Sonny by James Baldwin | MyPaperHub

The story of Sonny by James Baldwin is set in Harlem an impoverished and oppressed city in the African neighborhood of New York during 1950. Sonny’s experience symbolizes a people, whose hands are tied, having limited possibilities in an unfriendly world. We realize that Sonny is arrested for selling heroin and is imprisoned. He is not responsible for his addiction; it is Harlem which has a severe drug addiction. The city is a trap, and as the narrator says, the streets of Harlem are ‘vivid killing streets of their childhood.’ Additionally, Sonny and his father did not have a good relationship, and the narrator was not his brother’s keeper (Charters, 2015).

Sonny’s love for jazz music was a distraction. He was passionate about the music which assisted him to endure and overcome suffering. It was through jazz music that Sonny accepted his plight, managed to cope and gave him a reprieve. Jazz is a representation of how we suffer, how we are excited, we overcome and triumph our challenges. Music was his conduit to redemption. The character of Sonny reminds people of their suffering and heritage. Baldwin uses the role of Sonny, his addiction, and his talent to point to something more significant that was taking place in the African American Society of his time.  Harlem was characterized by racism, and limited opportunities and the suffering borne by the community as a result of racism.  During the 1950’s embracing heritage in the political struggle was crucial. It was only by understanding the culture that the people could get exculpation.        

Additional articles

Memory word recall

Abstract The ability of men and women to recall words, events and also experiences are a result of the memory that they have of such events and capacity to recall them. Recalls in memory are the mental processes that involve the retrieval of t...Memory-word-recall …

Read Article
Decoding 'Hell': Exploring the Linguistic Journey and Cultural Perceptions

Unveiling the Mystique of 'Hell': A Linguistic and Cultural ExplorationThe term "Hell" is not inherently classified as a curse word, and its perception varies among individuals. Unlike typical profanity that describes inappropriate actions or body pa...Decoding-'Hell':-Exploring-the-Linguistic-Journey-and-Cultural-Perceptions …

Read Article
Fulfilling Responsibilities: The Role of Families and Churches in Caring for the Needy

Fulfilling Responsibilities: Strengthening Families and Churches for the Well-being of the Needy   Jesus Christ placed the burden of caring for the needy to the people that believe in him.  He demonstrated it by feeding a hung...Fulfilling-Responsibilities:-The-Role-of-Families-and-Churches-in-Caring-for-the-Needy …

Read Article
Let's give your paper the attention it deserves