Character Analysis: Sonny in Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin - Research Paper Example

?Character analysis: Sonny in Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin Within the scenario of literature, character analysis is helpful to have deeper understanding of a specific character in a fictional work. One can see that authors make use of their characters to communicate and to convey their messages/opinions to the readers. So, the scope of character analysis is not limited to the context of a literary work because character analysis unleashes the capacity to view a character from a different angle. In the short story Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin, the character Sonny is portrayed as an individual who is ready to undergo the aftereffects of racism. To be specific, the attempt to analyze Sonny’s character unearths the reason behind his behavior, opinion on him by others, his response, and significant changes in him. Thesis statement: Though the character Sonny in the short story Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin seems to be troubled by racism, he endures the pain by getting immersed in Jazz music. Character analysis: Sonny This section is broadly divided into four: behavior, opinion, response, and significant changes. First of all, Sonny’s behavior is unveiled with the help of another character/narrator, i.e. his brother. Craig Hansen Werner stated that, “A recovering addict and jazz pianist, the title character has nearly succumbed to “brutal experience”” (219). One can easily identify that Sonny’s behavior is unmanageable because he is a drug addict. For instance, Sonny’s friend reveals to Sonny’s brother that they will take measures to get him out from the clutches of drugs. But de-addiction does not result in any permanent change in Sonny’s behavior. But one need not misunderstand that Sonny’s mind is filled with hatred towards his fellow beings. For instance, he agrees to live with his brother and his family. On the other side, Sonny’s unmanageable behavior is deeply rooted in his past. To be specific, his father was a drunkard. So, one can see that Sonny’s adolescent life with his dominating father deeply influenced him. Gradually, Sonny began to ignore his own family. He considered his family as a trap and began to seek relief within his public circle, strictly limited to the context of Jazz music. He was aware of the fact that his brother is trying to escape from his racial identity as an African American. But Sonny was not ready to ignore his racial identity. Besides, he fiercely argues with his brother that his ultimate aim is to become a Jazz musician. In short, Sonny considered that high school education and his relationship with the other members of his family may hinder his growth and development as a Jazz musician. Opinion: Sonny’s brother is of the opinion that he is wasting his time and energy because he is not a productive citizen. Within this context, Sonny’s brother’s opinion on his brother is important because he is trying to save him from drug addiction and related issues. Keith Clark stated that, “However, “Sonny’s Blues” is arguably Baldwin’s most eloquent statement on black brotherly love as well as his most successful representation of black men whose family relationships are defined by their spiritual and emotional closeness” (34). Sonny’s brother is aware of the importance of education in human life. So, he decided to advise his brother to complete his high school education. But Sonny’s brother does not try to understand and evaluate his brother as an African American. He considers that education and employment can help one to have upward mobility in the social ladder of the mainstream society. From the conversation between Sonny’s brother and Sonny’s friends, one can easily identify the fact that Sonny’s friends are aware of the problems faced by him. They are of the opinion that he must undergo de-addiction treatment. Besides, they consider that drug addiction hinders his development as a budding Jazz musician. Creole, another character in the short story, is aware of the problems faced by Sonny. Moreover, Creole is aware of the fact that Sonny considers him as a father figure who can guide him. In short, some characters in the short story consider sonny as an individual who is wasting his life. But some other characters are aware of the problems faced by Sonny. Response: As pointed out, one can see that Sonny’s brother tries his level best to attract Sonny to his private circle. For instance, he asks his brother to live with his family. But Sonny considers that close relationship with the other members of his family may hinder his development as a Jazz musician. Sonny’s brother tires to create awareness in Sonny’s mind about the importance of education in an African American’s life. From a different angle of view, one can see that Sonny’s brother’s actions are based upon his duty-minded attitude towards his brother. He does not consider the problems faced by his brother in the society. Instead, he tries to intrude into his brother’s private life. On the other side, Sonny’s friends feel helplessness because they are aware of the fact that education cannot transform him because his life is dedicated to Jazz music. Christine Recker stated that, “He has become a jazz musician and leads a life style that may be deemed the exact opposite to that of his older brother” (17). But Creole recognizes Sonny as a musician and accepts him as one of the members of his band. This acceptance is importance to Sonny because he considers that music is the one and only source of relief in his life. Significant changes: The most significant change is Sonny’s life is that he identifies the problem faced by him and tires to solve the same in a different way. Jon Panish stated that, “In “Sonny’s Blues,” Baldwin’s sensitivity to the complexity of jazz means that he takes seriously the musician’s (Sonny’s) individual experiences, talents, and aspirations as well as the collective forces- tradition, history, family-shaping the expression of his individuality” (81). He tries to keep away from his brother’s family in Harlem because his aim is to keep himself safe from drugs. He was not interested in education because he came to know that education and employment did not help his brother to escape from racism. Later, Sonny tires to follow his brother’s instruction and joins the navy. But this decision did not help him because he was not ready to give up his personal interest. In addition, he considered that he can make use of his interest in music to fulfill his dreams and to entertain others. Within this scenario, jazz music in symbolic of African American life. To be specific, Sonny considers Jazz music as a medium to communicate with his fellow beings. In addition, Sonny is not ready to ignore his racial identity as an African American. So, Sonny decides to join his friends in Greenwich Village and joins Creole’s band as a jazz musician. One can see that Sonny never tries to escape from the real world. Instead, he tries to make use of his personal interest to unveil his talent. Summing up, James Baldwin makes use of the character Sonny to portray how some characters deal with racism in a different way. In the short story, both Sonny and his brother are the victims of racism. Sonny’s brother tires to escape from racism by trying to gain importance in the society as a teacher. But in the end, he came to realize the fact that one’s racial identity is not a burden. On the other side, Sonny does not try to escape from realities. Instead, he is ready to endure the pain. He considers jazz music as the symbol of racial pride. His behavior is unmanageable but he does not try to intrude into the private life of other characters. He provides ample importance to his brother’s opinion and tires to live according to his instructions, but for no use. In short, Sonny’s transformation from a drug addict to a jazz musician proves that determination and dedication can be helpful to overcome troubles in human life. Works Cited Clark, Keith. Black Manhood in James Baldwin, Ernest J. Gaines, and August Wilson. U.S.: University of Illinois Press, 2004. Print. Panish, Jon. The Color of Jazz: Race and Representation in Postwar American Culture. N.p.: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 1997. Print. Recker, Christine. Varieties of Literary Interpretations of Jazz in American Writings of the 1950s And 1960s. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag, 2008. Print. Werner, Craig Hansen. Playing the Changes: From Afro-Modernism to the Jazz Impulse. U.S.: University of Illinois Press, 1994. Print. Read More