Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Sonnys blues literary analysis - 2558 Words

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 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.†¦show more content†¦Although Sonny’s addiction to drugs and love for music seemed similar because he used both to escape reality, they were inevitably more different. The empowerment Sonny got from drugs was nothing but an illusion, unlike the str ength he gained from music. â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† illustrates the ability to stay sane through the power of music. Sonny’s father died when he was fifteen and sadly â€Å"He and Sonny hadn’t ever got on too well. And this was partly because Sonny was the apple of his father eye. It was because he love Sonny so much and was frightened for him, that he was always fighting with him† (Baldwin 298). Sonny lost both his parents at a young age, which left him with his older brother as his only family. Sonny’s brother leaves for the army and â€Å"†¦already decided that he’d have to move in with Isabel and her folks† (Baldwin 302). Sonny was not in favor of the arrangement but he really did not have much of a choice. Sonny’s brother cheered him up by saying, â€Å"They got a piano at Isabel’s. You can practice on it† (Baldwin 303). Sonny stayed with Isabel and her folks, who tolerated him out of respect for his brother. Sonny’s loneliness caused him to seclude himself from everyone around him. Sonny used music to overcome the loneliness he felt. The music was how Sonny adapted to the new unfamiliar environment. Sonny played the piano every day until supper time. His brother says that â€Å"At first, IsabelShow MoreRelatedShort Fiction Stories: Sonnys Blues Essay748 Words   |  3 Pages This is my first time to read â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†. I think the reason for this short fiction wrote successful is great in portray the character and story details. The author James Baldwin use great literary elements to depict the story’s develop. I want to analysis the title, plot and flashback use in this short fiction. The first thing we will do to read an article usually read the title. Also, the title may become the reason for us to start read an article. Like me, sometimesRead MoreLiterary Analysis of â€Å"Sweat† and â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†1549 Words   |  7 PagesLiterary Analysis of â€Å"Sweat† and â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† Amelia Williams ENG125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Deborah Zeringue December 22, 2014 As living and breathing human beings people are bound to experience some type of conflict. Conflict can be present within a person, between two people, between a person and forces of nature, and even between a person and their society. Conflict is defined as the struggle that shapes the plot in a story (Clugston, 2014, ch.4sect.1 para.4). When readingRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 916 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin’s story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† tells the tale of two African-American brothers trying to survive in 1950s America. Both struggle with darkness in their lives, from drugs to bottling up emotions. The following sources were found Literature Research Center’s website. Each of the four sources will be evaluated for the quality of their information, as well as their usefulness on the topic of darkness in â€Å" â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†. Flibbert, Joseph. Sonny s Blues: Overview. Reference Guide to ShortRead MoreThe Light On Daisys Dock1263 Words   |  6 PagesIn the literary criticism How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster, Foster underscores the notion of character’s desires. In the literary criticism of chapter fourteen of The Light on Daisy’s Dock, Foster says that not only is the novel is driven by character’s desires but also character’s desires are often associated with symbols and conflicts. These symbols and conflicts guide readers in a significant way which readers will understand the message the author is conveying in the novelRead More Short Story Characteristics Essay623 Words   |  3 Pagesstories rely on many forms of literary devices to convey the idea of a uniform theme seen throughout the script. This theme is illustrated by using characteristics that are developed throughout the story such as, plot, setting and characters. The three main components a re developed throughout the story in order to guide the reader to the underlying theme, which is necessary as a short story lacking a theme also lacks meaning or purpose. The short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin uses characterizationRead MoreWilla Cathers Pauls Case: A Literary Analysis1169 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Analysis Pauls Case The protagonist in Willa Cathers short story, Pauls Case, is adolescent named Paul. Pauls problem is that he has trouble following rules. Paul has a problem with various kinds of authorities including his teachers, principal, and father. From Pauls perspective, his problem is society. Society does not conform to him and repeatedly makes attempts on him to conform to it. Paul is disgusted, repulsed, and bored by middle class life in Pittsburgh. Pauls real problemRead MoreAnalyzing Sonnys Blues Essay2151 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of Sonnys Blues Sonnys Blues was written in 1957, but carries a vital social message in our society today of people trying to understand one another and find their identity. Sonnys Blues not only states dramatically the motive for Baldwins famous polemics in the cause of Black Freedom, but it also provides an esthetic linking his work, in all literary genres, with the cultures of the Black ghetto (Reilly 56). To truly understand Baldwins purpose in writing Sonnys Blues aboutRead More Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis and James Baldwins Sonnys Blues 1819 Words   |  8 Pagesthe development of an individual’s identity. Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis† illustrates an extreme change in Gregor Samsa’s external identity and the overall outward effect it has on the development of his family. While James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† illustrates a young man struggling to find his identity while being pushed around by what society and his family wants h im to be. Both of these characters exhibit an underlying struggle of alienation but both also demonstrate a craving for belongingness

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