Sonny s Blues By James Baldwin - 1620 Words

Sonny’s Blues â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† was written by James Baldwin. Some of the main characters of the short story are family members that include the narrator, his brother Sonny, their mother, the narrator’s wife Isabel, his father and their uncle. Sonny’s friend is also a main character in the story, but was not in the least helpful to Sonny. The characters live in Harlem and try to survive in very trying circumstances of crime, violence and poverty. Even though the main characters are all struggling to make it in the violent crime ridden neighborhood of Harlem, they interact and help Sonny to fulfill his dream of playing his music for a living. First, the narrator is Sonny’s older brother. He is narrating the story in the first person point of view. He appears to be a successful man who is an algebra teacher with a family of a wife and two children (190). He lives in Harlem where many of the young men there are not doing as well. Many are unemployed or living in circumstances that have them work in undesirable jobs. Compared to the other young men, the narrator had escaped the streets. The narrator describes what he sees in Harlem in detail. The narrator copes with living in Harlem by not getting emotionally involved in its problems that surround him. He tries to distance himself away from it. He is also an articulate man. He describes, for instance, the housing projects as â€Å"rocks in the middle of a boiling sea† (text 195).the boiling sea is the violent neighborhood of Harlem.Show MoreRelatedSonny s Blues By James Baldwin827 Words   |  4 PagesSonny’s Blues In James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† it is only when a brother loses his child that he realizes how easy it can be to lose his brother. The narrator’s little brother, Sonny, was left in his charge when their parents passed away. He neglects Sonny and leaves him to work through hard decisions on his own which leads to Sonny being picked up by the police for using and selling drugs. When the narrator’s daughter, Grace, passes he sees how suffering can affect people and reaches outRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin1252 Words   |  6 PagesThe story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin centers on the conflicting relationship between two brothers that is explored throughout various stages of their lives. Through the structured, melodic style used by Baldwin there are reoccurring themes of suffering, family, and home that are used to further convey the idea of two brothers who love each other, but don’t understand eac h other. Ultimately, the relationship between the two brothers is greatly strained due them being polar opposites, their lackRead MoreJames Baldwin s Sonny s Blues956 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin brings you on an emotional ride through Harlem in the 1950’s with his short story, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† From the beginning, we are in media res when the unnamed narrator is informed of bad news concerning his younger, troubled brother, Sonny. Throughout the story we witness the ocean of emotions between these two brothers battling hardships from their past, through flashbacks, and present time. The setting plays an important role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† to an extent where it is practically aRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin2300 Words   |  10 PagesIn the short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, by James Baldwin there is the notion or a reoccurring theme of a conflict between light and dark between the characters. The notion is carri ed throughout the story of two brothers finding their own lights and trying to work towards a greater life. In the late 50’s, after the Harlem Renaissance, adolescents are faced with drug sales everywhere and crime sprees around every corner, this is one example of the darkness in the story. Kids began to form bad habits thatRead MoreJames Baldwin s Sonny s Blues2994 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION Sonny, from James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† is portrayed as a sufferer. He struggles with his stagnation in Harlem, his unfulfilled dreams and the disconnect between himself and his only family, his brother. However, not all hope is lost. He serves as a teacher for others, full of knowledge of how one can truly suffer and still triumph (Norton 47). Only when he is finally able to connect with his brother through music, are his â€Å"blues† finally heard and he affirms his individualityRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin1028 Words   |  5 Pagesand influence the subject’s ideas. Consciously and unconsciously, the individual reflects the confluence of his or her history and culture. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, a short story by James Baldwin, the dominant culture constricts the black individual. Subject to the explicit and latent biases of a racist society, the black population of â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† attempt to en dure oppression and suffering and survive in an unforgiving land. However, they can thrive here with the hope and salvation provided by theRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin Essay1745 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is a narration about two siblings – brothers - who choose very different routes in life in order to accomplish the zenith of individualism, expressionism and recognition. In doing so, they take a glimpse into one another’s spheres and learn to assent and appreciate each other for who they are. In 1951, Baldwin wrote Sonny’s Blues, a story of the ills that Harlem provided its youth. In Baldwin’s telling of the narration, it forms a nous of liberation, an atmosphere of therapeutic acceptanceRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues Essay1154 Words   |  5 Pagesntroduction: James Baldwin, author of Sonny s Blues, once said, I grew up with music...much more than with any other language. In a way, the mus ic I grew up with saved my life (Session 3 Inquiry: Rudolfo Anaya and James Baldwin, 2015).   Blues becomes Sonny s drug and his addiction to it his salvation.       Even though the adults refrain from lamenting their sufferings directly to the children and telling them about the darkness, the child-narrator still intimates its marks in their facesRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 995 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin presents an emotional journey through Harlem in the 1950’s with his short story, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† From the beginning, the story is in medias res when the unnamed narrator is informed of bad news concerning his younger, troubled brother, Sonny. Throughout the story there is an ocean of emotions witnessed between these two brothers as they battle hardships from their past and present time. The setting plays an important role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† to an extent where it is practically a characterRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues Essay2104 Words   |  9 PagesSeveral dialectics are at play in James Baldwin’s short story â€Å"Sonnyâ€℠¢s Blues† including a dialectic between the narrator and his beloved brother Sonny involving their opposing responses to the sense of oppression and limitation that arises from living in Harlem. This dialectic and its resolution closely parallel Baldwin’s masterful use of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music. We follow the narrator and his brother Sonny as they traverse the complexities of their individual and interconnected Harlem lives

The Theme Of Guilt In Macbeth - 1871 Words

At a point in someone’s lifetime guilt will push them over the edge and drive them crazy. It could just be a mild deed like lying to you parents about sneaking out at night or an extreme deed like robbing or even murdering a person. In the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is driven to insanity because of all the guilt that he holds. Macbeth is not the only character in the play who goes insane because of guilt that they carry. In fact there are so many characters who have guilt that it is a main theme in the play. Shakespeare uses many different strategies to portray this theme like imagery, symbolism, motifs, and irony. Although some may argue that symbolism is the most prominent strategy†¦show more content†¦iv. 136-140). From this quote it can be inferred that Macbeth is concerned for himself because of all of the crimes that he is committed and is scared that people are coming after him. He has already stepped in the river of blood but cannot go back because he is already too deep and plans to continue farther. Holding the guilt of killing the most beloved King and the thought that people are coming after him, drives Macbeth to making poor decisions to protect himself and the use of blood helps the reader to see how insane Macbeth really is. Macbeth is not the only character in the play who goes insane because of guilt, his wife Lady Macbeth too goes insane with holding the guilt of ruining lives of innocent people. At one point she feels so guilty she begins to have hallucinations and even starts sleepwalking and talking. During the night when she was sleepwalking she tried to remove the blood that has stained her hands and becomes extremely paranoid that the blood is not coming off. It can be inferred that even though Lady Macbeth only helped to plan the murders she never actually kill someone, but she still carries the guilt as if she did. Shakespeare is trying to showcase with the motif of blood that no matter what type of crime is committed there is still guilt andShow MoreRelatedThemes Of Guilt In Macbeth711 Words   |  3 PagesMacbeth is a story written by Shakespear filled with many different themes. These themes are statements about life and human nature. Some of the most important themes are guilt, things are not what they seem, fate versus free will, and nature versus the unnatural. All of these themes were important to us and the story. The first theme of guilt is a message that says that you should not commit wrong doing and suffer the consequences. In Macbeth guilt is shown in many different ways but one of theRead MoreTheme Of Guilt In Macbeth901 Words   |  4 PagesMacbeth is a beautiful literary work, with many ups and downs of each and every character. The two principal themes throughout Macbeth are the struggle for power and the resulting waves of guilt that overcome the characters, most prominently Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The reader experiences the guilt that starts to overcome the characters and their plunge into madness. In Macbeth, Shakespeare brilliantly displays the inner workings of a guilty person’s mind; and uses both themes to heighten the chaosRead MoreThe Theme Of Guilt In Macbeth1150 Words   |  5 PagesGuilt is the gut punching feeling inside in which you feel you could’ve done something to prevent an action that has gone wrong. We feel so powerless to stop it and eats us on the inside until we finally do the right thing. The play Macbeth, reveals how in the end your guilt will overpower your conscience and will eventually lead you to your greatest downfall. The theme of guilt as revealed in Macbeth, continues to relate to modern society. The guilt in Macbeth compares to many situations with societyRead MoreLiterary Devices In Macbeth1308 Words   |  6 Pagesliterary devices is theme; theme is a specific idea or lesson that an author is trying to get across.   