ipl-logo

What Is The Tone Of Sonny's Blues

1014 Words5 Pages

The Language Everyone Knows
Music is one aspect of human existence that exists in every culture. It’s a universal language that everybody understands, enjoys, and takes part in. In James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues,” the central idea is that music provides a way for people to connect and understand each other. Sonny and the narrator have a complex relationship. While both characters love and care for each other, Sonny’s addictions have led them to become estranged from one another. By bridging the gap between the narrator and his estranged brother, Sonny, Baldwin shows how music can heal broken relationships. The final scene at the nightclub brings us to the pair in the midst of repairing their relationship. At this point Sonny has not played …show more content…

The story is told from the narrator’s perspective, and his thoughts and feelings are evident throughout the story. The opening scene sets the stage by describing the darkness and turmoil of the narrator’s and Sonny’s shared past and present. The narrator describes how Sonny had “always been a good boy, he hadn’t ever turned hard or evil or disrespectful,” but one day he saw his brother change for the worse as he became an addict “in the condition I'd already seen so many others” (Baldwin 18). The reflective tone is evident in the narrator’s voice as he recounts his memories with Sonny and looks back on the struggles they both face. In the same scene, the narrator sadly admits the reality that he is “talking about algebra to a lot of boys who might…. be popping off needles” (Baldwin 18). This matter-of-fact statement creates the dark and solemn tone present throughout much of the …show more content…

There are indeed many benefits of music, from decreasing anxiety to helping one filter out background noise (Enrenberg 32-33). However, it is not realistic to assume that everyone will experience every single one of the purported abilities of music. While the story serves as a reminder of the importance of empathy and understanding in our relationships with others, I believe this is an overly optimistic take on the benefits of music. As a musician myself, I have experienced the vast powers of music in my own life. However, my own experiences are vastly different from those in “Sonny’s Blues.” I have certainly noticed several benefits to music, such as an above average memory, as well as a capability to enter periods of hyperfocus to complete work quickly (Enrenberg 32-33). But an increased capacity for empathy and understanding is not one I have personally experienced. Regardless of my opinion, “Sonny’s Blues” is a moving narrative that describes the complexities of flawed human

Show More
Related
521 Words | 3 Pages

As a matter of fact, the storyteller does not appreciate Sonny's motivations to play jazz music until the evening he socially joins Sonny to his stage show at a nightclub. Sitting in a dark corner at the nightclub, the storyteller listens to his brother play, considering the reminder of Sonny's friend, Creole, of what the Blues are about, "The tale, of the blues, how we live, and how we are delighted, how we suffer... and how we triumph... must be heard... it's the only light we've got in all this darkness." (Baldwin 139). For the narrator, he perceives that the Blues is the manifestation for Sonny's emotions, especially his suffering, because, as Creole would say, music is the only light in the

Read More
1417 Words | 6 Pages

Although both characters were different they found an understanding by trying to feel what each other were feeling. Also by coping with their tough childhood and feelings together without directly communicating. Sonny wanted so desperately to please his brother, but couldn’t find a way to avoid Jazz but still get that feeling he craved. Sonny was clearly disappointed and embarrassed by his choice of actions and despite what anyone said, he realized the choice he made was poor and it was time to follow his dream. At the end, the narrator realizes why Sonny turned to drugs in the first place.

Read More
1184 Words | 5 Pages

James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” is a short story depicting the relationship of two brothers, Sonny and an unnamed narrator. The story takes place in the project of Harlem, New York in the early 1950s. The narrator is a high school math teacher. His younger brother Sonny is a troubled musician struggling with his addiction to drugs. Before their mother dies, she asks the narrator promise to her he’ll look after his younger brother when she is gone.

Read More
670 Words | 3 Pages

James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” uses Sonny as an antagonist character to the protagonist, his eldest brother. While Sonny and his eldest brother both are the center of the stories content, Baldwin uses Sonny to represent a challenge to the narrator of the story. Through the rekindling of a brother’s relationships, Baldwin is able to depict Sonny's motivations and aspirations through his flaws, and the way in which his flaws affected his life. Sonny’s flaws ultimately shape Sonny’s character, his reserved feelings and silent demeanor isolate him from the world, but at the same time contribute to his aspirations and motivations by music.

