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Drug abuse, trafficking, and sentencing are issues that many people in the United States understand. One of the themes in James Baldwin’s novel “Sonny’s Blue” is the usage of drugs by young people. Similarly, in her poem “We Real Cool,” Gwendolyn Brooks writes about young people who have dropped out of school and used drugs. Although young individuals perceive the use of drugs as gratifying, frustrations and misery push them to such a life whose result is death.
The two authors share some historical similarities in that both started their writing careers around the same time. Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924, in Harlem, New York (Biography.com. par.1). One of the social issues affecting citizens of African American descent was segregation, which led most youths to turn to turn to drugs for solace. Brooks was born on June 7, 1917, just a few years before Baldwin; hence, they witnessed the rising use of drugs (Academy of American Poets par.1). Brooks was born and raised in Chicago when the majority of the residents were blacks. Both authors took an interest in writing literature concerning the plight of African Americans in the post-slavery era.
In Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues, drugs are viewed as a mode of coping with distress and anxiety brought about by social issues. For instance, Sonny Struggles in life and is eventually jailed due to his addiction to heroin (Baldwin 92). When Sonny is released from jail, he resumes his passion for jazz music and starts singing in the bar. However, for the first time, his brother sees the brokenness, pain, and inner frustrations that he is trying to hide as he entertains people. Thus, the drugs have a way of hiding the reality of the users’ struggles such that people only see the addict instead of the person.
Likewise, Brook’s poem creates the image of some young adults who have left school and spend most of their time playing pool. The poet describes some of the activities that the young adults are involved in as “sing sin” and “thin gin” (Brooks stanza 3). Denotatively, singing sin means having a habit that is considered immoral by a society which makes them an outcast. Thin gin is an alcohol brand that, in this poem, connotes that individuals are fond of using drugs. Therefore, the youths are already stigmatized for doing what is out of the norm, and drugs may be a solace for their struggles.
Interestingly, the title in both works can only be understood in light of African American slang. For instance, the term “blues” in Baldwin’s novel is used for the pleasure that people feel after using drugs. Similarly, “real cool” in the poem shows a distorted kind of feeling good. In turn, both writers understand that when people use drugs, they have a wrong perception of reality. They are in a new world that outsiders may not understand because, despite all the adverse effects of addiction, they feel some relief from their struggles as the chemicals enter their brains.
In conclusion, Baldwin and Brooks shared a common ancestral lineage and witnessed the social struggles that African Americans were undergoing in the post-slavery era. The two authors highlight the use of drugs among youths and its problems in society. Remarkably, they also show the distortion that the drug users have after using drugs while, in reality, they are wasting away. Drug and substance abuse continues to affect many lives in the United States; hence, the two works of literature can enhance understanding.
Works Cited
Academy of American Poets. “About Gwendolyn Brooks.”Poets.org.
Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. 1996.
Biography.com. “James Baldwin.”Biography, 2018.
Brooks, Gwendolyn. We are Real Cool. Selected Poems. 1963.
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