Just a few examples are, ambition, guilt, things may not always be what they seem, or even nature verses the unnatural.   In fact, these are common themes used by one of the greatest play writes of all time, Shakespeare.   All throughout arguably his most renowned play, Macbeth, we see Shakespeare use each of the four previously listed themes.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of, if not the most common theme that is shown throughoutRead MoreTheme Of Ambition In Macbeth917 Words   |  4 PagesMacbeth Essay In the play Macbeth, there are several different themes used by the author (Shakespeare). Some of the themes that are used in the play are ambition, guilt, things are not what they seem, and natural vs unnatural. Every theme used in the play is very important to the story. Ambition is one of the themes that is used in the play that are very important to the story. Most of the characters are shown to have ambition towards something at some point or another throughout Macbeth. OneRead MoreSymbolism that Represents the Theme of Corruption in Shakespeares MacBeth1043 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in MacBeth Symbolism plays an important role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power in William Shakespeares Macbeth. Throughout the play there are several main symbols repeatedly used to emphasize this theme. The contrast of light and dark representing good and evil, blood representing guilt, murder, and pain, and the archetypal pattern of purification by using water represents removal of guilt, cleansing and peace. Symbolism is used repeatedly to emphasize the theme of corruptionRead MoreEssay on The Sense of Evil Conveyed in Shakespeares Macbeth798 Words   |  4 Pagesvariety of themes in order to convey the sense of evil. These themes are omnipresent, and well implemented into the text, as they allow the reader to visually imagine the different occurrences, and how they might lead to a sense of evil throughout. The themes included consist of appearance and reality, guilt, ambition, violence and tyranny and order and disorder. Several quotes are weaved into the text in order to e xpress more clearly the theme Shakespeare is attempting to convey. The themes all comeRead More Symbolism In Macbeth1097 Words   |  5 PagesIn William Shakespeares Macbeth, symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the play there are several main symbols repeatedly used to emphasize this theme. The contrast of light and dark representing good and evil, blood representing guilt, murder, and pain, and the archetypal pattern of purification by using water represents removal of guilt, cleansing and peace. Symbolism is used repeatedly to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. TheRead MoreMacbeth Theme Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe play, Macbeth, Macbeth and his wife kill the king of Scotland so Macbeth can become king. As a result, of the witches since they told him about the prophecy and how he would become king. He eventually does more evil things which fills Lady Macbeth with guilt. She ends up killing herself and Macbeth ends up dying. In the play, there are numerous of themes that you can see and examples that you can find. There are five themes that we have discussed in class which are ambition, guilt, things areRead MoreThe Destruction of Guilt in Macbeth by William Shakespeare1168 Words   |  5 PagesDestruction of Guilt In William Shakespeares play Macbeth he uses many forms of imagery, he uses this imagery to outline major themes in the book. The imagery used in the play Macbeth makes the audience immediately captivated and helps the audience connect to the characters in the play. Two major themes will be outlined in this essay and those themes will be supported and outlined by three motifs: ambition/greed, fate and hallucinations. A profound theme throughout the book Macbeth is the underlying

Childhood Memories Free Essays

