Comparison Among The Storys: “Sonnys Blues” and “Cathedral”
Most authors use rich symbolism, character development, and background to understand better the difficulties and rewards of being human. The writers Raymond Carver and James Baldwin explore the complexities of interpersonal relations and the transforming effects of empathy and self-understanding. In the narratives “Cathedral” and “Sonny’s Blues,” Raymond Carver and James Baldwin ascertain that human connection generally occurs in various forms and degrees, such as estrangement against people, being able to grow empathy toward one another, and issues correlating with trust and misconception.
Estrangement is a significant motif that emphasizes the characters' sense of isolation and loneliness
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James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" emphasizes the importance of empathy in the connection between the two brothers, Sonny, and the narrator. The narrator struggles throughout the narrative to comprehend Sonny's experiences, “I think people ought to do what they want to do. What else are they alive for?” but eventually learns to relate to those challenges (Baldwin 95). For instance, the narrator's willingness to attend Sonny's concert and listen to his jazz music despite his initial dispassion and judgment towards Sonny's enthusiasm. The narrator's shift from condemnation to empathy enables him to relate to Sonny more profoundly, “I was trying to find out something about my brother. I was dying to hear him tell me he was safe” (Baldwin 72). Sonny's brother took time to comprehend the anguish and suffering he had gone through entirely. In James Tackach's "The Biblical Foundation of James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues," Tackach claims that James Baldwin's story was based on “the parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke's gospel with the Cain and Abel tale from Genesis,” the story of two brothers who struggle to grow empathy towards each other amid a storm (Tackach 2). Ultimately, the narrative implies that developing empathy is crucial for fostering understanding and connection, particularly across diverse life experiences and viewpoints. Correspondingly, in "Cathedral," the …show more content…
In Sonnys Blues, the narrator hesitates to see Sonny in jail and critiques his music; it is clear that he does not trust him. Nevertheless, when the narrator goes to one of Sonny's concerts and appreciates the beauty of his music, his preconceptions are disproved. The image of Sonny was portrayed by the actions his brother had seen growing up together, “It does not do any good to fight with Sonny. Sonny just moves back, inside himself, where he cannot be reached” (Baldwin 70). Throughout the story, the narrator struggles to understand his brother's choices and fears for his safety; he has created a burden between himself and Sonny. The narrative illustrates how trust is a delicate yet essential element in establishing a good relationship and how its absence may result in emotional distance and seclusion. "I did not trust myself to speak. I did not know what might come out,” the narrator reflects on his lack of trust in his ability to communicate effectively with his brother, Sonny (Baldwin 78). As the story goes on, we see misconception plays a significant role in the trust between the brothers, "I had misunderstood the nature of my brother's life. I had not allowed for his capacity to live it, his courage, or his grace,” the narrator reflects on how he had misconceived his brother Sonny's struggles with addiction and his
From the very beginning of the tale, the sorrow is palpable through the unnamed narrator 's discovery of Sonny 's incarceration, and moreover through the atmosphere created by Mr. Baldwin. The most prominent message that can be deciphered and recognized in Sonny 's Blues is that the sadness and sorrow that one experiences in their life can bring about many obstacles but it can be countered and used for something greater by a search for understanding and acceptance. James Baldwin establishes this implication through the use of his characters; the narrator, Sonny, and the singer seen on the street. All these characters experience sorrow and sadness in their
The narrator keeps in mind that he has an obligation to watch his brother but he tore apart by his emotions which are shifting from love to hate. The reason is, he is unable to accept fully that his brother can change as much as he cares about him. Since he was young, Sonny is haunted
Alicia Mathew Mrs. Hall English 2 Honors March 15, 2023 Caring About Your Family Can Hurt You “Sonny’s Blues” takes place in the town of Harlem where the narrator discovers that his brother, Sonny, was arrested for being involved with drugs. The narrator reminisces over his childhood with Sonny, and he reconciles their relationship after Sonny is released from jail when the narrator listens to Sonny playing at a local jazz club. In the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” James Baldwin emphasizes how family relationships can contribute to internal conflicts due to how much one cares about their family.
Throughout the story of “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin develops a theme that can still be related with today. The misunderstanding and lack of knowledge that the narrator experiences, about his brother, is something that many today feel, as their own family members are being prosecuted and they do not comprehend why. Within the story, there are numerous subtle ideas that are used to progress the story and theme along to the ending that is given. James Baldwin advances the theme of his story, that misfortune and anguish can be renovated into a unique art form, using characterizations, settings, and symbolisms. One of the main literary devices that is used to express the theme is characterization.
