Analysis Of The Story ' Sonny 's Blues ' By James Baldwin

In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James H. Pickering, a brother is trying to understand what has led his younger brother, Sonny, to drug addiction and how to help his relationship with Sonny. The instructive purpose of this analysis is to examine how James Baldwin uses the narrators characteristics to construct the central conflict of the story. The two opposing forces that create the central conflict are presented as a person versus self, by a clash of two feelings. On one hand the parental characteristic of the narrator wants to help his brother. The other a closed - minded characteristic of the narrator wants to push his brother away. The central idea of the story is trying to overcome an internal conflict to be able to save relationships with those we love most but tend to push away. A change in thinking and acceptance moves those struggling back together where they want to be.

In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin a schoolteacher from the city of Harlem struggles with life and figuring out how to helped his troubled brother. All though named Sonny’s Blues the main character is actually Sonny’s brother who is the narrator and goes through his life and how he reacts to the many problems his younger brother has come into. The brothers grew up in the poverty stricken city of Harlem where the brothers had to avoid drugs and violence constantly. Growing up, Sonny struggled to stay out of trouble and ended up making some bad decisions throughout his life and ends up landing him in jail and addicted to heroin. The un-named brother of Sonny who is the narrator of the story begins to

In reading the story "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, we learn of two brothers and their lives growing up in Harlem. The narrator, who is the older brother in the story, narrates the trials and tribulations he and his younger brother (Sonny) had to endure growing up in such a harsh environment of Harlem (due to the drugs, violence, and Black's being looked down upon in general in the mid-1950s). We start in the future (present), with the narrator having a somewhat successful future being a teacher and having a wife and two kids (with one of them passing away due to polio disease). We learned very early that Sonny was locked up due to possession of heroin. The narrator originally found out about the tragic news from a newspaper, then later,

On August 2, 1924, in New York’s Harlem neighborhood James Author Baldwin was born. Known as one of the most influential black writers of the twentieth century, James Baldwin wrote on real issues that many people faced in the United States during his time. His writing dealt with the reality of life and tangled with everything from human sexuality, race, and poverty. He was a great reflection of his time and his short story, Sonny’s Blues shows many remarkable connections with his life issues and experiences.

While reading “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin theme, symbolism, and motifs were discovered throughout the entire short story. Sonny one of the two main characters, is dealing with a drug addiction and is now following his dreams of becoming a jazz musician. The narrator, whose name was never given, does his best to keep the promise he made his mother years ago, to be his brother’s keeper.

As well as in the short story Sonny’s Blues, the main character, Sonny, is being criticized by his brother. Since the very beginning, their mother told the oldest one, ‘’ you got to hold on to your brother ’’ and that’s what he wanted to do, but Sonny took a different path than he did. Sonny was the kind of guy that was heroin-addicted and a jazz musician, but his older brother didn’t see all these sides of him. We discover all these sides by the use of flashback of the author throughout the major parts of the story. The author didn’t want us to see Sonny like his older brother was seeing him, he wanted us to see him as a poor, un-accepted guy that needed to be listened by his peers. The brother didn’t accept the journey that Sonny had taken, but if he would of saw the actual Sonny, and stop hiding in the darkness, he would of accepted him faster and understand that Sonny only wanted to show that he could do good things not only drugs. In the middle of the story, there is a flashback were we learn that actually Sonny is more experienced about life than his older brother, because Sonny was in drugs and was really affected by Harlem( the city they stayed in when they were younger). The brother had a pretty easy life; he became a teacher and had a little family. This demonstrates that we need support from our peers, to be able to continue without taking bad choices.

Time is our past, present and future, history is our past and circumstance is a result of both time and history. The quote “ I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also much more than that. So are we all,” mentioned in James Baldwin's literary piece “ Sonny’s Blues,” indicates that everyone and everything is a product of time, circumstance and history. Though this is true, we are much more than that because of our ability to go beyond the human condition. Phenomena is a combination of the factors of time, circumstance and history, but every single person and place in the world is more than what is advertised. In other words the past can influence the future, and we can all be much more than what history conditioned us to be. There is history in the places we live, along with the era and setting surrounding that place our lives can be greatly influenced by our settings and can affect the choices we make. However, everyone has a special purpose or talent that enables them to create a history of their own.

