Analysis of Sonny's Blues Book by James Baldwin - Essay Example

People of the club are generally referred to as being friendly with Sonny; serving to depict the contrast that exists between the inner and the outside world. At the same time, the author takes on a defensive tone when he tries to justify Sonny's drug addiction; "To keep from shaking to pieces" (Baldwin, 40). However, the author holds his sympathy on one hand and his honesty on the other; he criticizes the addiction to drugs in bitter words, blaming it being the cause of pain and misery for Sonny.

Baldwin's creation of characters is interesting in the sense that almost all characters have markedly contrasting personalities. Moreover, the characters are not merely characters; they are in fact representations of the classes of our society. Sonny, for example, represents the drug-affected population of society. The prominent features associated with this character include the aspects of poverty, being black, various limitations imposed by the society, willingness to escape from his prevailing circumstances, suffering imprisonment, and being a prisoner even after being released from jail which is depicted by words like "caged animal".

Likewise, the character of the mother not only represents the mother as an institution but also serves the purpose of explaining the role of all those in society who actively engage in helping others. Baldwin associates several roles that he expects a mother to play; prophetic, saint-like, and protector of the family. The writer has used several symbols to assist his understanding and convey a clearer message to the reader. His use of jazz music appears to be associated with negative aspects of life like addiction and drugs.

Later in the story, this symbol takes on an entirely new form and serves to establish a connection between the brothers. Another imagery that the writer uses often is ice. This is used to convey negative feelings and emotions that arise in response to unfavorable conditions. The discomfort felt during such circumstances is especially troublesome for the author, which is expressed by the author in words like "it was a special kind of ice. It kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less" (Baldwin, 17).

It also contains an element of longevity that is felt during conditions of stress. The writer has also utilized 'light' as a symbol of revelation. On various occasions during the different phases of the story, light is used to point to a fact that was previously unrevealed to the readers as well as the characters of the story. Overall, the story revolves around the idea of suffering and misery that mankind undergoes as a result of ghastly deeds. The author appears to be of the idea that although some elements in society promote evils, the person who commits a crime is left alone to suffer in the end and this suffering continues till the end of life.

The story sharpens our understanding of human nature by providing clues to human nature in the form of various symbols and incidents which are relatable to our real lives. Several facts are hidden from the readers at the start, which is revealed later on in the story; this serves as a means of understanding how life unfolds its secrets with time.