Introduction
One of the main themes in the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” written by James Baldwin, is family support, which is essential for uniting the characters and allowing them to solve their problems. However, it is mostly described in a negative light throughout the narrative, which changes to a more positive outlook by the end of this piece under the influence of the power of music. From this perspective, the significance of Sonny’s occupation is in the fact that it marks the beginning of difficulties in his relationships with his brother. Meanwhile, it not only creates issues between them but also heals them by serving as a component connecting their varying views of reality. Hence, shared pain and suffering in life are initially misinterpreted by the characters, and the gap in their understanding of circumstances could be overcome only with the help of a specific link, which was music.
Dealing with Pain and Suffering
The principal evidence of the lack of connection between the narrator and Sonny is reflected in the way they express themselves. This factor greatly affected the selection of the career of an algebra teacher by the former and the latter’s only desire to become a jazz musician. During their conversation about the future and the necessity to make a living, they demonstrate varying standpoints in terms of better ways of dealing with pain. Thus, the narrator’s perspective is limited by the considerations of feasibility, the practicality of decisions, the time spent on the achievement of the set goals, and other similar thoughts (Baldwin, 1957).
In contrast to him, Sonny does not view this approach as the best method to avoid the adversity of life and ensure his wellbeing in the future. He claims that courage is the key to finding one’s true self and their place in the world, and music corresponds to this perception more than the rationality of choices (Baldwin, 1957). In this way, the conflict between these people can be described as the collision of opposite stances concerning the appropriateness of choices for avoiding suffering.
The difference between the brothers’ perspectives is connected to the degree of responsibility for the consequences of their actions they are willing to accept. In the case of the narrator, it is extremely high as he tends to consider any occupations related to personal desires as unworthy of time. When discussing the matter with Sonny, he states that “people can’t always do exactly what they want to do,” thereby confirming a full awareness of the risks of improper choices regarding one’s career (Baldwin, 1957, p. 15).
For him, stability is the only possible way to deal with the prospects of suffering since it guarantees the clarity of expectations and provides one with opportunities to rely on the environment. On the contrary, Sonny’s attitudes seem less serious as he does not emphasize the importance of these factors in his decisions. By saying that “people ought to do what they want to do, what else are they alive for?,” he highlights the significance of finding meaning in one’s life (Baldwin, 1957, p. 15). Thus, his guarantee of wellbeing is based on emotions, and this fact implies less control over negative events.
As can be seen from the outcomes of the two men’s choices in life, the practical approach happens to be more effective than relying on the interests in pursuing goals without paying attention to everyday needs. Nevertheless, it is not a perfect solution for maintaining contact between family members, and this circumstance explains the narrator’s failure to stay away from his brother’s struggles. In other words, a detached and well-thought outlook on the problems does not contribute to a lesser degree of suffering since people tend to involve in the challenges of their relatives. Thus, the narrator does not manage to remain objective when he remembers the promise not to leave Sonny he gave to his mother (Baldwin, 1957).
In addition, when talking to one of his brother’s friends at the beginning of the story, he expresses the intention to understand why people end up in such painful conditions (Baldwin, 1957). Therefore, it is clear that he would not be able to stay out of this event in the continuation of this piece.
The reminder of Sonny’s fate and the significance of other people on this occasion is also explained by his old friend. In their conversation with the narrator, he states that even he feels the responsibility before Sonny even though they have not seen each other for many years (Baldwin, 1957). This idea not only triggers similar thoughts in the man but also leads to the intention to write Sonny a letter when he loses his daughter (Baldwin, 1957).
This decision seems appropriate from the perspective of support, which only family members can provide in difficult times. The desire to receive it is mutual since, in return, Sonny claims that he did not want to hurt anyone and still cares about his brother (Baldwin, 1957). In this part of the story, it becomes clear that, regardless of the different adopted mechanisms of coping with pain and suffering of the two characters, there is a common trait in them. Both men highlight the importance of relatives in this aspect of life and are willing to overcome the past challenges to establish healthy relationships, which they once lost.
