scenarios in literature. It is an artistic and poetic style of using symbolic and indirect suggestions to express mystical ideas, emotions and state of mind (Goldwater 2). For instance, what comes to a person’s mind when they see a rose growing could be romance. In this case, the rose is a symbol of romance. Therefore, symbolism is a technique that authors of literature often use to illustrate real-life situations (Goldwater 3). The authors James Baldwin and Flannery O’Connor demonstrate the art of symbolism in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and “Sonny’s Blues” in various ways. James Baldwin uses symbolic elements like the cup of trembling, light and darkness, and housing projects in his literature, while O’Connor leaves symbolism more obscure than Baldwin’s. However, the similarity in their use of symbolism is conventional in the sense that they both have elements of nature

Darkness is a prevalent symbol used by both authors in their literature. O’Connor introduces the theme of darkness as a symbol of a bad omen (70). Before the family is trapped, O’Connor describes a dark, looming forest as “tall and dark and deep” (70). The theme of darkness and bad luck is also demonstrated by a place known as ‘Toombsboro,’ where the grandmother wakes up while the family is on a road trip. After waking up, she remembers an old plantation in this place that does not existing at the moment (O’Connor 45). Darkness continues to be demonstrated by the phrase “black battered hearse-like automobile,” which is The Misfit’s car; the word ‘hearse-like’ implies death (O’Connor 46). Therefore, the symbol of darkness has been used multiple times in story.

Baldwin also uses light and darkness in his literature to underline the warmth, optimism, sadness, and hopelessness that characterize the lives of his characters. Baldwin utilizes light to characterize Sonny’s facial depiction when he was younger, and the tenderness that flowed from sitting in a room full of people after church is also evoked by this use of light (Baldwin 126). Light is a metaphor for all of the optimistic and pleasant aspects that are inherent in the experience of living. Additionally, there is a spiritual undercurrent to the theme of light. According to Baldwin, light not only stands for the most positive aspects of life but also represents some deliverance and grace in the world (126). Living a right and decent life requires one to live in the light.

Baldwin also exposes the protagonists in the novel in continual danger from the evil lurking in the shadows, which is in direct contrast to the good. The darkness, which stands for various societal and individual issues, may be found in every corner of the world (Baldwin 135). As soon as the sun sets, the characters in the novel become vividly aware of the physical presence of ghostly darkness that torments them. The darkness represents Sonny’s existence in jail, his addiction to narcotics, and the overall situation of life in Harlem as a whole (Baldwin 136). All of these things are interconnected. Despite the pervasiveness of the darkness, there is always some light there to counteract its presence (Baldwin 136). In the end, light symbolizes rescue, comfort, and love, while darkness stands for the terror and despair that always threatens to end everything.

There are contrasting aspects of symbolism by the two authors. Baldwin uses metaphors as an element of symbolism, while O’Connor uses archetypes. A metaphor is a figure of speech that alludes to one item by referring to another. It does this by comparing two seemingly unrelated objects while demonstrating that they have a characteristic in common (Baldwin 137). Therefore, although a metaphor may bring clarity, it can also highlight the similarities between the two items or concepts despite their evident differences because they are figurative language (Baldwin 137). An archetype is a recurring theme or kind of character that serves as a representation of something universal in storytelling. For instance, an author may establish a character’s identity for readers on particular characteristics or attributes. In literature, archetypes are people, images, or themes symbolically representing a fundamental truth or aspect of the human condition.

Baldwin uses metaphor to emphasize Sonny’s challenging and complex situation. the narrator uses the image of a glass shaking “like the very cup of trembling” above Sonny’s piano toward the conclusion of the narrative (Baldwin 136). The cup of trembling is a symbol used in the Bible to represent the pain and terror that have afflicted the people, and this picture is taken from a biblical passage. Although Baldwin uses the cup of trembling less overtly as a metaphor than the biblical scripture, it nonetheless promises recovery from that suffering (Baldwin 135). Sonny’s consumption of the cup of trembling serves as a reminder of all the misery he has gone through and offers the opportunity for atonement and serenity. Sonny uses his musical talent to channel all his pain and that of the people around him into something magnificent.

Like the biblical characters, Sonny is heading toward redemption, but his future is still in the air. He could still endure agony since that is the price a musician needs to pay for their craft. Sonny’s suffering is necessary and redemptive, and there is something Christlike about the entire situation (Baldwin 138). It is unclear from the story’s conclusion whether he will endure further hardships to perform his music or if everyone involved will have a deeper sense of serenity and atonement (Baldwin 138). The tension and dualism Sonny encounters are emphasized even more by the premise that the glass is laden with milk and scotch.

O’Connor employs archetypes as an element of symbolism when describing the cloudless and sunless sky. After the family is involved in a vehicle accident, the clear, sunless sky is noted multiple times, most particularly by The Misfit, soon after his first appearance in the novel (O’Connor 89). The narrator returns to this strange sky after the grandma has been shot and says, “her face smiling up at the cloudless sky” (O’Connor 137). The audience would anticipate nighttime if there were no clouds or sun. However, the narrator never informs the audience that it is night or dark, and the grandma says it is a beautiful day immediately after The Misfit describes the sky.

Generally, the symbolism is expressed in both texts in similar and distinct ways. First, both authors utilize the symbol of darkness as a broad meaning of gloom. Darkness is used to symbolize coming death and deaths that have already occurred. O’Connor specifically writes about the dark forest where people got killed. However, both authors have also employed symbolic styles in ways that distinguish the two texts. Overall, Baldwin utilizes metaphors, while O’Connor utilizes archetypes in their stories.

