Role of Music in Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin

The Role of Music in Sonnys Blues Sonnys Blues, by James Baldwin, explores the strained relationship that two brothers the unnamed narrator and Sonny have and how the narrator slowly begins to recognize Sonnys relationship with music. While the narrator is initially baffled by Sonnys dream to become a musician, towards the end of the short story, he recognizes that Sonny depends on music and that it is a driving force in his life, possibly one of the only things that keep him alive. Sonnys Blues opens with news that Sonny has been recently apprehended during a drug bust, which establishes that Sonny has had an ongoing problem with drug addiction, specifically heroin. While the narrator is apprehensive about contacting Sonny after this incident as the brother have lost touch over the years, he eventually reaches out to Sonny and gains insight into what Sonny has been doing during their estrangement; it is also during this time that the narrator recognizes that music is not only an artistic outlet for Sonny, but also p rovides an emotional and psychological catharsis for him and those that listen to his music. Sonny best describes his dependency on music as he talks to his brother after an old-fashioned revival meeting during which there was much singing. Sonny states, When she was singing before, said Sonny, abruptly, her voice reminded me for a minute of what heroin feels like sometimes when its in your veins. It makes you feel sort of warm and cool atShow MoreRelatedAdversity In Sonnys Blues By James Baldwin892 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† utilizes race, poverty, stereotypes, and adversity to shine a light on the struggle to escape circumstance. Throughout the text, Baldwin describes the hardships leaching the life out of Harlem’s black community from the narrator’s perspective. Sonny, the narrator’s brother, struggles with his identity and ability to feel emotion leading him to the world of music and drugs, â€Å"To be aware of oneself, Baldwin believes, is to feel a sense of loss, to know where we are andRead MoreAnalysis Of Sonnys Blues By James Baldwin956 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924, to a single mother in Harlem. After his mother marri ed his stepfather David Baldwin, who was a Baptist minister, he was adopted by him. Growing up, he didn’t feel as if he was accepted the way his other siblings were, though. In some of Baldwin stories, they often have a similar story line where it seems he is the less favored child over everyone else. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† a similar scenario is presented in some ways. While the unnamed narrator often speaksRead MoreSonnys blues literary analysis2558 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Jane-Clare Dauito Professor Thorstensen English Composition 2 11 December 2013 Within The Blues James Baldwin’s â€Å"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 â€Å"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, â€Å"I didn’t want to believe thatRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin827 Words   |  4 PagesSonny’s Blues In James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† it is only when a brother loses his child that he realizes how easy it can be to lose his brother. The narrator’s little brother, Sonny, was left in his charge when their parents passed away. He neglects Sonny and leaves him to work through hard decisions on his own which leads to Sonny being picked up by the police for using and selling drugs. When the narrator’s daughter, Grace, passes he sees how suffering can affect people and reaches outRead MoreSonnys Blues - Baldwin Personal Reflection1220 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is an emotional story written by an amazing author, James Baldwin, who has come to be one of my favorite writers. This particular piece talks about the troubles of African American freeing themselves from the mental bondages of their surroundings, the ghetto. The title is significant, and helped me to understand the underlining meaning of the story. The title can be divided into two main reasons, the first, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues, meaning the music he plays. Second is the reference to hisRead MoreAnalysis Of Sonny s Blues By John M. Lee2198 Words   |  9 PagesCourse: English 132 Sonny’s Blues is one of the famous stories expressing the deplorable conditions the Black community found themselves in during the struggle against racial segregation in the American history. The analysis given by John M. Reilley is to draw the attention of the readers and audience on the image of the black community, basically as expressed by Sonny’s Blues as a metaphor. Following the publication of Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin realized he had a role in the African AmericanRead MoreThe Effects Of Racism In Sonnys Blues By James Baldwin983 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Sonny’s Blue†, by James Baldwin, reflects a story of an unidentified narrator and his younger brother Sonny through their fights to overcome suffering and racism in Harlem in 1950s. The setting plays an important role in the story. The time period can be assumed to be an era filled with poverty, drugs and racial tension and Harlem being predominantly African-American. These factors seem to have a role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blue†. In â€Å"Sonnys Blues†, James Baldwin, a narrator, reflects a theme of sufferingRead MoreThe Meaning of Jazz in African American Culture Particularly in Harlem During the 1950’s2384 Words   |  10 PagesHarlem During the 1950’s In the Baldwin’s story, Sonny’s Blues, the author portrays African -Americans in the urban life. Even though he writes about reconciliation of two brothers, who are trying to overcome their differences and to come to understand each other, the story shows the meaning of Jazz in African American culture, particularly in Harlem during 1950. The urban life in Harlem has being described by many authors, including James Baldwin. The life of an African American man in this placeRead MoreIf Beale Street Could Talk and Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin1128 Words   |  5 PagesIn If Beale Street Could Talk and â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† author James Baldwin shows that embracing suffering, rather than being trapped by it, leads to growth and enlightenment. â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† introduces two brothers who have differing mindsets about how to best cope with suffering. The narrator is Sonny’s responsible, unnamed older brother, who follows a very ordered path, using military service, marriage and teaching math to gain stability and escape the downward pull of Harlem. In contrast, youngerRead MoreSymbolism In Sonnys Blues1392 Words   |  6 PagesSonny’s Blues by James Baldwin is a short story about two brothers that overcome many obstacles in their lives such as housing problems, death, discrimination, drug addiction, and imprisonment. Baldwin tends to use a lot of symbolism, allegories and imagery within the text as well. This story expresses the overall theme of suffering that Black Americans faced during the 1950s. The link between music, drugs, and environment play a large role when it comes to the characters suffering. Much of the