Compare & Contrast Essay

Submitted By lenanguyen_
Words: 1042
Pages: 5
Open Document
The scale for sibling’s relationships can go as high as the sky or as low as the ground. James Baldwin’s, “Sonny’s Blues” and Alice Walker’s, “Everyday Use” are great example of two completely different sibling relationship yet with the slightest amount of similarity. Both storyline gives an exceptional amount of details elaborating on responsibility, acceptance to family views. Each story has a theme of it’s own reflecting on life decisions and guidance that allows the reader to think.
Growing up as a child, Sonny's brother in “Sonny’s Blues”, always had to take responsibility when it comes to Sonny. His mother claimed that even though Sonny was a good kid, those are the ones that need to be watched the most. Sonny's brother was given a mission by their mother to guide Sonny into the right direction. Due to the death of their parents, Sonny's brother took action in raising Sonny. Sonny's brother had to make sure Sonny was doing alright and not just getting by with school and having his head in the correct path, “Well, you may think it’s funny now, baby, but it’s not going to be so funny when you have to make your living at it, let me tell you that” (Baldwin 373). Even though down the road, Sonny made a mistake and had to pay the price, his brother never gave up on him. Sonny didn’t have any devotion towards anything other than music, jazz music. Not only did Sonny have a strong passion for jazz music; he wants to make a living out of it. When Sonny informed his brother on his affection, Sonny’s brother wasn’t sure whether Sonny was being serious or not. Sonny’s brother was very hesitant on this concept, until Sonny deliberately elaborated to his brother about what it feels like to listen to good jazz music. Sonny asked his brother to come out to the joint to watch him play to get a better understanding. At first, Sonny’s brother was not very supportive of the idea of Sonny wanting to make a career out music. It wasn’t until hearing Sonny play for the first time that changed his perspective, “Sonny’s finger filled the air with life, his life” (Baldwin 385).
Sonny doesn’t want to be just like everybody else he knows, he doesn’t want to be ordinary. He wants to be something that allows him to be himself, make a living out of it. Sonny feels like the only way that is possible is through music. Music reveals Sonny as a person and he doesn’t have to hide anything. In society, being a musician isn’t a career choice that people are very fond of and it probably wouldn’t have been something his parents would approve of. Children are expected to get an education and make a productive living out of that or join the army. Yet, Sonny’s brother still choose to put aside family views and let Sonny do what makes him happy, what makes Sonny feel alive.
Unlike Sonny and his brother, Maggie and Dee from “Everyday Use”, have a very different kind of relationship. Dee never took responsibility for Maggie, she was always more concerned about herself. Even though they’re siblings, Dee didn’t interact frequently with Maggie either, mainly because Maggie was always hiding behind Dee’s shadow. Without Dee there to be Maggie’s mentor, Maggie lacked self-esteem and was very self-conscious about herself. Dee left parenting and guiding Maggie to her parents so she can focus more on herself, she knew exactly what she wanted, “At sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was” (Walker 171).
Even though Sonny’s brother doesn’t quite grasp the concept of why Sonny wants to make a living out of music, he still tries to accept the fact that that makes Sonny happy. Dee
Show More

Related Documents: Compare & Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast Compare and Contrast name POS 355 date instructor Compare and Contrast This paper will give a comparison and contrast between and mainframes and Personal Computers. Over the years personal computers and mainframes have made huge advances over the years. Personal computers are just what they are called personal computers while mainframes are used for large businesses and organizations for multiple users. Both have had enormous changes over the years, dumb terminals have evolved…

Words 597 - Pages 3

Compare And Contrast Essay

War can make an everlasting impact on anyone's life. Two stories demonstrate the effect of war through two different perspectives. The fictional short story "The Address", by Marga Minco displays a period of time after the war, whereas the non­fiction "Japanese Air and Submarine Attack Sinks HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse", by Cecil Brown explores a setting during the war. These two literary works share similarities as well as differences. To start with, the two pieces of writing share the same theme of war…

Words 781 - Pages 4

compare and contrast essay

they aren't given these clubs and the benevolent care from their teachers after school. Middle school does have it similarities with elementary clubs; just more strenuous in the brain and more inventive with the hands. Another change we can compare, and contrast is schedules. In elementary, kids are given one teacher, that'll edify the material they're given; depending on their level. Apparently not in middle school. In middle school, students are given a schedule a bit different from elementary. They…

Words 685 - Pages 3

Compare and Contrast Essay

Erin Slonim Survey of Art 100-03 Paper #2 Compare & Contrast The pieces of art I chose to compare and contrast both have a subject matter of trees. The first one is titled, “Out of the Woods” by Karen Lohrke Kaiser. This is an oil and charcoal piece done on paper with dimensions of 32’x 40’ and abstract in appearance. This was created sometime in 2014 and is currently located in the Corner Gallery in Boswell Hall. The second piece is titled, “Transition” by Peggy Ann Thompson. This is an oil on…

Words 1541 - Pages 7

Compare and Contrast Essay

1/27/14 Compare and Contrast Essay A & P Short Story Compare and Contrast Essay Myself quitting my job and Sammy quitting his job have a lot of differences, and a lot of similarities. There are huge differences, and also small differences too. Either way, they're both different in some way. Some differences between me and Sammy are that I walked out with a bang, while he folded up his apron and set the bow on top of the folded apron. When I quit my job, I made a whole scene because…

Words 889 - Pages 4

Compare Contrast Paper

Nathan Nelson College Composition Block B2 March 3rd, 2015 Compare And Contrast What does it mean to live on minimum wage? I think it means to live at the minimum capacity a human can without dying. The difference of really living or simply surviving. Am I wrong? In the book Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich delves into this infinite pit of poverty while introducing herself to the conditions and environment of the minimum wage community and lifestyle. In the second chapter she…

Words 1188 - Pages 5

Hammurabi Compare And Contrast

Compare and Contrast Hammurabi’s Code & Law of the Twelve Tables Ways in which Hammurabi’s Code and Law of the Twelve Tables are similar: Hammurabi’s Code and Law of Twelve Tables both did not believe that all people were equal, especially women. Hammurabi’s Code and Law of Twelve Tables both used death as punishment within their laws. Hammurabi’s Code and Law of Twelve Tables both did not allow or couldn’t have marriages between social classes. Ways in which Hammurabi’s Code and Law of the Twelve…

Words 197 - Pages 1

Essay Compare And Contrast

Compare and Contrast Essay Rivalry has always existed, because of this we have the modern day technology and princibles we do today. "The World on the Turtles Back" written by the Iroquois Tribe and "The Women Who Fell from the Sky" written by the Seneca Tribe are both Native American stories of how brothers of both good and evil bring balence to the world. The purpose of these stories was to provide functions of a myth. The Iroquois Tribe does a better job of explaining how the world came to…

Words 563 - Pages 3

Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast: Pecola and Claudia In the novel, The Bluest Eye, Pecola and Claudia have many similarities and differences. Pecola, a black eleven year old girl, has it hard on her because she is always tormented and bullied by other people. She felt she wasn’t pretty without blue eyes (39). Later, she moves in with the McTeer family where she meets and makes friends with a girl named Claudia, who is also black. During the time they stayed together, there were noticeable differences…

Words 313 - Pages 2

Compare And Contrast Essay

Angela Young Compare and Contrast Essay Language Arts 10 2M L. Baker October 13, 2014 Inner Beauty VS Outer Beauty “The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows.” Many people have heard this famous quote by Audrey Hepburn and these words could not be any more true. Beauty, can come in two distinct forms; inner and outer. Both types of beauty play a major impact in life through…

Words 659 - Pages 3