Literary Analysis Essay on Sonny's Blue by James Baldwin

Introduction

The story, Sonny's Blue by James Baldwin, concentrates on Sonny's hard life from drug addiction to serving jail terms as a result of the possession of illegal drugs. From the narrative, the theme of suffering is well brought out by the protagonist. In other words, misery is a constant presence in Sonny's life. From the tale, suffering is evident from the time of the death of the raconteur's daughter to Sonny's drug addiction and the murder of the narrator's uncle. Distress dominates the entire story; for instance, there is both emotional and physical suffering among the protagonists. One of the lessons learned from the story is that while suffering may be painful and horrible, it is an important part of human experience. Without it, no one can hope to learn from past experiences and make elaborate or cognizant decisions to better their future. Sonny's incapability to speak as well as the writer's narrator's inability to listen stop the brothers from understanding and communicating with each other throughout their lives. Sonny, therefore, uses music so that he can be understood. Conveying the messages of street revival through music brings brothers together thereby reviving their initial and honest conversations.

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The family bond is another theme that is evident in the story. The writer, Baldwin, suggests that family members need to support each other in case of some problems or issues that may negatively impact the life of one of their own (Tackach 14). A close family bonding may sometimes become a solution to the painful experiences that people undergo. In other words, working closely together to give psychological and emotional support can transform the life of a person to the greater good of society. In life, tough times are inevitable and portrayed in Sonny's case; one of the most important ways to survive them is finding a solution at the family level. There is a need for a person to create a strong foundation with the family members so to obtain support in times of need. From the story, the theme of family bonding has been brought out; differently; the author reveals the fact that sometimes families fail to meet their responsibilities of supporting each other. For example, from the narrative, Baldwin fails to support Sonny, as promised earlier, knowing that he was undergoing a lot of suffering characterized by drug addiction and serving jail terms for the possession of illegal drugs (Baldwin 12). Though the familial unkindness is widely brought out in the Baldwin story. In the later part of the story, the author reveals how engagement in family issues can be reciprocally rewarding when conducted with empathy. After rejecting Sonny for sometimes, the author, Baldwin, started accepting Sonny wholeheartedly and started perceiving him as a good kid. In other words, the narrator forgot about Sonny's negative conduct of drug abuse and violence and accepted him as a family member whose experiences are common to every family member.

From Sonny's story, the author is trying to elaborate that suffering is a common experience in human life. Sometimes life may become unbearable simply because of the choices that people make. Painful experiences may sometimes look horrible and painful, but they may not last for long, given that humans can transform their lives. The author also emphasizes on how suffering may negatively affect our lives from the community to the family levels. In the story, after serving jail terms for the possession of illegal drugs, Sonny is welcomed back to the disunited family where there are misunderstandings and confusion (Reilly 17). The author's viewpoint is also based on the theory of emotion. Our state of emotions is a combination of psychological appraisal, psychological arousal, and subjective experiences. According to the theory, the above appraisals are connected to the individual's experiences, culture, and backgrounds. Therefore, different persons may exhibit diverse emotional experiences while faced with analogous circumstances. Also, the author elaborates on how suffering is universal and recurrent. Sometimes in the society, young people may become addicted to the drug, and engage in violence, a scenario that may greatly impact their lives both at the personal and family level. In most cases, the painful experiences that we create for ourselves are also transmitted to the family level.

The author attempts to showcase the importance of family love and the determination to assist each other to achieve greater heights and morality in the societal perspectives. There is a need for every family member to pledge loyalty to each other through the lowest and highest moments in life. Even though things might change to the worst, the family members need to remain committed to others. Strong intimate bond often creates the basis of multigenerational families capable of enduring test of times. From the story, while Sonny needs compassion and a place to call home, the narrator needs somebody who can bring joy to him when he feels low. I think this is a common feeling among siblings. When one sibling seems to be more successful while the other is experiencing a rough moment of his life, sometimes the better off sibling feels reluctant to help them.

Baldwin, James. Sonny's blues. Ernst Klett Sprachen, 2009.

Reilly, John M. "Sonny's Blues": James Baldwin's Image of Black Community." Negro American Literature Forum. Vol. 4. No. 2. St. Louis University, 1970.

Tackach, James. "The Biblical Foundation of James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues." Renascence 59.2 (2007): 109-118.