James Baldwin is a well recognized American novelist and social critic. He creates a unique approach in his writing bringing the readers into the story both in terms of visuals and emotions. James Baldwin's short story, Sonny's Blues demonstrates his unique style approach and deals with the theme of exposing the reader to the profound challenges of poverty and racism. Baldwin enables the reader to trade shoes with the narrator and Sonny; experiencing their hard and brutal upbringing in Harlem, New York. Although poverty and racism are only referenced occasionally in the text, Baldwin has a unique approach when describing his discontent about the tough challenges poverty and racism brought to people's lives in particular to the narrator and