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” is a short story depicting the relationship of two brothers, Sonny and an unnamed narrator. The story takes place in the project of Harlem, New York in the early 1950s. The narrator is a high school math teacher. His younger brother Sonny is a troubled musician struggling with his addiction to drugs. Before their mother dies, she asks the narrator promise to her he’ll look after his younger brother when she is gone.
James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" analyzes a very complex relationship between the narrator and his brother, Sonny. Before directing to the attention of the relationship between these two brothers, we have to first understand the personality of each character. Initially, the narrator has a stable job as a hardworking math teacher and makes an effort to assimilate himself to his surroundings, but has never comprehended his brother, Sonny. Sonny is the complete opposite of the narrator. Sonny separates from his brother to become a Blues musician, though becomes addicted to drugs, such as heroin, in order to control his own feelings.
When the narrator accompanies Sonny to the nightclub to listen to him play his music; Sonny’s music portrays his wisdom as he plays about his brother’s frustrations with the trials and sufferings they both endured. Sonny’s artful playing of the blues opens the narrator’s heart to listen genuinely. If one listens to what lies on the inside that is the key to finding oneself. Joseph Flibbert states in the article “Sonny’s Blues” Overview, “In the music he hears, he sees his mother’s face, and that of his little girl … The powerful incantations of Sonny’s art reaches his soul, and for the first time, he listens to the dark voice within”.
Many of the characters in “Sonny’s Blues” face battles within themselves. The characters fight the battle of trying to keep the light shining inside and to not let the darkness inhabit them. “Images of light and darkness are used by Baldwin to illustrate his theme of man’s painful quest for an identity” (Murray
He realized that when he finally opened his ears and tried to listen to what he had to say, he could understand where he was coming from. If he would have tried to listen and understand Sonny from the beginning, it would have made everything a lot easier. The author used this to show the audience that if they continue to push things back, it will be more difficult to understand them. The reader should also understand that there is no way to truly understand someone else without fully and wholeheartedly listening to them and what they are trying to communicate. In Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin used Sonny to create the theme of avoidance to show the reader how pushing
Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin was a short story about the struggles of living in a tough, rundown neighborhood and looking to drugs as a way out. Baldwin’s intent on writing this piece focuses on pain and suffering. The author stresses that not everybody is born in the best circumstances. Sonny was one of those people who grew up in a rickety town where people often did not make it out successful.
Sonny Blues Paul Pearshall once said “Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted”. In this story the conflict of responsibility takes place. A brother, who happens to be the narrator, blames his self for the events that takes place in his life, such as his brother sonny’s crack addiction. The Narrator feels responsible for his brother’s heroin addiction because he believed he shut his brother’s career goals down, felt as though he went against what his mother asked him to do, and because he chose not to believe that the way he treated his brother affected his brother life.
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” uses Sonny as an antagonist character to the protagonist, his eldest brother. While Sonny and his eldest brother both are the center of the stories content, Baldwin uses Sonny to represent a challenge to the narrator of the story. Through the rekindling of a brother’s relationships, Baldwin is able to depict Sonny's motivations and aspirations through his flaws, and the way in which his flaws affected his life. Sonny’s flaws ultimately shape Sonny’s character, his reserved feelings and silent demeanor isolate him from the world, but at the same time contribute to his aspirations and motivations by music.
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blue’s” makes great use of different literary devices throughout the story. The author utilizes conflict, symbolism, and the narrator’s point of view to give the story a deeper meaning and significance to the story. Sonny’s Blue’s is about an older brother’s relationship and differences with his younger brother, Sonny.
In James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” the author uses Sonny’s struggle for a redeemed life to push the narrator toward the realization of his own need for rescue; through this realization, the narrator can find his identity and be free from his sadness. The narrator needs rescuing from himself. He hides behind a curtain of denial trying to protect himself from emotional reality. The narrator struggles to understand when and how Sonny began his troubles with drug addiction; he does not understand where he went wrong in being a role model for his younger brother. Now, years later the narrator is a school teacher who is trying to be a role model for the young boys in his class.
As Donald C. Murray has said in his article, “James Baldwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues’: Complicated and Simple”, “Images of light and darkness are used by Baldwin… ( Murray 354)”. Also, Baldwin is able to tell a story that can make the reader visualize what is happening to this character Sonny, even though it is being narrated through the eyes and perspective of his older brother. He portrays the older brother as someone who can understand and recognizes the internal struggles of Sonny and be compassionate about them, even though the elder brother does not agree with all the life choices his brother has