Fictional writing is generally done just to entertain readers. Some authors create stories with a singular point of view, while others introduce more complex plots and storylines. When it comes to author James Baldwin’s short story Sonny’s Blues, there is much depth given to the storyline and the characters. Sonny’s Blues has been analyzed by many different people throughout time because the story has many elements. From Baldwin’s skillful use of metaphors and similes to his incorporation of religious references, this story is insightfully and complexly written. A simple story about a man and his brother leaves readers with an inside look into family, drug addiction, socioeconomic struggles in the Black community, and the language of Jazz

In "Sonny's Blues" James Baldwin presents an intergenerational portrait of suffering and survival within the sphere of black community and family. The family dynamic in this story strongly impacts how characters respond to their own pain and that of their family members. Examining the central characters, Mama, the older brother, and Sonny, reveals that each assumes or acknowledges another's burden and pain in order to accept his or her own situation within an oppressive society. Through this sharing each character is able to achieve a more profound understanding of his own suffering and attain a sharper, if more precarious, notion of survival.

James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” is a story of how a distant and conflicting relationship between two brothers is saved by the powerful message within music. In “Sonny’s Blues” the music portrays a very powerful message. The story begins with Sonny being arrested for heroin use. Sonny’s older brother is a school teacher and did not want to believe that the news was true, “I didn’t want to believe that I’d ever see my brother going down, coming to nothing, all that light in his face gone out, in the condition I’d already seen so many others” (Baldwin 293). Sonny used his music and drugs to distance himself from all the negativity in his life.

In James Baldwin 's short story "Sonny 's Blues" a young man questions his brotherly obligations after finding that his younger brother has been arrested for using drugs. In the attempt to rectify his younger brother 's behavior and life, the young man faces his own feelings for his brother and comes to terms with the life his brother Sonny lives. The developments of certain elements-plot, character, point of view, setting, symbolism-in the story help accentuate the narrator 's struggles and theme(s) of the story.

Pathway to Enlightenment “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, is a story that gives perfect examples that no one should be judged forever by their mistakes in life. The two brothers in the story go through different struggles with different personalities, and the outcome ends up being rewarding for both. There is much to learn from the two brother’s mistakes exemplified within the story. The story “Sonny’s Blues” uses contrast in characterization, conflict, and life lessons to reveal the message that despite whatever downfall occurs in one’s life a positive progression can occur. James Baldwin writes the story “Sonny’s Blues” to share his perspective of him and his brother’s life.

Symbolism in “Sonny’s Blues” In “Sonny’s Blues” James Baldwin uses a great deal of symbolism to intertwine the theme of light, darkness and death to a rough childhood after two young boys lose both their parents. Baldwin uses the darkness of drug use and light represents all of the positive and hopeful elements that are a part of life to present the central idea of drug use as a way to cope with sorrow and fear. The story begins when the unnamed narrator is on the subway to work as an algebra teacher reads about Sonny’s arrest for selling and using heroin in the newspaper.

Family plays a key role in all societies and cultures, but without the support of family, how might they make their dreams come true? In the story ”Sonny Blue’s” by James Baldwin, the narrator’s brother, Sonny, he takes drugs in order to become a jazz musician, with the communication, the narrator leads Sonny to the right way. Family support will help Sonny navigate through the challenges on the road back to normal life. By using comparison, dialogue, and the narrator’s point of view, James Baldwin shows that even if someone thinks that he is trapped and alone, family can lead him towards positive charge. With him mature and insightful comparison, James describes that the importance of family and which is the true importance of love between

Fictional written work is mostly done just to engage readers. A few authors make stories with a particular perspective, while others present more intricate plots and storylines. With regards to author James Baldwin's short story Sonny's Blues, there is much profundity given to the storyline and the characters. Sonny's Blues has been examined by a wide range of individuals all through time on the grounds that the story has numerous elements. From Baldwin's adroit utilization of allegories and metaphors to his fuse of religious references, this story is wisely and complexly composed. A basic story about a man and his sibling leaves readers with an inside investigate into family, addiction by drugs, financial battles operating in a black community,