Sonny Blues Figurative Language

James Baldwin will be the first poet/author I want to focus on. James Baldwin is a very accomplished man. A social activist, who has fought alongside Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X , and other predominate figure during the Civil Rights Movement. A person whose experience can be shown through their literature. What I love about Baldwin is his use of allegory, motifs and figurative language to liven up the stories, and add another layer of depth to it. The story, Sonny Blues was a very heartfelt story. It’s a sad reality that kids without the right guidance and environment can lead down a horrible path. What Baldwin writes about, reflects his work as a social activist and a preacher. How does Baldwin portray his works and ideas into a story? In Sonny Blues what caught my eye was the switch between light and darkness. Did Baldwin do this on purpose? His way of interpreting the environment, the troubles of oneself and how does one get through it. “I didn’t want to believe that I’d ever see my brother going down to nothing, all that light in his face gone out…” (#). The imagery and the message behind that

William Perdomo is a poet from East Harlem. He writes his poem and stories, so others can see what he’s been through. Imagery is a powerful tool he uses. The poem he wrote about 123rd street best mimics his though on the neighborhood he grew up in. “Automatic bullets / bounce off stoop steps” is a very vivid line in the poem. It also made me think why did he write the line like that? What made him want to so vividly describe guns shooting and the way bullets ricochet. William Perdomo uses many rhythms, for example bullets / bounce, each letter of the word makes a B sound like a gun going Boom Boom Boom. This connection is more than what meets the eye, it’s not just imagery but even in the words. His other poems like See-Saw has the same structure and similar motifs. His style of writing is entertaining, impactful,