Sonny's Blues Essay example

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Sonny's Blues
Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin was a short story where the narrator tells the story about the relationship he had with his brother, Sonny, and himself growing up in the streets of Harlem. He tells about his brother's drug addition and how he was supposed to protect him after his mother passed away. The narrator and Sonny grew closer together towards the ending of the story, not only as brothers, but as good friends.
The narrator lived in Harlem in the projects with his little family, his wife and kids. He had a career as a math teacher. He had difficulties expressing himself about his feelings and ideas until his daughter died. The narrator wrote a letter to him brother that was locked up in jail confiding in him.. The narrator's wife, Isabel, helped Sonny to be comfortable while he stood in their Harlem home. He believed that he was supposed to look after his brother after his mother's death because she had told him that Sonny wasn't going to have anyone to be there for him if she was to die. " 'If anything happens to me he ain't going to have anyone to look out for him' ". After Sonny, was released from jail, the narrator didn't believe that Sonny could stop his drug use no matter how much he cared about him because the way Sonny expressed himself when he heard the woman singing at the meeting across the street from his home.
Sonny was the brother of the narrator who got locked up for doing heroin. He was a jazz musician and used his music to express himself. He wrote a letter to his brother telling him that he wanted to quit using drugs and blamed his musician career on the reason why he used heroin because he said it helped him play. He believed that he wasn't strong enough to stop himself from using heroin before getting locked up. " 'I guess I was afraid of something or I was trying to escape from something and you know I have never been very strong in the head" '. He was only one out of the brothers who left Harlem to go to the army somewhere in Greece. He didn't want to deal with the dangerous streets of Harlem.

Sonny's Blues

struggles that a child faces when growing up to be an adult. In Sonny’s case, he feels trapped in Harlem due to a number of reasons. Firstly, with the expectations that the people surrounding Sonny have of him, such as his family, mainly his brother. Secondly, Sonny is challenged by his internal struggles, which represent what he is supposed to do, against what he personally wants to achieve. In essence, the story Sonny’s Blues, is about Sonny’s battle with learning to understand what makes him happy, and…

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Sonny's Blue Analysis

The short story Sonny’s Blues was written by James Baldwin in 1957. Sonny’s Blue is one of the famous writing of James Baldwin and the story takes place in Harlem, New York. The story is telling the life experience of two brothers: Sonny and Sonny’s elder brother and the story is told in first person narration by Sonny’s elder brother, whose name is never mentioned. The narrator tells the story of how they grew up and the conflict they face and how they overcome in their life. The story has multiple…

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Sonny's Blues Contrasts

In his short story “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin uses many contrasts such as light and dark and black and white to emphasize important aspects of the plot. Though there are many contrasts which are obvious, some the reader has to read between the lines to understand. One of the major not-so-obvious contrasts is music being the opposite of darkness. Characters throughout the story use music to brighten their lives metaphorically and deal with the suffering and boredom that surrounds them. Throughout…

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Symbolism In Sonny's Blues

Sonny’s Blues In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, Mr. Baldwin greatly interprets the lifestyle that the Harlem community has been recycling for years. Mr. Baldwin uses metaphors to explain the symbolism of jazz during the late 1940s in Harlem. The narrator, Sonny’s brother has a change of character from the beginning of the story to the end as he finally appreciates the importance of music through a different perspective. The narrator understands the significance of Jazz and how…

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Redemption In Sonny's Blues

The short story “Sonny’s Blues,” highlights the struggles of Sonny as he continuously goes down the wrong path at a young age. The narrator, better known as Sonny’s older brother, has felt indifferent about Sonny ever since they lost contact years prior. However, as the two brothers regain their connection, Sonny gets his redemption. Throughout the raw moments, there are underlying symbols that aid in fully understanding what the two of them have overcame to grow as individuals and brothers.…

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Sonny's Blues Symbolism

In the story “Sonny’s Blues” written by James Baldwin the flashbacks describing the murder of the father’s brother reflects on the symbolic meaning which was utilized by modernist to represent suffering of darkness. This was a heartfelt talk between the narrator and his mother on his promise to his mother to watch over his brother Sonny. Also, the mother tells him about a lifelong secret that the father and she had kept from the sons until this moment. To emphasize, they had an uncle that had been…

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"Sonny's Blues" Essay

In “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin explains how Sonny’s surroundings reflect upon him, causing himself to act the way he acts and the paths he chooses. Since around the 1930’s, the Harlem Renaissance took place and even when it ended, African American culture was very strong with music and arts. Around the 1950’s and 60’s, Harlem had a harsh environment for African Americans. There was a lot of racism, violence, and drugs. Plus, the housing projects that they lived in were run-down and shabby. This…

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Sonny's Blues Theme

James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues was published in 1957, but this story is one in which resonates for generations despite changing times. The story, of two brothers whose life choices have brought them together and pulled them apart over the years, is still applicable today. Sonny’s Blues begins with a narrator who reads shocking news of his brother in a newspaper on the subway on the way to work as an algebra teacher at a local school. The news of his brother being arrested for selling and using…

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Sonny's Blues Poem Analysis

4. Baldwin—The Greek playwrite Aeschylus wrote that “wisdom comes alone through suffering.” In what ways is this theme revealed in “Sonny’s Blues”? How is the title of the story significant on both literal and figurative levels?’ In “Sonny’s Blues,” by James Baldwin, The piano represents Sonny’s soul. It is everything that he is, if sonny was rich he would play the piano, If he was poor he would play the piano because that is what he was born to do. The cup of trembling at the end represent…

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Sonny's Blues And Racism

“Sonny's Blues” has its setting in Harlem around the beginning of the 1950s. The city has a vital role in the story, since one of the reasons that Sonny turns to drugs is to avoid the feeling of being enclosed by his environment. “Going to meet the man” is also an interesting story which is filled with unique diction and a satisfactory use of vocabulary. The story is about the tragedy of racism in black community. James Baldwin’s stories “Sonny’s Blues” and “Going to Meet the Man” have a similarity…

Words 108 - Pages 1