Family is among the most important elements of a person’s life. From one’s birth to the time a person chooses to have their own children, family support and connection help one get through difficulties. However, in some cases, dysfunctional relationships or problems of one family member can burden the others. The two stories that help uncover the role of a family are Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” and Tan’s “A Pair of Tickets,” where the authors demonstrate the impact of family on a person.
The family has been an important social unit that signified two people’s desire to raise children and support other members of these unions. According to Trost, the idea of family life has a long and illustrious history (467). Although it is perhaps as old as humanity, the term “research-oriented notion” first appeared during the start of the 20th century (Trost 467). The most crucial aspect of family life is the idea or thought that time passes, regardless of whether the concept of the family life cycle is connected to a theoretical approach or not. Significant changes in the family occur at particular times or in response to specific occurrences, such as childbirth, age variation, or the combination of the family’s offspring, which is another crucial aspect of the family life cycle. Thus, the notion of family has existed for many years, and each family goes through a cycle of life events.
“Sonny’s Blues” is a story written by James Baldwin that focuses on the life story of two brothers. The story’s anonymous narrator learns from a newspaper that Sonny, his younger brother, has been detained for dealing and consuming heroin (Baldwin 1). The narrator recalls Sonny when he was a little boy as he gets ready to instruct his algebra class. He understands that, given the challenges and difficulties they encounter as children growing up in Harlem, his classmates might one day become like Sonny. When the school day is over, the narrator leaves for home, but on the way, he sees one of Sonny’s old friends—who is constantly high and dirty—waiting for him by the building (Baldwin 2). Although Sonny is the narrator’s relative, the two have not been in touch, and this family connection has not been an important part of their lives. The narrator feels both resentment and sympathy for Sonny’s pal because he makes it painfully evident to the listener how terrible Sonny’s drug addiction made the latter’s life more difficult.
In “Sonny’s Blues,” it is evident that in spite of the brother’s obvious love for one another, the two in this novel are unable to comprehend one another and do not support one another’s choices in life. They have the ability to seriously damage each other because of how much they love one another. But they also show how strong the bonds that unite them are because, in the end, they come together again and reiterate how much they depend on one another. Moreover, the brother’s addition complicates the relationships between the two, as substance use significantly impairs one ability to think critically and make sound decisions. However, over the course of this story, it becomes evident that family is the reason why Sony chooses to use drugs. Therefore, “Sonny’s Blues” illustrates how family members influence one another.
Another story that helps one understand the importance of family and the complexity of family relations is Amy Tan’s “A Pair of Tickets.” Jing-mei and her 72-year-old father, Canning Woo, are traveling to China via rail (Tan 10). Their first stop will be Guangzhou, and Jing-mei starts to “feel Chinese” as the train approaches Shenzhen, China. Jing-mei is also crying with joy, much like her father. After her mother passed away, a letter from her mother’s twin daughters from her first marriage arrived from China. She was compelled to leave these two kids on the side of the road in 1944 (Tan 11). Thus, this is a story of a family reunion and the main character’s connection to their biological family.
One of the most important elements in this story is when Jing-mei reunites with her two sisters, and her father takes a picture of the three girls at the train station. This story shows that family connections are important, and even though the main character was separated from her family for a while, she is still part of this social structure. Moreover, this story is based on Tan’s actual experience, although retold in a fairytale-like manner (Gregory). Tan has reunited with her family in China after her mother’s terminal condition.
In summary, Sonny’s Blues and “A Pair of Tickets,” two works by James Baldwin and Amy Tan, highlight the importance of family in a person’s life. The idea of a family has been around for a while, and every family experiences a cycle of life events. At certain periods or in response to certain events, the family experiences significant changes. Because he makes it painfully clear to the audience just how dreadful Sonny’s drug addiction made the latter’s life more difficult, the narrator of “Sonny’s Blues” feels both wrath and sympathy for Sonny’s friend. The significance of family ties is highlighted in Amy Tan’s “A Pair of Tickets,” which tells the tale of a family reunion.
Works Cited
Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Oxford University Press, 2013.
Gregory, Michaela. “The Importance of the Setting in A Pair of Tickets by Amy Tan.” The Dots.
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Putnam’s, 1989.
Trost, Jan. “25. The Family Life Cycle. A Problematic Concept.” De Gruyter Mouton, 2019, pp. 467-482.