James Baldwin

In the short story “Sonny’s Blues”, the author James Baldwin writes in first person point of view and begins the story by revealing his little brother has been arrested and is in prison for being involved with the very addictive drug, heroin. Sonny was a smart kid growing up until his older brother, the narrator, joined the army and his parents died before he entered adulthood. The narrator of the story took on a parental role towards Sonny after their parents had died but soon after lost touch…

In James Baldwin’s short story “Sonny’s Blues,” Sonny shows that no matter how bad someone’s circumstances are, they can always overcome them. Baldwin writes “it’s repulsive to think you have to suffer that much”(168), meaning people suffer more than normal, if they worked hard and didn’t go down the path they chose in the first place. Although sometimes people can't control their paths in life due to their circumstances at home and other aspects of their life, they can still work hard to…

The essay is about 2 different fictional stories by James Baldwin and how they relate to growing up in the depression era as an African-American family in Harlem. The first story, Sonny’s Blues explores the views of two black brothers and the suffering they experienced as individuals while living in a black community in Harlem during 1930. This story shows how the two brothers both try to relate to each other’s lives even though they are completely two different people. The unnamed Narrator who…

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…

Baldwin explains “No one was white before he/she came to America. It took generations and vast amount of coercion before this became a white country.” (Baldwin 1) By joining this artificial racial group, various people from different European backgrounds had to discard their cultural identity. After their arrival in America Irish…

Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin is a story about relationships between two brothers from African-American community in Harlem. They both, the narrator and Sonny, grew up among drugs and poverty. Two brothers thought this background will be following them till the rest of their lives. That is why they both wanted to escape from it, just had different ways of doing it. The older brother has made his way to the middle class by becoming an algebra teacher. On the other side, Sonny has picked a…

The story “Sonny’s Blues” is a depiction of Harlem during the post-war era. It shows the struggle of the individual people to survive, as opposed to the problems of population as a whole. It also embodies some of the possible problems faced by James Baldwin himself. He was also the oldest of nine children, and had a father like the one in the story with a stout personality. He accentuates the problems faced by the family, such as a desire to live in a “safe” neighborhood, but there is no real…

force that connects a person with their surroundings. In James Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers”, the cogent essay describes the repercussions, the racial inequality, and the propaganda germane to the American education during the 1960’s. Baldwin emphasizes individual thinking as a solution to the racial inequality and propaganda. He states that the purpose of education is to recognize the world around them and make decisions on their own. Baldwin uses the case of African Americans and their…

On the surface Baldwin’s novel appears to be about sexuality, but the novel tackles a deeper issue. Baldwin takes a stance on finding oneself whether that be thought others or in moments of solitude. Geovanni is able to show David who he wants to become as well as warn him of what he could be. David faces an internal conflict discovering who he is independently from the people that surround him. The novel is less about sexuality and more about self-discovery. As a culture, there are many ways…

Because of history, tension has always existed in some amount between races. In James Baldwin’s essay (source A) Baldwin highlights the exclusion he faced when trying to eat at a diner in the early 1900s. Because of his race the people in the diner always wanted him to leave as they thought he affected the physical space as a black Man. They acted on the physical space, created when Baldwin entered, by kicking him out because of his physical appearance. Racism affecting the physical…