Works Cited

Baldwin, James, and George Kirby. Sonny’s Blues. Klett, 1970.

Goldwater, Robert. Symbolism. Routledge, 2018.

O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. Rutgers University Press, 1993.

Sonny’s Blues is a realistic story about two different personalities trying to connect. The family background and challenging living conditions have influenced the relationship between the two brothers. The story tells the reader about obstacles faced by people who lived in the 1950s Harlem, a neighborhood in New York. The purpose of the essay is to analyze the short story Sonny’s Blue written by James Baldwin.

Family Background

The family background weighs heavily on the relationship between the brothers. Their mother tells the older sibling to care for his younger brother, Sonny, after her death. The mother says, “You got to hold on to your brother…and don’t let him fall, no matter what it looks like is happening to him and no matter how evil you get with him” (Baldwin 17). The narrator feels the responsibility of being a father figure after both of their parents have passed away. However, the older brother ignores Sonny for a while. He is failing as a parent until Sonny goes to prison. The narrator changes his mind after finding out that his brother has been arrested for dealing heroin.

The Setting of the Story

The setting of the story is the neighborhood of New York, Harlem, in the 1950s. The site of brothers’ living “exerts a powerful influence on the characters” (Kim 140). Harlem’s inhabitants are mostly African Americans living in poverty and insecurity and facing violence. The brothers face many difficulties in the ghetto, which have been created by years of discrimination against African-Americans.

It is possible to note that Harlem is depicted as dystopian America, “where characters are stripped of their agency and forced to rely on illusions, false appearances, or escape to survive” (Garrow 15). Crime, homelessness, and drug use are the norms in the neighborhood, and they contribute to Sonny’s fate. His difficult living situation influences the process of musical creation as well as connects him with others.

Divide between the Brothers

The elder brother is much different from the younger one, even though they grew up under similar conditions. Sonny’s Blues is a story about the divide between two different personalities. Both characters, Sonny and the narrator are searching for happiness in two opposing ways. The narrator takes life seriously and prefers to devote himself to the education and teaching profession to escape negative surroundings. He does not understand his younger brother’s way of living and judges him because of it.

In contrast to the brother, Sonny uses jazz music and heroin to cope with the despair of their living conditions. Sonny can feel compassion toward others. According to Belilgne, Sonny’s music “has a transformative psychic and corporeal effect on the crowd (49). He sympathizes with people’s pain and seems almost to share their sorrow when he performs. Their different preferences in jazz music also reveal the distance between them. According to Perry, “this point of contention over the viability of music as a career creates the primary conflict for the narrative: a falling out between brothers” (25).

The elder brother likes the music of Louis Armstrong, which is more of a traditional style. It is worth mentioning that the younger one prefers the emotional and complex Charlie Parker’s jazz music. Parker’s type of jazz is criticized by the elder brother, who represents the older generation (Braggs 159). The narrator’s non-acceptance of the younger brother’s dream of becoming ‘Parker’s disciple reveals the gap between the two generations and the inability of the brothers to connect.

Family Ties Revival

When Sonny is out of prison, he is staying with his older brother. They have a heart-to-heart conversation where they reach an understanding. The older brother, instead of putting his brother down for wanting to be a jazz musician, asks him questions and tries to understand him. The narrator attempts to reconnect with his brother and to become a good older brother and a parent figure. The conversation represents a shift and shows that the brothers have a stronger relationship than before.

The Resolution of Sonny’s Blues

In the final part of the story, Sonny’s performance at a jazz club brings his brother to tears. It proves that their relationship has changed, and they found a way to get closer to each other. The elder brother’s seriousness is broken, and he describes his feelings, “I saw my mother’s face again and felt, for the first time, how the stones of the road she had walked on must have bruised her feet” (Baldwin 38).

He continues, “I saw my little girl again and felt Isabel’s tear again, and I felt my own tears begin to rise” (Baldwin 38). Sonny’s music allows him to connect to his family’s past. The narrator has a warmer feeling and compassion toward the younger brother. He is touched by Sonny’s musical performance, his connection with other people, and the way Sonny uses the bitterness of his past to create jazz music. The final scene raises hopes and optimism that the two brothers will find a way to resolve their conflict entirely.

Conclusion

Going through the brother’s eyes, the narrator tells the story of Sonny’s life. Misunderstandings between brothers occur amid tragic family events and a difficult social situation. Nevertheless, the two brothers have managed to find a way to overcome difficulties in their relationship. Sonny’s Blues tells that people have to connect and have compassion for each other despite the misunderstandings in the past.

Works Cited

Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Ernst Klett Sprachen, 2009, p.39. Litclasses. Web.

Belilgne, Maleda. “Sonic Living: Space and the Speculative in James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”.” James Baldwin Review, vol. 4. no. 1, 2018, pp. 45-62.

Braggs, Rashida K. “Evoking Baldwin’s Blues: The Experience of Dislocated Listening.” James Baldwin Review vol. 1. no. 1, 2015, pp. 152-163.

Garrow, Kate. “Dystopian America in Revolutionary Road and ‘Sonny’s Blues’.” Burgmann Journal VI, 2017, pp. 15-25.

Kim, Eui Young. “Close Reading and Cultural Specificity: Teaching “Sonny’s Blues” in Korea.” British and American Studies, vol. 45, 2019, pp. 131-156.

Perry, Colin. “The Meaning in the Music: Music and the Prose of Chopin, Joyce, Baldwin and Egan.” Senior Theses. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Lesley University, 2019.