A Literary Analysis Of Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin
Sakib Murshed
Dian Gelo
ENG 112
Sonny’s Blues:
The story “Sonny’s Blues” was written by James Baldwin in 1957. The story is narrated by Sonny’s elder brother, however the narrator’s name is never mentioned in the entire text. The story revolves around two African American brothers from New York who were trying to understand one another on an emotional level. The younger brother Sonny is a musician, who gets subjugated with heroin abuse in the beginning of the story. However, Sonny’s elder brother, the last remaining member of his family, worries and bring Sonny into his home after he finished his period of rehabilitation. The elder brother reminds himself of the promise he made to his mother to protect Sonny before her untimely demise. Further creating a sense of responsibility of the elder brother towards the younger, due to the past insecurities caused by Sonny; his elder brother pondered about his goals and ambitions. However he finally understands what Sonny is capable off musically …show more content…
Throughout the years, the brother and Sonny seemed to be apart from one another and finds themselves in a disordered position. As Elaine R states in her article that after the narrator was informed about Sonny’s arrest the fear was not towards Sonny but it was towards himself, as he fear establishing contact with Sonny might jeopardize his middle class existence within the society. - “I couldn’t believe it … I couldn’t find any room for it anywhere inside of me.” Baldwin through this scene emphasizes on an epiphany of the narrator, where the narrator doesn’t fully desire to be a part of yet feels responsible as an elder brother. Further, Baldwin creates an understanding of how within a family there is an ominous connection which binds one another socially and emotionally as being responsible to one
Dian Gelo
ENG 112
Sonny’s Blues:
The story “Sonny’s Blues” was written by James Baldwin in 1957. The story is narrated by Sonny’s elder brother, however the narrator’s name is never mentioned in the entire text. The story revolves around two African American brothers from New York who were trying to understand one another on an emotional level. The younger brother Sonny is a musician, who gets subjugated with heroin abuse in the beginning of the story. However, Sonny’s elder brother, the last remaining member of his family, worries and bring Sonny into his home after he finished his period of rehabilitation. The elder brother reminds himself of the promise he made to his mother to protect Sonny before her untimely demise. Further creating a sense of responsibility of the elder brother towards the younger, due to the past insecurities caused by Sonny; his elder brother pondered about his goals and ambitions. However he finally understands what Sonny is capable off musically …show more content…
Throughout the years, the brother and Sonny seemed to be apart from one another and finds themselves in a disordered position. As Elaine R states in her article that after the narrator was informed about Sonny’s arrest the fear was not towards Sonny but it was towards himself, as he fear establishing contact with Sonny might jeopardize his middle class existence within the society. - “I couldn’t believe it … I couldn’t find any room for it anywhere inside of me.” Baldwin through this scene emphasizes on an epiphany of the narrator, where the narrator doesn’t fully desire to be a part of yet feels responsible as an elder brother. Further, Baldwin creates an understanding of how within a family there is an ominous connection which binds one another socially and emotionally as being responsible to one