ipl-logo

Sonny's Blues Literary Devices

1140 Words5 Pages

In the story, “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin insists, that music is a universal language that speaks life into a dead soul. Stereotypical notion of music arouses emotions that are disregarded. The story demonstrates the significance of music and the components that communicates needs and wants. Sonny’s character was not very talkative, but his music spoke with volume. This paper will analyze the elements of music told in “Sonny’s Blues” that connects and bonds the characters emotionally, physically and socially. “Sonny’s Blues” is a story that projects music as the voice of reasoning. According to the article, the first exposure to music exhibited as Sonny’s friend and the narrator approached a bar. The intriguing sound caused Sonny’s friend to look inside out of curiosity. As stated by Baldwin, “The jukebox was blasting away with something black and bouncy and I half watched the barmaids as she danced her way from the jukebox to her place behind the bar ” (pp.125). In this view of the passage, the sound of music increased the cultural cohesion between people. The music lured the characters into the bar acting as a social glue. Although the narrator appeared to have no real interest in entering the bar, the inviting present of the music felt welcoming and embracing enough to enter. Social gathering continues to be demonstrated throughout the story of “Sonny’s Blue” because of the hidden messages illustrated. Performing at various clubs Sonny’s father and brother

Show More
Related

  • Theme Of Incarceration In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    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

  • Reciprocal Communication In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    1931 Words  | 8 Pages

    What are the means of communicating when words can never entirely reflect the intense burning of emotions endured by one individual and the generations before them? Music has always had a way of allowing us to express ourselves in a sense that can be both equally understandable and confusing, but perhaps it is still better to be heard even if the noise that comes from you is unrecognizable to whomever it encounters. To some, this reciprocal communication is what they desperately reach for while others just crave to have the sounds of their sentiments perceived in whatever way they can. Within James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”, we see this deep longing for connection and communication in the character Sonny himself, as he uses music to cope with

    Read More

  • My Brother's Keeper?: Addiction And Renewal

    789 Words  | 4 Pages

    "Am I My Brother's Keeper?" : Addiction and Renewal in Sonny's Blues In James Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues, we see themes of fraternal love and music as expression and liberation. The Brother, the narrator and Sonny, the main focus of the story, has their family struggling with accepting Sonny as an addict, grown and independent man, and a hopeful cause. We see these ideas repeat several times throughout the story.

    Read More

  • Characterization And Symbolism In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    692 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many ways that symbolism is used to show things that are unique to each story that James Baldwin writes including “Sonny’s Blues”. The main symbolism surround music. One thing that it symbolizes is hope. Music gives Sonny hope that he can travel away from Harlem and those who doubt what he can do using blues music and his piano skills. This is not just used as symbolism in the story, but in what was really happening during this time.

    Read More

  • Essay Response To Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    828 Words  | 4 Pages

    He sees that Sonny's music is a bona fide reaction to life. He sees that one who makes music is managing the thunder ascending from the void and forcing request on it as it hits the air. He comprehends that his sibling's music is an endeavor to recharge the old human story For while the story of how we endure, and how we are enchanted, and how we may triumph is never new, it generally should be

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Brotherly Love In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    1184 Words  | 5 Pages

    In that moment the narrator finally understands Sonny’s love for music. Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” displays the theme of brotherly love to illustrate, that love can keep a family together no matter how many fights or issues there may be. Baldwin demonstrates the theme of brotherly love all through this story. The first example we see of brotherly love is when the two brothers are reunited after not seeing each other for months.

    Read More

  • Sonny's Blues: The Harlem Renaissance

    934 Words  | 4 Pages

    That you shouldn’t let your living situations or surroundings determine your outcome. Sonny's Blues shows challenges that troubled the African-American community, and how drugs troubled the young artists and kept them bound like slaves. How those living in Harlem, felt like there was no escape to the poverty that surrounded them. How a young artist was overcoming his demons, with the support of his family and living out his dream. How one has to forgive and not let the past control one’s future, nor let the surroundings of your environment determine where you will go in

    Read More

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

    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

  • The Theme Of Racism In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    388 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sonny is the main character in the story who has been through a lot in life. He wanted to be a jazz musician. After going through all the trouble, Sonny was a great musician and he loved to play music more than anything. He used music to escape from all the bad things around him. Most black people grow up in the slums and it is extremely hard to make it out of there without getting stuck on something bad.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: Summary In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    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

  • The Jazz-Blues Motif In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    723 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music interconnects with all different individuals it does not matter what age, race, or financial status an individual may be. In the short story, Sonny’s Blues, a story that takes place in Harlem. It is about two brothers, the narrator, and Sonny, with a rocky relationship and both, are going through a serious drama individually. In Sonny’s Blues, music is portrayed as the key element that unites the relationship of the two brothers. Music is this short story affected the narrator and Sonny so many different ways.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Sonny's Blues

    1027 Words  | 5 Pages

    As light connects with darkness, it created an attraction for the readers. Additionally, music is a conventional symbol that brings happiness to Sonny, the main character in the story. The light symbol has given away the literal and figurative significant. Light usually represent the happiness, joyful, and exhilaration. The author used many forms of light to describe an insistent hope of salvation, but it also flashbacks a painful life of Sonny’s father.

    Read More

  • Sonny's Blues Rhetorical Analysis

    838 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin was a short story about the struggles of living in a tough, rundown neighborhood and looking to drugs as a way out. Baldwin’s intent on writing this piece focuses on pain and suffering. The author stresses that not everybody is born in the best circumstances. Sonny was one of those people who grew up in a rickety town where people often did not make it out successful.

    Read More

  • Who Is The Antagonist In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin?

    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

  • Comparison Of Raisin In The Sun And Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

    1212 Words  | 5 Pages

    Clark states in his article “James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues: Childhood, Light, and Art” that “…the narrator is seated “in a dark corner” ...in contrast the stage is dominated by light” (Clark). Clark shows by this that within the darkness that surrounds Sonny, music is a place of hope for him. Light is shown to effect Sonny in a different way than his Uncle. Light is shown to effect Sonny in a surrounding that would have been a place of comfort for him before his addiction. The narrator states, “…[they] were being careful not to step into that circle of light too suddenly…that if they moved into the light too suddenly… they would perish” (Baldwin 112).

    Read More

More about Sonny's Blues Literary Devices

Open Document