Internal Conflicts In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

An enthralling tale between two afflicted brothers in Harlem, James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues is told from the point of view of Sonny's brother, whose name is never revealed to readers. This short story illustrates the brothers' struggle with living in the projects of Harlem, cultural issues, and their own inner demons. As the two brothers combat their interior conflicts and exterior environmental toils, they are reunified through a common theme in the story: musical expression. Sonny's Blues is a story of how music can create stronger ties and stimulate change and understanding within relationships.
Strong family ties have long been stressed by in American society. The stronger the family tie, the stronger the individual is in maintaining healthy relationships. Family members can make us happy or mad, they can love us so deeply or drive us far away at the same time. Sonny and his nameless brother incontestably love each other, but they don't understand the other and push each other away. It's decisively because they love each other so much that they have the potential to hurt …show more content…
There's a vicious cycle of escaping financial desolation by participating in criminal activities and escaping emotions through the use of drugs. Throughout the story, both the narrator and Sonny desperately want to escape Harlem's toxic environment. The brothers cope with their own inner demons and the suffering around them in two very different ways. The narrator copes by moving out of Harlem and working a blue-collared job as an algebra teacher. Sonny copes by doing heroin and playing the piano. Baldwin entitles Sonny with a gift of exceptional skills in music, and he uses this skill to uplift his brother. Baldwin’s short story illustrates the trials of the narrator on his journey to being the best brother he can be and the brothers' journey of patching up their brotherly bond with music as their