Sonny's Blues Character Analysis Essay

Words: 1700
Pages: 7
Open Document
Emma Nardi
Prof. Hurtes
Final Draft
5/9/16

What Elements Make for a Good Story

There’s always a moment in reading a book, whether it be in the first sentence or a hundred pages later, where the reader decides if they want to continue picking up the book and immerse themselves in the author’s story or not. If they do, the author has successfully incorporated certain elements into the novel which have made the reader feel as though they cannot look away. Feldman, Baldwin, and Foss have all made their respective books so readable by creating pieces of writing that embody elements such as relatability and educational moments which teach readers valuable life lessons.
Any successful author must find a way to make a connection with their reads. …show more content…
He presents the theme of escapism, and teaches the readers about relationships and the struggles one must go through to truly understand another person. There’s always a point in our lives where we want more. Whether it’s something materialistic or a dream we wish to attain, there’s always something. In Sonny’s Blues, the narrator watches as Sony struggles to find his true identity while escaping his current life. He joins the army, but finds no satisfaction in leaving his home town. Nothing’s ever good enough, and Sonny finds himself back in trouble before he knows it. “I couldn't tell you when Mama died – but the reason I wanted to leave Harlem so bad was to get away from drugs. And then, when I ran away, that's what I was running from – really. ( Baldwin, 218). Baldwin presents the relatable theme of escapism, and makes it seem as though wanting to escape isn’t so abnormal. Everybody’s always trying to find themselves, and sometimes we must escape our current lives to see what we really have in order to find …show more content…
Whether it be in a small one, any kind of relationship between the reader and the author can transform the story from ordinary to extraordinary. As Karen Coats reviews in the brief excerpt of Dear Author: Letters of Hope, “Twenty-seven authors, including luminaries such as Christopher Paul Curtis, Nancy Garden, and Chris Lunch, take their turns writing inspirational responses to letters that detail how the characters of the author’s books mirror the array of pain, loss, and abuse suffered by their readers. Most of the authors tell how they got the ideas for characters and situations, affirm the young letter writers bravery, intelligence, and sensitivity, and encourage him or her to read more, write more, and seek out the counsel of caring adults.”(Coats, K.. “Dear Author: Letters of Hope (review).” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (2007). Project MUSE. Web. 17 May 2016.). As Karen Coates explains, when readers are able to find the relatability factor and educational moments in a book it makes for a more emotional and realistic read. In the article, In the Mind of the Reader: On Some Aspects of Relating to a Psychoanalytic Text, Grigoris Manidakis explains the importance of the relationship between the author and their reader, and the difference that relationship can make within a story. “Concerning psychoanalytic texts, the reader has to function as a
Show More

Related Documents: Sonny's Blues Character Analysis Essay

Everyday Use, By James Baldwin

Alice Walker and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin. From the rural South to the bustling streets of Harlem, each of the stories portrays how the search for personal identity and cultural identity affects different characters. Both explore the tenuous relationship between family members against the backdrop of African American struggles and the journey of self discovery, yet one embraces both the cultural and personal identity while the other rejects it. Through the analysis of characters, symbols, and…

Words 968 - Pages 4

James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues: World of Music Essay example

Nicole Snowden September 22, 2014 English II Section 80683 Literary Analysis Essay 1 Music: A calming soul James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" is told from the viewpoint of the title character's brother, a schoolteacher, who lives a much different life than Sonny himself. As the story opens, the unnamed teacher has just learned that his younger brother has been arrested for possession and sale of heroin: "It was not to be believed and I…

Words 769 - Pages 4

First-person Narrative and Story Essay

conversation that an American is having with his girlfriend. The majority of the short story is dialogue between the two characters. Though we as readers can understand what the characters are saying, we have no idea what they are thinking. I really enjoyed “Hills Like White Elephants” because I though the choice of having a very distant narrator made it more interesting. The characters are discussing an operation. The American man says their problem that the operation will solve is the “only thing that…

Words 2320 - Pages 10

fiction paper

English 1020 / Essay on Short Fiction Format: double-spaced, indented paragraphs; standard margins (1’), font (Times New Roman), and print size (12); no cover pages; use MLA format for parenthetical in-text citations; give your essay an unique title; 600-1,000 words in length. You may go over the 1,000 maximum only if needed. Additional criteria: Avoid informal diction and the use of first person "I." Short story titles are placed in quotation marks. Proofread your final submission. Sentence…

Words 968 - Pages 4