ipl-logo

Compare And Contrast Sonny's Blues And The Thing In The Woods

1325 Words6 Pages

Have you ever read two different stories, and thought there is no way they are related? “The Thing in The Forest” and “Sonny’s Blues” are two complex and different stories set in completely different settings and situations, but funny enough there is plenty alike with these stories. Something that is clear to see in both stories is the trauma that these characters go through, and the diverse ways they deal with those traumatic events they experienced. “Sonny’s Blues” is a story about two brothers struggling to get by in Harlem, where Sonny’s brother takes the safe route while Sonny goes through a battle against drug addiction. “The Thing in the Forest” is a story about two girls who are evacuated to a safe place during World War II. They must …show more content…

Sonny is the narrator’s brother and the focus of the story. The narrator explains throughout the story that Sonny suffers from heroin and other drug addictions and the steps he takes to fight against those addictions. The narrator, who is Sonny's brother, experiences his own trauma as we later find out he struggles to cope with the loss of his daughter. This has made it hard for him to show emotion, even to his own family. Because of this lack of emotion, he ignores Sonny’s cries for help when it comes to drug addiction. James Baldwin writes about the reasoning behind the narrators' lack of emotion when he has to comfort his …show more content…

In Sonny’s Blues, we see Sonny come to terms with his problems by using music to cope. At the end of the story, he shows how he uses his emotions to perform music on the piano, he can put his heart and soul into something he loves to avoid the drugs. The narrator comes to terms with his trauma by watching Sonny perform. By watching Sonny play he realized how passionate and touching Sonny’s music really is, this allows him to show emotion to Sonny and finally form a bond with him instead of pushing him away. In “The Thing in the Forest” the girls can come to terms finally by meeting up again in person and talking about the event they shared as children. Their talking about the “Thing” allows them to finally confront the fear they both carried with them their entire lives, and that fear does not have to sit inside their minds messing with them

Show More
Related

Two Perspectives In Sonny's Blues, By George Baldwin

1115 Words | 5 Pages

“Sonny’s Blues” is not just about Sonny's decisions and struggles but also about how they affect the narrator. This story is as much about family and brotherhood and the relationship between these two men as it is about the character of

Read More

Acceptance In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

596 Words | 3 Pages

The short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin is about a young man whom is struggling in life. The narrator, who is unnamed throughout the story, and Sonny’s older brother tells the readers in depth about his brothers battle. In the late 1900s during poverty and systematic oppression, many African Americans were subjected to one specific area in modern day known as Harlem. Not only is story about discrimination African Americans faced, it is about two brothers gaining a better understanding on each others lives. Baldwin demonstrates that acceptance over a family member’s decisions can strengthen the bond between two estranged brothers.

Read More

Father And Son Relationships In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

521 Words | 3 Pages

James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" analyzes a very complex relationship between the narrator and his brother, Sonny. Before directing to the attention of the relationship between these two brothers, we have to first understand the personality of each character. Initially, the narrator has a stable job as a hardworking math teacher and makes an effort to assimilate himself to his surroundings, but has never comprehended his brother, Sonny. Sonny is the complete opposite of the narrator. Sonny separates from his brother to become a Blues musician, though becomes addicted to drugs, such as heroin, in order to control his own feelings.

Read More

The Importance Of Real Life Experience In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

1417 Words | 6 Pages

They both went through the same childhood, but handled it differently. The narrator was more mature and had set goals. While Sonny, fell into the depth of his feeling and influences. The narrator cares for his brother and feels as if he has failed him. While his brother feels like he could never truly explain anything to the narrator.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Sonny's Blues And Cathedral

1754 Words | 8 Pages

James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" emphasizes the importance of empathy in the connection between the two brothers, Sonny, and the narrator. The narrator struggles throughout the narrative to comprehend Sonny's experiences, “I think people ought to do what they want to do. What else are they alive for?” but eventually learns to relate to those challenges (Baldwin 95). For instance, the narrator's willingness to attend Sonny's concert and listen to his jazz music despite his initial dispassion and judgment towards Sonny's enthusiasm.

Read More

Characterization And Symbolism In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

692 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the story of “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin develops a theme that can still be related with today. The misunderstanding and lack of knowledge that the narrator experiences, about his brother, is something that many today feel, as their own family members are being prosecuted and they do not comprehend why. Within the story, there are numerous subtle ideas that are used to progress the story and theme along to the ending that is given. James Baldwin advances the theme of his story, that misfortune and anguish can be renovated into a unique art form, using characterizations, settings, and symbolisms. One of the main literary devices that is used to express the theme is characterization.

