As an African American, finding purpose to life was extremely difficult in the 1950’s. For example, William was born an African American, and proceeded to grow up in the ghetto. Due to William’s race, he walked a quarter mile to his nearest “blacks only” school, only to receive an education was half of what the common white boy received in the prestigious “whites only” school that was set downtown, and out of any black boy’s reach. Also because of their race, William’s family struggled to put food on the table every day, with his mom working as a maid for Richard, a successful white business man. On the other hand, his father lives off of the money he made from serving in the World Wars. Getting a little older, the age of fourteen to be exact,
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As William grows older, so does his understanding of his nonexistent future, and so he also grows depressed. William looks for escapes; a ways out of the horrific reality that confronts him. Like Sonny, William seeks a way to feel in control, like music, or even heroin. This, sadly, was the path taken by most African Americans growing up in the 1950’s. Even great musicians, such as Charlie Parker, suffered drug addiction and early death. So how does the music, lifestyle, and self-discovery of the Main Characters in Sonny’s Blues relate to the Harlem Culture of the 1950’s? Jazz in the 1950’s came to be somewhat a form of speaking, and the community of Jazz itself was like a family. The bars and nightclubs that hosted these talented improve musicians were like alternate dimensions; escapes from a grim reality. In the short story sonny’s blues, Sonny was one of these very talented musicians who lived in this alternate dimension, while his brother, the Narrator, was never introduced; showing clear disinterest. Although, once he is introduced to this dimension, it seems to shock him when Sonny is greeted like royalty in this reality that he’s never heard of before. Sonny’s treated like a close family member there. “This was another musician, and a friend of
As William grows older, so does his understanding of his nonexistent future, and so he also grows depressed. William looks for escapes; a ways out of the horrific reality that confronts him. Like Sonny, William seeks a way to feel in control, like music, or even heroin. This, sadly, was the path taken by most African Americans growing up in the 1950’s. Even great musicians, such as Charlie Parker, suffered drug addiction and early death. So how does the music, lifestyle, and self-discovery of the Main Characters in Sonny’s Blues relate to the Harlem Culture of the 1950’s? Jazz in the 1950’s came to be somewhat a form of speaking, and the community of Jazz itself was like a family. The bars and nightclubs that hosted these talented improve musicians were like alternate dimensions; escapes from a grim reality. In the short story sonny’s blues, Sonny was one of these very talented musicians who lived in this alternate dimension, while his brother, the Narrator, was never introduced; showing clear disinterest. Although, once he is introduced to this dimension, it seems to shock him when Sonny is greeted like royalty in this reality that he’s never heard of before. Sonny’s treated like a close family member there. “This was another musician, and a friend of