Topic 4: An Analysis of the Redemptive Qualities of Music in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin
This literary study will define the redemptive qualities of music that bring joy and relief to oppressed Africa-Americans in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin. In Hurston’s novel, the interjection of music in the lives of Tea Cake and Janie define a time of redemption from the suffering her previous relationships with violent men, such as Logan and Jody. This is also true of the musical power of jazz in James Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues”, which defines the liberation and freedom of Bebop as an expression of joy in the African-American community. These aspects of African America musical life define the social redemption that allows an oppressed peoples …show more content…
In this instance, Janie feels the redemption of finding something akin to true love through this musical expression, which she had never known from the previous abusive relationship that she had experienced with other men.
In a similar way, Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues”, provides another example of the redemption of music the difficult life of an African-American jazz musician, Sonny. In this culture, Sonny is exposed to drugs, such as heroine, which eventually result in his arrest and imprisonment. Sonny’s brother, the narrator of the story, describes the power of music as a means in which Sonny found a liberation from the suffering of drug abuse in Harlem. During this time, Sonny’s brother attempts to prevent Sonny from playing music in Harlem nightclubs, but Sonny finds a deep redemption and joy in playing jazz music:
“Well Sonny,” I said gently, “you know people can’t always do exactly what they want to
This literary study will define the redemptive qualities of music that bring joy and relief to oppressed Africa-Americans in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin. In Hurston’s novel, the interjection of music in the lives of Tea Cake and Janie define a time of redemption from the suffering her previous relationships with violent men, such as Logan and Jody. This is also true of the musical power of jazz in James Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues”, which defines the liberation and freedom of Bebop as an expression of joy in the African-American community. These aspects of African America musical life define the social redemption that allows an oppressed peoples …show more content…
In this instance, Janie feels the redemption of finding something akin to true love through this musical expression, which she had never known from the previous abusive relationship that she had experienced with other men.
In a similar way, Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues”, provides another example of the redemption of music the difficult life of an African-American jazz musician, Sonny. In this culture, Sonny is exposed to drugs, such as heroine, which eventually result in his arrest and imprisonment. Sonny’s brother, the narrator of the story, describes the power of music as a means in which Sonny found a liberation from the suffering of drug abuse in Harlem. During this time, Sonny’s brother attempts to prevent Sonny from playing music in Harlem nightclubs, but Sonny finds a deep redemption and joy in playing jazz music:
“Well Sonny,” I said gently, “you know people can’t always do exactly what they want to