Read More

Comparing Sonnys Blues And The Horse Dealer's Blues By James Baldwin

1265 Words | 6 Pages

The lives of Sonny and Mabel are completely different, they were raised in completely different ways and in completely different places. “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin is about the life of a young man who is struggling with drug addiction; he has faced many challenges in his life. One of the many challenges he faces is what connects him to the main character of “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”; both Mabel and Sonny experienced losing both their mother and their father while they were still fairly young. “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter” by D.H. Lawrence is based on a young woman struggling to deal with the loss of her mother and father, she desires the love and affection of a man. Mabel’s mental state differs from Sonny’s who is very angry with the life he was given.

Read More

A Moment Of Redemption In James Baldwin's Sonny

208 Words | 1 Pages

Both the narrator and Sonny have experienced upsetting events that have made them into who they are. Sonny was a drug addict that went to prison but found himself through music and the narrator broke his promise to his mother but restores the relationship with his brother, which renews the promise he had made. A moment of redemption happens in the story when the two brothers are saved during Sonny’s jazz show. For Sonny, his moment of redemption happens through the music he is playing. Although his brother thinks it is silly for him to be so involved in it, this is Sonny’s way of battling his demons.

Read More

Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

704 Words | 3 Pages

In "Sonny's Blues," James Baldwin explores the intricate themes of family, identity, and redemption through his nuanced characterization of the two brothers. The story follows the narrator, an upstanding schoolteacher, as he attempts to understand and reconnect with his estranged brother Sonny, a troubled jazz musician struggling with addiction and personal demons. Through a comparison of their contrasting personalities, experiences, and worldviews, Baldwin highlights the challenges and rewards of maintaining relationships with family members who are vastly different from oneself. Additionally, the story emphasizes the powerful role that music can play in shaping one's sense of identity and purpose, as Sonny uses his music as a means of self-expression

Read More

Character Analysis: Sonny Blues

1191 Words | 5 Pages

The narrator took the role of being a big brother serious; however going to the military and keeping distant from Sonny affected his brother in many ways. Sandy Norton states that the narrator was in awe when it came to his brother, he didn’t know how to help Sonny, which is why he chose not to think about his brother’s addiction to heroin. “He is, in fact, A man full of fear, trying to use his relatively privileged social position to protect himself from social reality” (Norton 175-192). This quote explains how the narrator tries to avoid thinking about his little brother being hooked on

Read More

Sonny's Blues Conflict Analysis

1337 Words | 6 Pages

Sonny 's Blues is a short story that was written by James Baldwin. The story has a number of conflicts but the main conflict that is explained in the story is communication between Sonny and his brother who is not named in the story and finding means to understand each other. The two brothers have different passion where playing jazz was Sonny 's passion and teaching algebra was his brother ‘s passion. The two brothers are separated by a number of factors such as their environments, cultural issues not forgetting the emotional detachment that existed between them. This paper will analyze the conflict and whether it was resolved at the end of the story (Baldwin, 2010).

Read More

Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin: Literary Analysis

1396 Words | 6 Pages

(European Graduate School) In Sonny’s Blues Baldwin shows both his influence of from Black people and drug addiction to the loneliness that situations create and how isolation occurs during troubling times. Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin is a story of struggle and redemption through others. James Baldwin uses the narrator the story from a first person point of view which leads to a sense of disorientation in the reader and contributes to the stories theme of forgiveness.

Read More

Identity In Sonny's Blues

813 Words | 4 Pages

In James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” the author uses Sonny’s struggle for a redeemed life to push the narrator toward the realization of his own need for rescue; through this realization, the narrator can find his identity and be free from his sadness. The narrator needs rescuing from himself. He hides behind a curtain of denial trying to protect himself from emotional reality. The narrator struggles to understand when and how Sonny began his troubles with drug addiction; he does not understand where he went wrong in being a role model for his younger brother. Now, years later the narrator is a school teacher who is trying to be a role model for the young boys in his class.

Read More

The Importance Of Music In Sonny's Blues

747 Words | 3 Pages

This particular paragraph in “Sonny’s Blues” is incredibly important to the development and resolution of the story. At this moment, the narrator is watching his brother play the piano for the first time. He is overwhelmed by the sensations he receives from the music and also gains insight on his brother’s life. The narrator realizes that music is how Sonny expresses his feelings and how he copes with the struggles of everyday life. Without this paragraph, we lose the breakthrough moment the narrator has regarding his relationship with his brother.

Read More

Examples Of Syntax In Sonny's Blues

1556 Words | 7 Pages

Alicia Mathew Mrs. Hall English 2 Honors March 15, 2023 Caring About Your Family Can Hurt You “Sonny’s Blues” takes place in the town of Harlem where the narrator discovers that his brother, Sonny, was arrested for being involved with drugs. The narrator reminisces over his childhood with Sonny, and he reconciles their relationship after Sonny is released from jail when the narrator listens to Sonny playing at a local jazz club. In the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” James Baldwin emphasizes how family relationships can contribute to internal conflicts due to how much one cares about their family.

Read More

More about Compare And Contrast Sonny's Blues And The Thing In The Woods

Open Document