In “Sonny’s Blues,” Harlem is clearly illustrated as a dank and unclean city that boasted little hope or incentive for ambition for those that resided there. The lack of opportunity led to high levels of poverty, and in turn influenced many in the area to resort to crime, alcoholism, and drugs for comfort. Throughout the 1920s, Harlem was a place of progression, art, and activism. Dubbed the “Harlem Renaissance,” this era in American history was significant for the black community as a whole. Among the numerous organizations that sprung up during this time, one of the most important was the The New Negro Movement. Dedicated to stressing blacks would not comply with the discriminatory regulations of the Jim Crow Laws, this campaign inspired
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In the early-to-mid 1900s, blacks not only had to endure the physical tension of discrimination and segregation, but also the emotional pain of being unable to achieve their dreams due to social barriers. “Sonny’s Blues” focuses primarily on the effects mental strain it had on people during that time and the different ways in which they handled it. Every individual in this work is suffering in some way, be it through poverty, lack of opportunity, or loss. The way in which characters undertake these stressors, however, differ greatly. While Sonny initially manages his burdens in a negative manner, he changes for the better by finding positive outlets for his …show more content…
Music is a major part of Sonny’s later life that serves as one of the most important elements of the wretch’s recovery and personal atonement. During one of Sonny’s performances, the narrator states, “For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.” (Baldwin) In Sonny’s case, the “light” the narrator mentions is the jazz music that he takes pride in, and the “darkness” is his grim past of loss, addiction, and imprisonment. In a general sense, however, “light” represents any passion an individual might have that has the power to save him or her from pain, or “darkness.” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited,” and James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” are set in times of both success and turmoil in the United States. Although the former does not take place directly in America, it is reflective of the social response and physical consequences of the period of despair that struck the nation after nearly a century of good fortune. The latter, on the other hand, focuses more on the individual 's’ emotional response to social desperation. Both short stories effectively demonstrate the feelings, values, and problems of society during the time
In the early-to-mid 1900s, blacks not only had to endure the physical tension of discrimination and segregation, but also the emotional pain of being unable to achieve their dreams due to social barriers. “Sonny’s Blues” focuses primarily on the effects mental strain it had on people during that time and the different ways in which they handled it. Every individual in this work is suffering in some way, be it through poverty, lack of opportunity, or loss. The way in which characters undertake these stressors, however, differ greatly. While Sonny initially manages his burdens in a negative manner, he changes for the better by finding positive outlets for his …show more content…
Music is a major part of Sonny’s later life that serves as one of the most important elements of the wretch’s recovery and personal atonement. During one of Sonny’s performances, the narrator states, “For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.” (Baldwin) In Sonny’s case, the “light” the narrator mentions is the jazz music that he takes pride in, and the “darkness” is his grim past of loss, addiction, and imprisonment. In a general sense, however, “light” represents any passion an individual might have that has the power to save him or her from pain, or “darkness.” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited,” and James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” are set in times of both success and turmoil in the United States. Although the former does not take place directly in America, it is reflective of the social response and physical consequences of the period of despair that struck the nation after nearly a century of good fortune. The latter, on the other hand, focuses more on the individual 's’ emotional response to social desperation. Both short stories effectively demonstrate the feelings, values, and problems of society during the time