Sonny's Blues (James Baldwin)
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James Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues" is concerned with the reconciliation of two brothers. One of the brothers, Sonny, is a carefree jazz musician who has a problem with heroin addiction. The other brother, the narrator who does not reveal his own name, is a conservative algebra teacher who has trouble accepting Sonny's way of life. One important theme in the story is that music has redemptive power in its ability to express the pain and suffering that all people share. In the words of Williams, "Sonny's Blues" shows that "music is the medium through which the musician achieves enough understanding and strength to deal with the past and present hurt" (147). Another important theme in the story is that there is a common bond between people in dealing with their mutual suffering. Thus, when the narrator finally accepts Sonny and his lifestyle, by extension he accepts himself and his place within the black community. As noted by Reilly, "the fraternal reconciliation brought about through Sonny's music is emblematic of a group's coming together, because the narrator learns to love his brother freely while he discovers the value of a characteristically Afro-American assertion of life-force" (169). At the beginning of the story, the narrator and Sonny have been separated from one another for several years. Both brothers share the problems which were common to the black experience in America during the 1950's. However, they go about dealing with those problems i
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is heroin addiction is a futile attempt to ease his own suffering. He realizes that heroin doesn't really stop the pain, and he goes on to explain that his only other alternative is to express his pain through music. Sonny claims that playing music is the only way to deal with "that storm inside" (Baldwin 133). In particular, the blues is a good way for Sonny to express how he feels inside. The blues is a traditional form of music which is directly concerned with the pain and suffering of black Americans. Performing this type of music gives Sonny a chance "to play out his own pain through the expression of it" (Williams 148). It is interesting to note that this is a common theme in the works of Baldwin. In Baldwin's view, music and art have almost religious power to inspire people toward a transformation in their lives. According to Porter, this view "suggests the redemptive power of Art" (107). In "Sonny's Blues," it is apparent that music is a much better way to deal with suffering than heroin. In addition to the fact that it is not addictive and dangerous like heroin, music has the special benefit of being able to bring a community of people together. People who share a common bond of suffering can experience happine
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Approximate Word count = 1510
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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