“Sonny’s Blues” By James Baldwin
In Sonny’s Blues, Baldwin depicts the darkness of society and the struggle towards light, reflecting his own past. The setting of Sonny’s Blues is James Baldwin’s hometown — Harlem. Old Harlem is a scene of racial inequality and poverty in uptown New York. In Sonny’s Blues, Baldwin describes Sonny’s struggle for triumph against the darkness of Harlem.
Darkness. Highlighted with vivid imagery throughout the short story, darkness in Sonny’s Blues is used to reference depression, racism, and poverty. Baldwin defines music as the light in this darkness, and the triumph against suffering.
The short story begins with Sonny, the protagonist, being caught peddling. After being released from prison, Sonny returns to the shade of his family with the shadow of his addiction still looming over him. He then tries to flee the darkness by leaving Harlem, but eventually returns, with newfound light.
Sonny discovers jazz music to be the light that shines through the darkness of Harlem, clouded with poverty and racism. He returns to Harlem, sharing his light, playing the tale of triumph against darkness:
“For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.”
→ Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin
Through the use of light and dark imagery, Baldwin creates a contrasting relationship between music and depression, racism, and even poverty. He effectively presents music and expression born in suffering, as a transformative response to social issues which affect human society as a whole.
