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

In modern-day life people often have their ups and downs of having power and losing it all. This is a key element in life, which is why many art forms choose to use it as their basis of writing. Literature often shows power and powerlessness through heroes and villains. However, author James Baldwin brings the battle of having and losing power through ordinary people’s life experiences. In the short story, Sonny’s Blues, written by James Baldwin examines the idea of how the desire to have power or control leads to having no power at all through the plot, characters, and setting.

“Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin is a short story that has many significant parts to it. The narrator gives readers insight on how his relationship with his brother was like, how his brother was suffering from a heroin addiction. The narrator also gives the readers insight on his own problems. Due to Sonny’s heroin addiction, he suffered quite a lot as what was implied in the story. The narrator implies and describes so many themes in this short story.

James Baldwin, Sonny's Blues Lesson: Read 1. How does Baldwin's real-life experience connect to his short story, "Sonny's Blues"? Read Baldwin's biography for more background on his life. - James Baldwin’s real-life experience connects to his short story by demonstrating that in the story his father had passed away when he was a young age. In real life, he didn’t even know his father.

Throughout the story of “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin develops a theme that can still be related with today. The misunderstanding and lack of knowledge that the narrator experiences, about his brother, is something that many today feel, as their own family members are being prosecuted and they do not comprehend why. Within the story, there are numerous subtle ideas that are used to progress the story and theme along to the ending that is given. James Baldwin advances the theme of his story, that misfortune and anguish can be renovated into a unique art form, using characterizations, settings, and symbolisms. One of the main literary devices that is used to express the theme is characterization.

“Sonny’s Blues” tells the story of two estranged brothers who lead very different lives with only one similarity: darkness. However, even the darkness was dissimilar, arising from the differences in their lives. Sonny found his passion in music, which he pursued despite his family’s disapproval, but his lifestyle led him to a drug addiction. On the other hand, his brother, the narrator, has an average life with a nice home and family. The narrator’s darkness comes from his inability to deal with emotions; he tells himself that he and the people around him have no suffering in their lives, despite the darkness being everywhere he looks.

Sonny’s letter written to the narrator in response to the news of the narrator’s daughter dying serves an important role in the story by reestablishing the relationship between the brothers and giving the reader insight into the misery that Sonny felt as a result of his actions. It is revealed to the reader that before the narrator had written his letter to Sonny, that the two had not been on speaking terms for a long time. After hearing of the news, Sonny wrote the letter back to the narrator which formally began their newfound connection to each other. It is revealed within the letter Sonny’s reasoning’s behind his imprisonment as well as the sadness he felt within. Sonny describes himself as “trying to climb up out of some deep, real deep

When reading a fiction, not only the plot, but also the narrator and the point of view are important to readers in order to understand the story. Stories can be told in a various angle of vision or in one perspective, depending on which person point of view. “A story is said to be from a character’s point of view, or a character is said to be a focal or focalizing character” (Norton, 174). Readers sometimes feel they are overhearing the narrator’s thoughts because they follow along the narrator’s thoughts, actions, and feelings. Both Sonny’s Blues and the Yellow paper use first person narration.

Childhood is ideally a time of happiness, and therefore, it is not too far-fetched to assume that children should be vibrant and happy individuals who should spend their time laughing, playing and learning as they grow up. However, while some children do get an opportunity to have happy and fulfilling lives, there are others who live their lives overwhelmed by feelings of anger, fear, resentment, and insecurity. These powerful emotions may stem from a number of things that are not directly in their control – including the financial or emotional conditions of their parents, their cultural and social circumstances, abuse by parents or peers and much more. This paper argues that childhood experiences have a deep and profound effect on children,

Erika Malloy Dr. Rachel Bowman-Abdi ENG-105 20, October 2015 Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin is the story of two brothers. One is a teacher and the narrator of the story while the other lives a life of sorrow and struggle. The narrator gives his point of view of Sonny’s situation. Sonny reminds him of the troubled youth that have limited, if any possibilities in life.

“The Handsomest Drowned Man in The World,” “The Metamorphosis” and “The Blues” are short stories that share a common theme which would be society’s pressure and influence on the humane experience. The stories share the same theme which is conflict discovered through various situations. In the Metamorphosis, Gregor faces difficult situations in his life due to his transformation into an enormous insect. The series of unfortunate events in Gregor’s life brings about a conflict in regards to his failure to secure a position within a family dynamic. In the Handsomest drowned man in the world, the discovery of Esteban, brings about conflict of jealousy and self-worth created by societies focus on appearance.