Essay On Self Identity In Beloved And Sonny's Blues

There are many people who are forced to live a lifestyle much different from what they’d ever dreamed of. These people are forced to live such lives as a result of multiple aspects of the individual’s identity. “Beloved” and “Sonny’s Blues” are both stories in which characters are affected by both race and class and need an answer to help erase the painful life situations in which they live. Within both “Beloved” and “Sonny’s Blues” self-identity and actualization are positively influenced by the community to help overcome the results of the intersection of identities as both black and poor people in society. As a result of, slavery, many families were separated, stripped of their freedom and ultimately forced to live and work in unhealthy conditions. Those who were often
It’s often beneficial for groups of people who have experienced similar situations in life to unite together to share in conversation. One topic that Baby Suggs preaches to the black community on is the need to love their body and who they, “You got to love it. This is flesh I’m talking about here. Flesh that needs to be loved,” (pg. 104). Despite how they were treated in the past Baby Suggs preaches in hope to help others recognize their self-identity and actualization as poor, black members in society. Poverty and lack of choices may result in societies turning to drug abuse and unhealthy living. People who struggle with drug abuse and unhealthy living may additionally be marginalized by society due to their class and race. Drugs may be the stereotypical thing to do if you were black and poor. Drugs were used as an escape from the situations they lived in. This was made evident within the city of Harlem in “Sunny’s Blues.” Despite the difficult circumstances, the community comes together to watch over and take care of one another and their individual