I'm not sure that I have ever read a story quite like James Baldwin's Sonny's
Blues. I have to be honest, I was not impressed with the first two
paragraphs and was quick to judge the writing style as it reminded me of the
ever popular Twilight, which I was not a fan of. However, that all
quickly changed. I can say that I've never has a story emotionally effect in
the way that this story has.
The basic plot concerns a school teacher living in Harlem finds out his
estranged brother, Sonny, has been arrested for "peddling and using
heroin." The brother after getting out of rehab stays with his brother for
a while and they end up going to a jazz club where we hear Sonny play for the
first time in a couple of years.
Honestly, what makes this story so wonderfully written is the way the author
revels the back-story of the characters, and the characters themselves. We get
everything we need at the right time and the inner turmoil of each is clearly
defined and it is so honestly shown it can't be anything but
relatable. What is remarkable about this piece is that it manages to be a remarkably
moving story of brothers and a wonderfully beautiful metaphor for blues music
as a whole. After reading the story I felt as if I had just listened to a good
blues song. The Blues is all about experiencing pure emotions at their core. It
is about longing and lust. It is about being at rock bottom, lost, confused,
sad, happy, everything. It’s about exercising demons. The story ends up being a
wonderful story of the power of music and emotion. It is a story on how music,
the product and the composer, is a force of nature; that can heal just as well
as destroy, for all involved.
I like your comment on the blues. I believe Baldwin was very much in love with the blues and its place in the story helps along anyone not familiar with them. Good post.
I agree completely with your comment about the story being a metaphor for jazz music. I did not fully realize it until I read it here, so thank you for that. And how you felt as if you had been listening to a blues song, I feel like literature and music are so closely related. Both have to have a certain fluidity in order to get noticed and I definitely feel Baldwin accomplished that.
Dude, great story. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I felt like I really got to know the characters, like almost on a real life basis.
ReplyDeleteI like your comment on the blues. I believe Baldwin was very much in love with the blues and its place in the story helps along anyone not familiar with them. Good post.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your comment about the story being a metaphor for jazz music. I did not fully realize it until I read it here, so thank you for that. And how you felt as if you had been listening to a blues song, I feel like literature and music are so closely related. Both have to have a certain fluidity in order to get noticed and I definitely feel Baldwin accomplished that.
ReplyDelete