Read More
688 Words | 3 Pages

The narrator finally has the opportunity to watch Sonny perform and understand the validity of Sonny’s dreams. Sonny is able to use music to change his tune and his story. As he claims his suffering and adapts his song so that it is “no longer a lament”, Sonny is able to share his story and depict the inevitability of human suffering (Baldwin

Read More
1441 Words | 6 Pages

From the very beginning of the tale, the sorrow is palpable through the unnamed narrator 's discovery of Sonny 's incarceration, and moreover through the atmosphere created by Mr. Baldwin. The most prominent message that can be deciphered and recognized in Sonny 's Blues is that the sadness and sorrow that one experiences in their life can bring about many obstacles but it can be countered and used for something greater by a search for understanding and acceptance. James Baldwin establishes this implication through the use of his characters; the narrator, Sonny, and the singer seen on the street. All these characters experience sorrow and sadness in their

Read More
700 Words | 3 Pages

The 1950s are an era that focuses on the civil rights movement and new forms of music such as blues and jazz. Before this movement forms, there is oppression and discriminatory behavior throughout this time period. However, this is met with the joy and excitement of jazz and blues music. Through the use of music, it helps the African American race to rise above discrimination, continue to push for equal rights, and thus form the civil rights movement. In the short story, “Sonny’s Blues,” by James Baldwin, Baldwin suggests how music has a hopeful effect through the way it uplifts and brings Sonny, the narrator, and the community together.

Read More
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
1138 Words | 5 Pages

“Sonny’s Blues,” written by James Baldwin discusses conflicts between two brothers in hopes of mending their relationship. “Sonny’s Blues” begins with the unnamed narrator reading a piece of paper with information regarding the trouble his brother Sonny has gotten himself into. The narrator has not been communicating with his brother during this period, but after the death of his two-year-old daughter Grace, he writes Sonny a letter. Once Sonny has been released, he goes back to Harlem to live with the narrator, and the narrator forces him into staying with his fiancé Isabel and her family because he believes Sonny deserves the opportunity to receive an education. Sonny makes it known to the narrator that he does not want to go back to school

Read More
827 Words | 4 Pages

The description Baldwin uses to describe how the Sonny’s brother was hearing him play for the first time was a realization for his brother and how exactly music makes Sonny feel and how he puts in every bit of emotion into his music. His brother was now realizing how much music played an important role in Sonny’s life and how it helped him out of his

Read More
1396 Words | 6 Pages

(Baldwin 148) This also shows how descriptive Baldwin is in his writing. Another example of Baldwin’s descriptiveness is “He smiled-but sat sideways on the sofa, his elbow resting on the back of his fingers playing with his mouth and chin, not looking at me.” (Baldwin

Read More
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
1465 Words | 6 Pages

When the narrator accompanies Sonny to the nightclub to listen to him play his music; Sonny’s music portrays his wisdom as he plays about his brother’s frustrations with the trials and sufferings they both endured. Sonny’s artful playing of the blues opens the narrator’s heart to listen genuinely. If one listens to what lies on the inside that is the key to finding oneself. Joseph Flibbert states in the article “Sonny’s Blues” Overview, “In the music he hears, he sees his mother’s face, and that of his little girl … The powerful incantations of Sonny’s art reaches his soul, and for the first time, he listens to the dark voice within”.

Read More
1556 Words | 7 Pages

After the narrator invites Sonny into his home, the narrator paces around and considers searching Sonny’s room, but Sonny sits down for a beer and talks about his perspective on himself and the rest of the world. While he’s talking, the narrator notices Sonny “pressing the beer can between his hands” and, “afraid that [Sonny] would cut himself,” the narrator panics (Baldwin 144). The narrator, who was unable to protect Sonny from addiction, is kicking into high gear over something as insignificant as a beer can. This showcases how the author is now trying to do everything he can to keep Sonny safe, which means that he feels that his current efforts are inadequate. This creates an internal conflict between his desire to help Sonny recover from addiction and his inability to provide adequate help.

Read More
776 Words | 4 Pages

Therefore, I am standing here to hopefully persuade all of you regarding the benefits of music that you could experience in your life. Basically, there are many benefits of listening to music but today, I am going to focus only three significant reasons of how music can be a healer in our life. First and foremost, it may seem typical but music really can make you happy. Besides, music also can enhance your performance during a workout. Last but not least, music can be a factor to improve sleep quality.

Read More

More about What Is The Tone Of Sonny's Blues

Related Topics

Open Document