ipl-logo

Rick James Glow: A Literary Analysis

876 Words4 Pages

In this literary analysis, the interview-based narrative structure of Rick James’ Glow: The Autobiography of Rick James defines the self-awareness of spiritual insight and African American criminality in the context of his public and private life. In James’ private narrative, he defines the familial and spiritual presentation of “Brother Guru”, which defines his awareness of the moral deviancy of his behaviors as a rock star while in Folsom State Prison. More so, the public life of James’ career defines the immoral behaviors of the “super freak” that made him susceptible to drug abuse, sexual deviancy, and other aspects of rock star life that seem to contradict the moral self-awareness of his autobiographical narrative. The music of Rick James …show more content…

You have an inner glow. A light that comes from within. Everyone has a light but yours is bright, James. Yours is special.
In this “conservation, the narrative is based on the fictional discussions with Brother Guru, which define how his mother had once said her son had a “glow” as part of his natural gift as a musician. This private narrative defines the internal aspects of James’ life that deviate from the well-known public life of the artist as a “super freak” that was involved in heavy drug usage, criminal sexuality (kidnapping two women) and debasing himself as a “rock star” in the mainstream music …show more content…

These are important techniques, which can be used in my own memories, since they offer a multiple-point perspective on the differing aspects of public and private identity. Also, James shows the creative and spiritual side of his personality as a self-aware individual, which presents a different image than the criminal image of an Africa-American rock star. In my own memoir, the interview method can surely bring a more biased approach to qualitative aspects of autobiography, but it is also the self-awareness of family history and cultural aspects of the personality that can also be presented through personal narrative. I found James’ autobiography to be afar more self-aware analysis of his personal life, than I was expecting. In this manner, the interview-based narrative structure of Rick James’ Glow: The Autobiography of Rick James has been examined through the self-awareness of spiritual insight and African American criminality in the context of the artist’s public and private

Show More
Related

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

    1441 Words  | 6 Pages

    James Baldwin is a renowned author best known for his work of essays, books and short stories, particularly those which dwell deeply into important social and psychological issues of discrimination, gender inequality, homophobia and so on. One of Mr. Baldwin 's most appreciated literary works is the short story 'Sonny 's Blues ' which focuses on two brothers who grew up together but take different paths in life. The story follows the narrator learning about his brother Sonny 's incarceration due to the use and selling of drugs until his brother gets parole. Throughout the story, we learn about the relationship between the pair and are able to witness the narrators ultimate understanding of Sonny and his ambition. As we continue to observe the impressive short story, we find the most recurring theme to be that of sorrow.

    Read More

  • Headeye By Gertrude Character Analysis

    839 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Dumas again addresses the question of spiritually by explaining the lives of a group of urban youths who have lost their leader. The spiritual power of music also the focus in “will the circle be unbroken,” but this time the religious ritual portrayed is not one that shares any connection with Judeo-Christian religion origin: it is a purely African American rite that draws and the cosmic forces of balck music to build a protective wall for African Americans against the cultural aggresions of nonblacks”

    Read More

  • The White Album By Joan Didion Essay

    1906 Words  | 8 Pages

    Well-known writer and essayist Joan Didion, in her essay, The White Album, shatters every preconceived notion of the late nineteen sixties. Set primarily in Los Angeles, California Didion blends reportage and personal essay to recount cultural tensions that arose during the period- protests, murder, apathy-with her own psychosis. Incorporating fragmented narrative and film technique Didion offers snapshots of the events with language that is curt yet symbolic of her unique style. “The White Album,” demonstrates that everything in life is meant to teach us something. Through Didion’s experiences behind the pen, as a news reporter, her narration attempts to understand the lesson and discovers "We Tell OURSELVES STORIES in order to live" (Didion

    Read More

  • Predetermined Fate In Sonny's Blues

    707 Words  | 3 Pages

    Using his writing as a form of self-expression, James Baldwin, an African American author, spent his life seeking to reveal the cruel reality of African American men. “Sonny Blues” Baldwin’s short fiction, was published in 1957 and takes place during the Harlem Renaissance. The literary work tells the story of Sonny and his brother (an unnamed narrator), as they seek to understand how to navigate the delicate and dangerous waters of familial relationships, their role in society and themselves. However, it is not until the end of the story when Sonny’s brother narrates the powerful, melodic sound of Sonny’s blues that he acknowledges his own pain. It is during his epiphany, when he finally begins to understand Sonny’s pain and the pain of every generation who came before him and after him.

