John E. Wideman's Invisible Man

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On the eve of the narrator and his family 's departure for the United States after twelve years of residence in Paris, the narrator is being chided by his wife and visiting sister about his nightmares. He is worried about his return to the racist United States after such a long absence and what effect it will have on his multiracial family and his career.

The theme of this story can be expressed as a story of suffering and racism. Though the theme may be thought of as just about a young boy who gets himself in trouble with drugs and tries to redeem himself by his passion of music; it

The story “Sonny’s Blues” By James Baldwin is about a jazz musician and his brother in 1950’s Harlem. The story centers on Sonny who uses jazz music as an escape from his depression. James Baldwin captures the art of jazz during this time period. The themes in this short story are perhaps varied, but all of them revolve around some form of suffering. One theme shows how music can promote change and understanding within relationships. A second theme reveals suffering caused by guilt. Yet another theme references the results of suffering brought about by searching for ones’ identity and how that leads to misunderstanding. There are also subthemes concerning racism and poverty.

African American influence in music has been an ever present and controversial subject in American history. Stemming from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds, large portions of American music was introduced by, and credited to African Americans. Although in many cases, this music was used for entertainment by the masses or majority, contrary to popular belief, black music served a greater purpose than just recreation. Dating all the way back to the beginning of slavery in the U.S. during the 17th century, music has been used to make a statement and send a message. As African American music progressed over the years, there were common themes expressed as the genres evolved. It has been an open letter to the world, documenting and protesting the ongoing oppression faced by blacks in the United States, as well as an outlet for frustration. For many African Americans, the music gave them the only voice that couldn’t be silenced by their oppressors.

However, the narrator’s story takes a turn for the worse when the world ever so slowly and subtly becomes more harsh towards him and slowly makes him feel even more exiled, till finally, he feels completely cut off and invisible to society. As he began life as the “model” black citizen but was then thrusted into invisibility by the preconceived ideas of those around him and himself. Not to mention the narrator begins to feel

Thesis: Despite the oppression of slavery, African Americans were able to keep their culture alive through their music and oral traditions.

According to Frederick Douglass, “it was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery, through which I was about to pass. It was a most terrible spectacle. I wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it (p.4).” Frederick Douglass and Toni Morrison literatures examine the stigma of slavery, and the perceptions of its dangers. They illustrate what life was like and the mental as well social impact it had on enslaved African-Americans and their life after gaining freedom. Richard Wright convinces his audience in Black Boy that he was tired of the limitations and outcries in the South “I was not leaving the South to forget the South, but so that some day I might understand it, might come to know what its rigors had done to me, its children (284).” Alice Walker obtains her readers attention by transforming young women into their own characters with a voice using spiritual guidance. In Native Son, Bigger has achieved is lost after being apprehended and brought into captivity, as he transitions back into silence and passivity and begins to recover only in his final confrontation, whereas Douglass in the same prevailing convention, only heals after the regaining of his freedom. Through these literatures, and many others, African-Americans find multiple ways to alleviate and recover from the intensity of undesired bondage and bigotry.

The image of musicians playing through “bloodstained reeds” illustrates the dedication people have through the hardships of life and the the useage of jazz to express oneself, “screaming out for help through a horn” shows how blacks had to wear the mask in order to be successful in a society. During musical performances was one time the mask could come off and they were able to say what they were feeling with their instruments. Komunyakaa writes in a way that allows the reader to infer that jazz is used as a distraction, He writes how he remembers an interaction with a assumably white woman who thinks he is going to try to steal her bag when they walk past each other near the dark theatre. Right after that sentence, a jazz term is placed alone “tremolo” meaning a rapid reiteration of a not, this word represents how he has to try not to think about the horrible situations he is put in because of his race.

Amidst the development of a private society, African-Americans had created a large music scene that aided in the raising of their spirits and creating hope. Music that was heavily inspired by their ancestors Negro spirituals. In the close-knit, southern community brought comfort to the African-Americans as well. Maya Angelou describes the use of music in her autobiography Gather Together in My Name as “Harmonious black music drifts like perfume through this precious air, and nothing of a threatening nature intrudes.” (Gilyard & Wardi, 319)

The roots of modern american rock and roll music, are firmly planted in Africa. As the native Africans were torn apart from their family’s and brought to the new world their lives were immediately and drastically changed forever. Finding themselves immersed in a completely new environment with a foreign culture, they thankfully persevered and carried on with their own traditions and most importantly to this paper, musical ones. Most American slaves originated from Western and Central Africa. The West Africans carried a musical tradition rich with long melody lines, complicated rhythms (poly rhythmics) and stringed instruments CITATION. The West Africans music was also strongly integrated into their everyday lives. Songs were preformed for religious ceremonies and dances and music was often a

In the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” James Baldwin describes how racism limits African American’s possibilities, causing them to be physically and emotionally entrapped. This containment creates suffering, and Baldwin argues that the only way to cope with it is through music. James Baldwin argues that the lack of possibilities caused by racism traps African Americans in Harlem. The narrator is explaining how he grew up in Harlem and how it hasn’t changed. The narrator talks about Sonny’s struggles and that he sees the struggles Sonny went though in the same kids that he currently teaches.

African American religious music is the foundation of all contemporary forms of so called “black music.” African American religious music has been a fundamental part of the black experience in this country. This common staple of the African American experience can be traced back to the cruel system of slavery. It then evolved into what we refer to today as gospel music. The goal of this paper is to answer three main questions. What are the origins of African American religious music? How did this musical expression develop into a secular form of music? What is the future of African American religious music? These questions will be answered through factual research of African American traditions, artists, and various other sources.

For many Blacks, writing was a way to escape the realities of life when life was weary. The blues, for instance, were an open way to express feelings about sadness, hard times, and all the things that can happen when humans are unkind to another. The blues, like much of the Harlem Renaissance poetry, was filled with strong images of hatred, sexuality, and yet tenderness and a longing for a better time and better place. Perhaps better than any other music in history, the blues speaks about poverty and making ends meet, merging poetry with music to convey even more universal sadness (Wintz, 2007).

The story, for the most part, centers upon an African-American family, their dreams for the future and an insurance check coming in for death of the eldest man. Stirring into the mix later is the hugely oppressive,