Christopher Bonilla

ENC-1102

Angela F. Jacobs

April 3, 2014 Sonnys Blues Characters and Themes This site focuses on an analysis of the major characters of how they deal with Sonnys heroin dealing and the main concepts of racism and suffering of black people in America. According to Suzy Bernstein Goldman, she believes that the narrator comes to understand what it means to suffer when it comes to his brother Sonny. According to Baldwin, race is just one of the major themes of his beliefs. Another major theme of art as a way to escape from ones problems is portrayed as Sonny uses his Jazz music to reduce the suffering of both him and his family. The way these two themes collide is a great combination of how to tell a story that deals with the topic of racism. James Baldwin illustrates how difficult it is for this family to overcome through Sonnys drug situation and how they deal with certain issues. Suzy Goldman has explained the situation in which the narrator is truly angry because Sonnys friend knows more about what is going on with him than his only brother. This situation opens to every family member finding out that Sonny was caught selling drugs and sent to prison. Goldman fully analyzes the relationship between Sonny and the narrator (Sonnys brother) and how hard it is to be able to build the trust they once had. This transfers all the way back to how the major theme of suffering is being portrayed and how the narrator just tries to ignore Sonny because he feels that he could not be helped. The reader begins to realize that

Sonny had only used Heroin to prevent himself from feeling any pain that everyone goes through. Throughout the story, the brothers begin to learn more about each other and how Sonny starts to heal emotionally.

This source contains a brief summary of how James Baldwin, the author, has become a important spokesman for civil rights and racial equality in America. There is an introduction of the conflict right off the back when the narrator finds out that his younger brother has been sent to prison for the using and selling Heroin. This story consists of many issues that this family has to overcome when Sonny comes back to his hometown. There are many symbols and themes that make this story unique such as what the heroin symbolizes and how the suffering in black people is portrayed.