The Changes In The Narrators View Of Sonny Essay - 1269 Words

The Changes in the Narrators View of Sonny Can one know anothers thoughts? Through dialogue, actions, and events, the thoughts and views of a man of whom we know not even a name are shown. The man is the narrator of quot;Sonnys Bluesquot; and his thoughts we are shown are those directed towards his brother. Over the course of the story, there are three major stages or phases that the narrator goes through, in which his thoughts about his brother change. We see that those stages of thought vary greatly over the narrators life, from confusion about his brother to understanding. Each phase brings different views of his own responsibility toward his brother, his brothers manhood, and his brothers sense of reality. Through out the†¦show more content†¦Therefore, whenever he did something for Sonny it was because his mother had wanted him to, not because he cared about Sonny. As soon as taking care of Sonny stopped working with his schedule, he sent him to his mother-in-laws house. During the story, however, a long separation brought the narrator into his second stage of thinking, and changed his views of Sonny. The narrator recognized that Sonny wasnt just a kid any more. Sonny had been in the Navy and had been living on his own for some time. Yet he didnt see him as a man either. quot;He was a man by then, of course, but I wasnt willing to see it.quot;(52) He saw Sonny as a teenager of sorts. Sonny dressed strangely, became family with strange friends, and listened to still stranger music.quot; In the narrators eyes, Sonny foolishly thought he knew everything. Even though the narrators views on Sonnys manhood changed, during the second stage his feelings about Sonnys sense of reality didnt. When he saw Sonny after Sonnys stay in the Navy, the narrator still viewed Sonny as if he were on drugs. quot;He carried himself, loose and dreamlike all the time, ...and his music seemed to be merely an excuse for the life he led. It sounded just that weird and disordered.quot;(52) He thought that Sonny had been driven even farther from reality than before. He thought that Sonnys view of reality was so distorted that he might as well have beenShow MoreRelatedThe Sounds of Sonnys Blues1247 Words   |  5 Pagesstory focused around the narration of Sonny’s brother. The narrator in the case of Sonny’s Blues is the most important character in a cast of characters not only because he is the narrator, but due to the dynamic change of his character we see at the end of the story. Baldwin effectively uses the first-person narration of Sonny’s brother in order to convey the theme of communication. Throughout the entire story of Sonny’s Blues, the narrator and his brother interact through exchanging words countlessRead MoreEssay on Sonnys Blues Character Analysis843 Words   |  4 PagesSonny’s brother who is the narrator and goes through his life and how he reacts to the many problems his younger brother has come into. The brothers grew up in the poverty stricken city of Harlem where the brothers had to avoid drugs and violence constantly. Growing up, Sonny struggled to stay out of trouble and ended up making some bad decisions throughout his life and ends up landing him in jail and addicted to heroin. The un-named brother of Sonny who is the narrator of the story begins to realizeRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 1578 Words   |  7 Pagesin Europe, at young age of 24. Finally, after 10 years of working all over Europe, Baldwin returned home to New York and began writing there. Sonny, just like Baldwin, had to leave Harlem at a very young age to chase what he truly wanted to do, which was music. Though it worked out fo r Baldwin and he was successful by the time he returned home, Sonny and Baldwin both eventually did end up back in Harlem, the place they so badly wanted to escape in their earlier years. â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is a shortRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Sonny s Blues By James Baldwin1481 Words   |  6 PagesIn reading the story Sonny s Blues by James Baldwin, we learn of two brothers and their lives growing up in Harlem. The narrator, who is the older brother in the story, narrates the trials and tribulations he and his younger brother (Sonny) had to endure growing up in such a harsh environment in Harlem (due to the drugs, violence, and Black s being looked down upon in general in the mid-1950s). We start in the future (present), with the narrator having a somewhat successful future being a teacherRead MoreSetting Analysis : Sonny s Blues 921 Words   |  4 Pagesbrotherhood between narrator and his young brother, Sonny. After many conflicts and arguments about the ir different ideals and lifestyles, Sonny tries to open his heart to let his brother understand him by inviting the narrator to come to his jazz music performance at a small nightclub in Greenwich Village. At this place, he meets friends of Sonny, acquaint himself with jazz music and tries to get into Sonny’s world. He carefully observes any changes of his brother on the stage. Sonny is nervous and hasRead MoreBrotherly Love in Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin1196 Words   |  5 Pagesevent that had a great impact on his relationship with his brother, Sonny. Having to deal with the life-style of poverty, his relationship with his brother becomes affected and rivalry develops. Conclusively, brotherly love is the theme of the story. Despite the narrator’s and his brother’s differences, this theme is revealed throughout the characters’ thoughts, feelings, actions, and dialogue. Therefore, the change in the narrator throughout the text is significant in understanding the theme of theRead MoreJames Baldwin s Reality Through Sonny1253 Words   |  6 Pages James Baldwin’s Reality through Sonny Sonny’s Blues digs deeply into the â€Å"Negro American† during Civil Rights and Jim Crow Era’s. Set in Harlem, New York in the 1950’s. James Baldwin’s stories give insight based on events of his culture and this becomes apparent through the analysis of the characters in Sonny’s Blues. James Baldwin uses his talents to paint a vivid picture of African American life through a fictional story of two brothers who choseRead MorePoint of View and Symbolism in Sonnys Blues1558 Words   |  7 PagesPoint of View and Symbolism in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† The story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin makes excellent use of multiple literary elements. Namely, I think the writer utilizes symbolism and the nuances of point of view to give the story a deeper connotation that could not be said plainly. The meat of the story is about an unnamed older brother’s relationship and differences with his younger brother, Sonny. Sonny’s aspiration to become a jazz pianist leads him in an opposite direction than hisRead MoreDrugs and Musicians in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin Essay840 Words   |  4 Pages The last statement is what the narrator believes to be true. However, by delving deeper and examining the theme of music in the story, it is nothing but beneficial for Sonny and the other figures involved. Sonny’s drug use and his music are completely free of one another. Sonny views his jazz playing as a ray of light to lead him away from the dim and dismal future that Harlem has to off er. The first moment music is introduced in the story is while the narrator is teaching at school. He has justRead MoreEssay on Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin1316 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† revolves around the narrator as he learns who his drug-hooked, piano-playing baby brother, Sonny, really is. The author, James Baldwin, paints views on racism, misery and art and suffering in this story. His written canvas portrays a dark and continual scene pertaining to each topic. As the story unfolds, similarities in each generation can be observed. The two African American brothers share a life similar to that of their father and his brother. The father’s brother had a thirst