Sonnys blues(james baldwin)

SONNY 'S BLUES

Sonny 's Blues , a short story written by James Baldwin in 1957 , describes growing up in Harlem in the middle of the 20th century , a time when jazz music was hugely popular and racism in the urban communities thrived The story describes the relationship between two afro-American brothers as they attempt to understand one another and gain a sense of place in the environment within which they live . The story is extremely thought provoking and contains a number of themes , symbols and insights . For the purpose of this I

will explore four of these Relationships Environment , Symbolism and The Bible

RELATIONSHIPS

One of the main mechanisms through which the problems and issues of the main characters of the story are explored is through family and social relationships . Sipiora states that "Characters often perceive (or fail to perceive ) the context and implications of the circumstances and relationships they are in . Some characters act in good faith , whereas others do not . As we examine literary personae , it is especially important to judge them in terms of how they react to others (77

The story is narrated by an unnamed older brother who 's inability to understand his younger brother undermines the love and inextricable bond he feels for him . Through utilizing Sonny 's brother as the story teller Baldwin presents a mechanism through which he can explore and illustrate the complexities of the relationship between the two brothers . The reader shares , first hand , through observation , sound and feelings the difficulties he experiences in understanding and communicating with his younger brother . Despite their shared upbringing in Harlem they have taken very different paths and , as a direct result , a large divide has grown between them . The importance of relationships stretches beyond the two brothers to their father and mother . Their father , an alcoholic , died when they were young and the boys clearly lacked a positive role model . The narrator is consciously drawn to protecting and looking after his brother and through the promise he made to his mother and the difficulties he witnessed in the relationship between Sonny and his father

The story of Daddy 's Brother ' who was killed crossing the road by drunkard white men introduces a further element to the theme of relationships and brings into play the relationship between the Afro-Americans and the remainder of society in the United States

ENVIRONMENT

The environment within which the two boys were raised sets the scene for their development and struggles . Living in a Harlem housing project they have been born into a depressing environment of inequality . Their father , a drunk , has experienced his own terror as a result of the violent death of his brother and there is a general air of bitterness and suffering . The narrator has chosen to separate himself from this environment and has aspired to rise above it through gaining an education and a profession . His brother , however , attempts to escape the environment through other means drugs and their different approaches to handling...