Sonny Is A Heroin Addict - 1580 Words

. Since Sonny was a heroin addict for most of his life, his perception of the world is entirely different than that of his brother, which is why he needs alternative methods, such as music, to convey his own reality to others. In a letter to his brother, Sonny has difficulty explaining his situation and expressing what he is feeling in written form. He writes: I can t tell you much about how I got here. I mean I don t know how to tell you. I guess I was afraid of something or I was trying to escape from something (127). Despite being released from prison and breaking free from the physical barriers in his life, Sonny still struggles to break free from a more powerful and influential mental barrier, as he feels trapped within his own†¦show more content†¦As a result, the narrator s lack of understanding creates a barrier in his relationship with his brother, because even though the narrator has witnessed music within his community and has seen how it can be used as a form of ex pression, he does not yet realize the connections that he has with music and other artists within the community. Later in the novel, Sonny and his brother get into a dispute about whether or not there is truly a way to end suffering. The narrator poses a difficult question to Sonny: But there s no way not to suffer- is there Sonny? To which Sonny responds with a smile: I believe not, but that s never stopped anyone from trying (143). Sonny goes on further to emphasize that there no way not to suffer. But you can try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it, to keep on top of it...You re just hung up on the way some people try—it s not your way (143). Following this comment, the narrator gives Sonny some insight into his own feelings towards suffering (specifically the suffering that Sonny has endured over the past few years): The hair on [his] face began to itch, [his] face felt wet. That s not true , he said, I just care how you suffer...I don t want to see you—die—trying not to suffer (143). Up until this point, the narrator has not actually shared his ownShow M oreRelatedThe Harlem Jazz Scene Analysis1667 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"In the second major wave of American opiate addiction, heroin was integrated into the new cultural identity of the ‘hipster’ first through the Harlem jazz scene,† (A Social History of American’s Most Popular Drugs). Instead of finishing out his last year of high school while staying at Isabel’s, Sonny spent his school days playing music and getting high in Greenwich Village. This was very alarming to Isabel. She became very upset with Sonny and although she tried her best to stay calm, she lostRead MoreEssay about Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin1003 Words   |  5 Pages There are many things we learn of Sonny and his nameless brother in Sonnys Blues. We learn their mannerisms, hobbies, occupations, and even their addictions. It seems we learn nearly everything about the pair; minus the narrators name, as previously stated. Hearing of their histories and the pains theyve under gone, we see how they deal with their pain, which often truly tells character. Sonnys Blues isnt a story of two brothers living in a rough city; one of whom is a talented musicianRead MoreSonnys Blues - Baldwin Personal Reflection1220 Words   |  5 Pagesreference to his life, his feelings, his style, and most importantly his way of life. This story starts in despair, the main character, Sonny is a drug addict, who is holding on to life, but through music he finds hope. There are many parts of this story, such as Sonny being a recovering heroin addict, or Sonny and his love for music, or the fact that Sonny and his dad are just alike. It was difficult for me to understand the main reasons for this story after reading it once, because I automaticallyRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 933 Words   |  4 Pagesthe chaos of the world. . Graham Benton expresses â€Å"Although Sonny first tries to relieve his pain by submitting to the mind numbing effects of heroin, he almost simultaneously discovers that playing jazz provides him with a similar kind of escape from his worldly troubles (362).† Sonny finds that Jazz is a much safer pain reliever than heroin and it gives him a way to escape his worldly problems. John M. Reilly states â€Å"in the story of Sonny and his brother an intuition of the m eaning of the Blues repairsRead MoreAddiction And Recovery : Sonny s Blues By James Baldwin Essay946 Words   |  4 Pagesnewspaper of Sonny’s arrest. The fear overwhelmed him as he wondered what was going to happen to Sonny. Would he stay in jail, sent to a rehabilitation center, or just let back on the streets to start drugs again? He also struggled with the feeling of guilt; this could be his fault. Sonny’s brother thinks to himself, â€Å"I had my suspicions, but I didn’t name them. I kept putting them away. I told myself that Sonny was wild, but wasn’t crazy† (Baldwin 123). This is an example of the psychological effect thatRead MoreThe Effects Of Racism In Sonnys Blues By James Baldwin983 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Sonny’s Blue†, by James Baldwin, reflects a story of an unidentified narrator and his younger brother Sonny through their fights to overcome suffering and racism in Harlem in 1950s. The setting plays an important role in the story. The time period can be assumed to be an era filled with poverty, drugs and racial tension and Harlem being predominantly African-American. These factors seem to have a role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blue†. In â€Å"Sonnys Blues†, James Baldwin, a narrator, reflects a theme of sufferingRead MoreSonny s Blues : A Story Of A Young Jazz Musician976 Words   |  4 Pages Sonny’s Blues This is a story of a young jazz musician (Sonny) from Harlem, NY who gets addicted to heroin, is arrested for using and selling drugs, and returns to his childhood neighborhood after his release from prison. He moves in with his older brother (the story’s narrator) and his brother’s family. The two brothers sort of reconnect after a very tense few weeks during which both try to deal with their anger towards each other. Drugs are a central part of the story, but it’s also about familyRead More Individualism in Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken, Zalman Kings In Gods Hands and James Baldwins Sonnys Blues932 Words   |  4 Pagesliving that are considered normal. These principles are what keep societies organized and orderly. Conforming to these principles, however, is not necessarily the road to happiness for every individual. The main character, Shane, in In God’s Hands, Sonny, in Sonny’s Blues, and the speaker in The Road Not Taken, all choose not t o live by what is considered normal, or popular, and are able to find happiness by living as individuals. Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken is a poem about the choices everyRead MoreSonnys Blues in Harlem896 Words   |  4 Pageslearning that his brother, Sonny, has been arrested for selling heroin. Sonny’s brother takes him in after he is released from jail. However, his brother is scared if he lets him back into his home he will fall into his old ways. Sonny’s true passion in life is to become a Jazz musician but his family doesn’t believe in what he wants to do. Sonny want’s his brother to go with him to a jazz club to see how he actually is and not just seeing him as a dope selling drug addict. At the end of Sonny’s setRead MoreComparing Sonnys Blues And The Garden Party By Katherine Mansfield1251 Words   |  6 Pagescharacters Sonny and Laure are two different types of hero archetypes. Sonny is the hero of the absurd while Laura follows Joseph Campbell’s hero arc. The stories are extremely different but the one element they have i n common is that Sonny and Laura’s journey causes them to have a different outlook from their siblings, the Narrator and Laurie. Sonny and the Narrator are mostly different, but as the story goes on, there are some similarities between the two brothers. The similarities that Sonny and the