The Importance of Jazz/Blues for Healing
The above intention to find a compromise between the opposing views of reality expressed by the two brothers is not an easy task. In order to successfully perform it, a connecting link between them should be created and, in the story, music serves as the factor contributing to their healing. Its power is initially understood only by Sonny, whereas it is neglected by the narrator as he considers it inessential for survival and, consequently, one’s wellbeing (Baldwin, 1957).
However, the change comes after Sonny arrives to visit him in Harlem and manages to explain his position in life with regard to this occupation. During the conversation of the two characters, he compares music to heroin, thereby emphasizing its power to affect one’s mind (Baldwin, 1957). This comparison seems striking to the narrator who has never perceived it in this way. Meanwhile, it serves as a turning point of the story as, since this moment, Sonny’s brother appears to admit that the opinion, which drastically differs from that of his own, is no less justified.
In the continuation of this piece, the importance of music in expressing suffering and promoting healing is emphasized by Sonny when discussing street musicians with his brother. According to the narrator, the main peculiarity about them was that “all they had were their voices and their Bibles and a tambourine” (Baldwin, 1957, p. 20). Seeing them was strange for the man as he had never thought about these meetings and their significance for the lives of their participants (Baldwin, 1957).
The key idea of this scene is the need for self-expression in troubled times and the presence of the only means to do so, which is music. This situation was the proof that it is as important as any other profession. Even though for some people healing is possible through stability, as in the case of the narrator, for others, it is achieved through artistic expression. The understanding of this phenomenon came to the man only later in life, and he finally admits that Sonny’s choices were valid.
From this point of view, the invitation of Sonny to join him at the concert where he is going to play can be considered as an attempt to demonstrate the world he belongs to. In this situation, his refusal to allow his brother to enter his life in the past was conditional upon the latter’s unwillingness to see others’ perspectives (Baldwin, 1957). Subsequently, the shift in this aspect defines the possibility of a compromise between them in the future.
The fact that the narrator feels excluded from this area of Sonny’s life is emphasized by the attitudes of other people during the event, who see him only as Sonny’s brother (Baldwin, 1957). However, despite the insignificance of his presence, he manages to understand Sonny’s feelings and buys him a drink, which he accepts while being on the stage (Baldwin, 1957). This gesture confirms the ultimate reconciliation of the two men, who have varying means of ensuring wellbeing.
The possibility of this outcome was determined by the shared memories of their family brought to life when listening to the music. It showed to the narrator that Sonny’s tendency not to express his emotions with words does not indicate his neglect of any familial ties or other people (Baldwin, 1957). On the contrary, it demonstrates his inability to process the related suffering and pain in any other way but through playing the piano.
This episode proves that the main difference between them is in the selection of different communication means, and, in this case, jazz is Sonny’s language (Baldwin, 1957). His world simply is uncharted territory for his brother, which does not mean that their feelings differ. Therefore, the healing made on its grounds is sufficient for dealing with this fracture. In turn, the expression of struggles by adopting different methods for this purpose indicates the impossibility of understanding each other, which is possible only if one is willing to enter another’s world.
Conclusion
To summarize, shared pain and suffering in the lives of the brothers from the story is connected to the source of their misunderstanding. This circumstance is explained by the differences in career choices, the degree of responsibility they are willing to accept, and practicality conflicting with the search for one’s place in life. Nevertheless, despite these conditions, the narrator is not indifferent to Sonny’s struggles, even though he does not want to admit it.
This resistance is explained by the fact that the two men are speaking different languages when communicating either with the help of words or music. In this situation, the healing and the creation of healthy relationships between them are possible only when one of the characters enters the world of another, thereby attempting to understand his means of self-expression. Thus, it can be concluded that jazz serves as a connecting link between the brothers and defines their ultimate reconciliation.
Reference
Baldwin, J. (1957). Sonny’s blues. Penguin Books.