"Sonny's Blues" and Honesty

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the strained relationship between the two characters, the narrator and Sonny, in Baldwin's short story, "Sonny's Blues", and how, through an honest appreciation for individuality and a realistic point of view, the narrator not only comes to know and understand his brother, but himself as well. The paper explains that, more than just a story about brothers, "Sonny's Blues" is a tale of acceptance and appreciation for individuality.

From the Paper:

"We learn early in the story that the narrator is not close to Sonny, who has led a less than perfect life. Sonny has been arrested for peddling heroin and the narrator's way of coping with Sonny has been avoiding him altogether. The narrator admits that he couldn't find a place inside him for the thought of his brother being arrested for selling heroin, so he "kept it outside" (Baldwin 22) of him for a very long time. He also admits that he did not want to know the truth about Sonny, telling himself that Sonny was "wild, but he wasn't crazy. And he'd always been a good boy, he hadn't ever turned hard or evil or disrespectful" (23). The narrator also admits that he never wanted to see his brother go down and become nothing. This fear and lack of understanding is the beginning of the troubled relationship the brothers share."

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