Dreams
The short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin suggests that it is important for a person to follow his or her own dreams even if those dreams conflict with their family’s values. In the story there are many circumstances where Sonny’s brother tries to talk Sonny out of being what he wants to be. Sonny wants to be a jazz musician. Sonny’s brother wants the best for Sonny. He wants him to stay out of trouble and do what is best for his future. Sonny’s brother doesn’t agree with that choice of a career because the environment is dangerous, it won’t make him much money, and he wants him to finish school. Sonny assures his brother that his future shouldn’t be about what makes you money. A person should follow their dreams and do what makes them happy. …show more content…
The mother is worried that if something happens to her, Sonny won’t have anyone that’s looking out for him. The mother shares a story with Sonny’s brother about his father’s brother. Sonny’s brother has never heard of this story before. She goes on to tell him that he was killed by a car full of drunk white men. She told him this story not “to make you scared or bitter or to make you hate nobody. I’m telling you this because you got a brother. And the world hasn’t changed.” (Baldwin 442) This shows that the mother wants Sonny’s brother to look after Sonny and to always be there for Sonny because she would hate for him to feel the way her husband (his father) felt when his brother died. She doesn’t want something silly to come between the brothers. After momma tells him that, the brother promises his mother that he won’t let anything happen to Sonny. The mother replies with “you may not be able to stop nothing from happening. But you got to let him know you’s there” (Baldwin 442) .That basically means that the brother doesn’t have to agree with everything Sonny decides to do but she just wants the brother to be there for
The short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin suggests that it is important for a person to follow his or her own dreams even if those dreams conflict with their family’s values. In the story there are many circumstances where Sonny’s brother tries to talk Sonny out of being what he wants to be. Sonny wants to be a jazz musician. Sonny’s brother wants the best for Sonny. He wants him to stay out of trouble and do what is best for his future. Sonny’s brother doesn’t agree with that choice of a career because the environment is dangerous, it won’t make him much money, and he wants him to finish school. Sonny assures his brother that his future shouldn’t be about what makes you money. A person should follow their dreams and do what makes them happy. …show more content…
The mother is worried that if something happens to her, Sonny won’t have anyone that’s looking out for him. The mother shares a story with Sonny’s brother about his father’s brother. Sonny’s brother has never heard of this story before. She goes on to tell him that he was killed by a car full of drunk white men. She told him this story not “to make you scared or bitter or to make you hate nobody. I’m telling you this because you got a brother. And the world hasn’t changed.” (Baldwin 442) This shows that the mother wants Sonny’s brother to look after Sonny and to always be there for Sonny because she would hate for him to feel the way her husband (his father) felt when his brother died. She doesn’t want something silly to come between the brothers. After momma tells him that, the brother promises his mother that he won’t let anything happen to Sonny. The mother replies with “you may not be able to stop nothing from happening. But you got to let him know you’s there” (Baldwin 442) .That basically means that the brother doesn’t have to agree with everything Sonny decides to do but she just wants the brother to be there for