    Read More

  • Between The World And Me Rhetorical Analysis

    650 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Author Ta-Nehisi Coates in his book Between the World and Me discusses impactful racial issues in American history and educates his son on the past and current realities of being a black American. At the beginning of the book, Coates imposes the question: “How do I live freely in this black body?” (Coates 12).

    Read More

  • Tupac And My Non Thug Life Analysis

    447 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Tupac and My Non- Thug Life Jenée Desmond writes a vividly narrated story about a well-known rapper Tupac Shukar and how she relates her image and identity connection with the former rapper. Raised in the white suburb town and the only black high school cheerleader Tupac 's music and lyrics helped her get through her interracial blend as an African American teen. Jenée expresses her emotions toward her former icon as a teen girl. In the contribution to his death, Jenée Recalls vivid descriptions of her obsession with her image through her teen-hood, when his passing accrued Jenée recollects her past and explains her vivid descriptions when he passed away. She described the moment of his death a tragic moment.

    Read More

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

    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

  • Clayton Byrd Goes Underground Analysis

    832 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Rita Williams-Garcia’s book, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, the plot revolves around Clayton, who strongly believes in his self-manifested identity, to become a Bluesman. At a young age, Clayton was deeply affected by the death of his grandfather, who he idolized to become. While Clayton’s dismissive mother fails to understand his loss, Clayton ran away from his house to reconcile with the Bluesmen, whom he thought would relate to his grief. The tragic events that Clayton had to face played an imperative aspect on his journey to self-discovery. Even though the author makes Clayton face difficult challenges throughout the story, the struggles helped Clayton attain a sense of self-identity and be at peace with his grandfather’s death.

    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

  • Blood Orange Hynes Analysis

    140 Words  | 1 Pages

    While Blood Orange’s new single certainly has noble intentions - the song is a tribute to Sandra Bland, who died this summer under the custody of Texas police - it feels like an unfinished thought, both in lyrical and musical composition. All the Blood Orange elements are there: beautifully arranged saxophone, atmospheric synths in the background, Hynes’ own voice, and 808 drum effects, a new addition to Hynes’ sound. At two minutes, though, it fails to leave much of a lasting mark, and Hynes’ lyrics about Bland and Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina, while certainly poetic, also fade away without much of an impression. For those waiting for a Blood Orange record, it’s a welcome but fleeting glimpse at what Hynes has up his sleeve; for those who

    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

  • Literary Analysis Of Sonnys Blue's

    682 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sonny’s ambition to become a jazz pianist points him into an opposite direction than his brother, and into a place where the common suffering is handled with drugs and music. The fundamental differences between these two brothers in their lack of understanding for each other and their gradual acceptance of one another, is presented and explained by their personal and social conflicts, what the symbolism casts upon the story,

    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

  • Social Issues In Sonny's Blues

    1106 Words  | 5 Pages

    Moreover, Baldwin’s short story “Sonny’s Blues” centers on the social issue of drug use in the music scene as the story’s main characters—Sonny, a jazz musician, and ex-heroin addict, and the narrator, Sonny’s older brother, try to reconcile after one of them reads in the paper that the other has been arrested. The text demonstrates both characters that have taken different paths and the outcomes for both—the narrator has a job, family, and a place to live but is dealing with identity issues and with feeling truly “happy”, while Sonny has ended up with a heroin addiction and in prison. Baldwin presents many social issues within the short story, but the one that stands out most is the use of drugs amongst musicians, which is still ongoing as you have popular names such Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, etc. who have died as a result; it is clear that this is still a social issue. Just like the

    Read More

  • Identity In Sonny's Blues

    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

More about Rick James Glow: A Literary Analysis

Open Document