Free Custom «How would James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" be different if told from the perspective of sonny?» Essay Paper

James Baldwin narrates a story that portrays the different aspects of cultural relationships of African-American people. Basically, the story talks about the different life choices of the two brothers who lived in the brutal African-American society. In this respect, the narrator shows how Sonny and his brother have used different ways to keep themselves safe from violence and cruelty. However, the story-teller disagrees with this, because he believed that he had the responsibility of taking care of his brother. Similarly, he expects Sonny to be responsible of his brother. Although James Baldwin had adjusted to the cultural relation of the white society and still remains to be a victim of institutional racism; Sonny have never had any intention of assimilation but rather struggled to find a way of reliving himself of the pain instilled by the brutal society.

Sonny used music as a way of comforting himself from the cruelty of the society. Besides, his brother argued that Sonny engaged himself into drugs as he played piano at discos. In addition, Sonny’s brother fed the narrator with inaccurate information regarding Sonny’s willingness to take death as an option. This is seen when he said, “There is no any good of taking your own life. Is there?” Nevertheless, Sonny only aims at escaping the harshness of the society. Moreover, he goes to the extent of using heroin in order to experience a feeling of power. “Heroin makes someone to have a feeling of being in control and it is necessary to experience it a times,” Sonny’s brother told the narrator. Sonny also believes that drugs are the only way to help them to escape the harshness of the society. This is seen when he said “when I use drugs, I get a feeling of relieve, I feel like I have freedom to do what I want”.

 

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In conclusion, the narrator thinks that Sonny is doing the wrong thing by using drugs and not taking care of his brother. Conversely, Sonny has a perception that music and drugs were the only things that could help him to escape the brutality and harshness that was present in their society.