Name: _____________________________________ Date: _______________________
“Sonny’s Blues”
James Baldwin
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS…
1. The narrator meets an old friend of Sonny’s at the beginning of the story.
¾ How would you characterize the narrator's behavior and feelings toward Sonny's
friend?
¾ Is the narrator kind, cruel, compassionate, abrupt, empathic, angry?
¾ Explain your view and the evidence supporting it. Use quotes to do this.
2. Obviously, a lot of things have happened to affect the relationship between the narrator
and Sonny. Why do you think the narrator seems to care about him now?
3. Baldwin uses the phrase “de facto segregation.” Find out what this term means.
¾ Do you think that there are examples of de facto segregation today? Where?
4. What views of life and its meaning are in conflict in this story?
5. Why do you think Sonny is such a “private” character?
6. After reading Sonny’s thoughts on addiction, how would you paraphrase his ideas?
7. What does the mother contribute to the narrator’s knowledge of Sonny?
8. Does the story seem to be making a statement about living a “safe” life? Explain.
9. Explain the following: Sonny was “playing for his life.”
10. Do you think the narrator ever comes to terms with Sonny’s:
¾ addiction?
¾ music?
Explain your responses for each of the situations above…
11. Do you think that the time period and setting of this short story make a difference? In
other words, would it matter if this were the tale of brothers living in Memphis, one of
whom is a country recording artist?
12. A possible theme from this story might be the suffering that people endure. Explain how
this relates to:
¾ Sonny
¾ The narrator
¾ Isabel
13. James Baldwin once said that “I grew up with music, you know, much more than with
any other language. In a way the music I grew up with saved my life.”
¾ How does “Sonny’s Blues” support this statement?
¾ Have you ever felt this with your own life? With what type of music? Be specific as
you respond to this question – what part of the music is it that “saves” you? (the lyrics?
guitar? horns? etc.)
14. The blues seems to be an obvious influence to this story and to Baldwin’s life. What type,
or style, of music do you think your generation will be defined by? Why?
15. The story does not follow a simple “timeline” – it jumps in time and place. Do you feel this
to be effective? Why or why not?