“Sonny’s Blues” By James Baldwin
1. From whose point of view is “Sonny’s Blues” told? How do the narrator’s values and
experiences affect his view of the story?
The story is told from Sonny’s brothers’ point of view. The narrator, throughout the
story, expresses his personal view on the experiences he has had with Sonny. His values
are seen in the attempts to guide Sonny in the ways of life and how he tries to finally
understand the decisions Sonny has made.
2. What is the older brother’s profession? Does it suggest anything about his personality?
The older brother is a teacher, to be specific, an algebra teacher. As we know, teachers
are people who try to help others learn or acquire knowledge. This can be seen in
Sonny’s older brother because he is presented as a person who is caring towards Sonny,
who tries to help him through his struggles.
3. How would this story change if it were told by Sonny?
If the story were told by Sonny, it would result with a completely different story than the
one we were told, it would have told a whole other perspective. This new perspective
would have counted with a deeper and more internal version of Sonny’s own
experiences. Also, it would be a less reliable story because of the narrator himself would
have been under the influence drugs during the occurring of the events.
4. What event prompts the narrator to write his brother?
The event that prompts the narrator to write his brother is the death of his daughter,
Gracie, who died from polio at a young age.
5. What does the narrator’s mother ask him to do for Sonny? Does the older brother keep his
promise?
The narrators mother asks him to protect and look after his brother when she is not
around anymore. In my opinion, the older brother did keep his promise, and did what he
could to help Sonny.
6. The major characters in this story are called Mama, Daddy, and Sonny (the older brother is
never named or even nicknamed). How do these names affect our sense of the story?
The names Mama, Daddy, and Sonny affect the story by showing us that they were close,
that they were a family. This make a connection between the audience and the story
because it relates the fact that everyone has a family.
7. Reread the last four paragraphs and explain the significance of the statement “Now these
are Sonny’s blues.” How has Sonny made this music his own?
The statement “Now these are Sonny’s blues” shows us that Sonny is finally ready to let
go of his drug addiction, to finally be able to enjoy his freedom. Sonny has made this
music his own by expressing and telling his story through it.
PLOT
Exposition
The narrator reads in the newspaper about Sonny's arrest for using and selling heroin. This
discovery starts the action rest of the story by causing the narrator to reflect on his and Sonny's
pasts.
Rising action
The narrator and sonny have their first argument about Sonny wanting to become a jazz
musician. This is the first conflict between Sonny and the narrator. Sonny wants to be a jazz
piano player, but the narrator thinks this is a waste of his life. Their inability to get along with
their opinions this is what causes so much strife between the brothers.
Climax
Sonny and the narrator have argument in the apartment. This is where all of sonny’s problems
come into the light, all the anger between the two characters: the narrator's anger at Sonny's
drug use, Sonny's anger at feeling abandoned, the narrator's inability to understand Sonny as a
musician, and Sonny's frustration at all this. Also, in this moment is when Sonny invites his
brother to come hear him play.
Falling action
The moment just before Sonny starts to play the piano. In this moment you can feel the anxiety
of the characters, Sonny is nervous, the narrator is nervous, the other musicians seem unsure,
and the audience doesn't know what to expect. The only person that seem to have the
confidence that both the narrator and Sonny lacked was Creole.
Denouement
Sonny endures through the first part and begins to play the second. This is the moment where
sonny starts to calm down and to feel more confident of himself. He finally let’s go to all the
anger he ever had and loses himself in his music for once without the use of drugs.
Conclusion
The part when the narrator gives or sends Sonny a drink. This drink is the narrator's way of
saying that he finally understands how important music is to Sonny and how necessary to his life.