In every human life, there is an unforgettable childhood experience. There could be many experiences or just one. These journeys can be good or bad and possibly end up beneficial or not. We will write a custom essay sample on Childhood Memories or any similar topic only for you Order Now I have had a few bad ones. However, they occurred around times when I was trying to fit in and find my inner-self. In a sense, these experiences help to define my personality. In one way or another, bad experiences can lead to great success. Now I can talk about my experiences and what they led to. This is my story. Over the years between the third grade to the eighth grade, I have tremendously struggled with friendships. To be popular was a big need during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Kids were hanging out at basketball and football games, going to school dances, starting to date and have crushes on other students, and earn reputations throughout the school. Some students already had a reputation of being very `popular’ while some were trying to fit in. I was one of those students. However, as time went by, I started to fit in more with cliques and different groups of friends. It sounded great however; being popular also comes with consequences. There are rumors that could be spread about you or someone else with your name in it.  Like read about memories? Read also  Flashbulb memory! Well, that’s what happened to me. I was a friend of a student named Lorena. Our friendship was really good that we would hang out after school with other friends after riding the school bus home. As our friendship grew, so did our trust between each other. She told me that she had a crush on another student. I felt so special and popular but my 15 minutes of popularity would not last long. One day, Lorena and I had an argument. I threatened to tell people about her crush on another student. In reality, I never told anyone about her crush. One day, I was threatened verbally by some of her friends and I felt so bad. From that point on, I learned that being popular is not a big deal. Its consequences can put a damper on people’s lives and can put people under pressure such as my situation. That means, people will remember or you will remember how you used to be. In addition, people will see how you will handle situations under pressure. If you don’t come out strong, you will go from extremely popular to unrecognized. My 15 minutes of popularity was good to experience, but I’m glad the time was up. The consequences of being popular were more effective than the popular feeling itself. My last experience came with not being alert to public dangers. The cause of this experience was partially my fault. I will never forget that day. I was in the 7th grade and it was either a Tuesday or Wednesday night at the Wizards game. I was with my after-school group. Some of us had separated and looked around the stores inside the MCI Center. I went into the Discovery Center with one of the students from the program. We looked around and enjoyed some of the scientific display models. On our way out of the Center, we happened to encounter these young teenagers or younger in the elevator with us. There were 3 of them who were from either DC or Maryland. They looked sort of troubled but I was not giving them much attention. While in the elevator, one of them asked us for a dollar. I responded with saying of five dollars, which was larger than they asked for. From this moment, I was not street smart at because I was raised with out any street troubles and had no knowledge on how to be safe while you some talks to you that you do not know. My friend jumped out the elevator on purpose and left me in with the other guys. The three of them decided to tackle me and held me on the ground. Then, one of them reached in my pockets and took a dollar. I had realized I was just robbed. After 5 seconds, the elevator made it to ground level. When I got exited the elevator, security and my after-school chaperones came and made sure everything was all right. I was in complete shock and people asked me about what happened and I said to them that they took a dollar from me. In my mind, I was thinking of what I could have done to make the situation better. The reminisce lasted several months. This incident put a major effect in my life and it changed my personality. I am much more cautious of my surroundings and whom I hang out with. I definitely learned a lot from this situation. Those were my unforgettable experiences. I learned that being popular is not the best thing. If you just be yourself, people will accept you for who you are and not for what you are trying to be. Also, the elevator incident warned me that I need to be more alert of my surroundings. I should of never told those guys I had money in the first place. Secondly, I could have founded another way to get to the ground level once I saw those guys of what they’re appearance looked like. I really learned from these situations. It’s hard to predict when you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unless you use your senses, you definitely can determine what can happen. These were great experiences for me to go through. If it were not for these experiences, I would be a fake fool and a mess. Now, I have a great personality and street smarts. I have made remarkable achievements. I am one of many people who probably went though experiences like that, that made a change for the better. This experience had a good and bad part of it, but there was a lesson learned from it. There will always be a lesson learned from any experience and they are a good way for people to look at if they are having problems themselves. Experiences are part of life. How to cite Childhood Memories, Papers Childhood Memories Free Essays I remember it well. The late nights watching television when everybody was asleep, treating the last day of summer like it was the last day of the world. Waking up to the sounds of the birds hawking in the clear blue sky, where there were no clouds to be seen. We will write a custom essay sample on Childhood Memories or any similar topic only for you Order Now I remember the very first winter it snowed, that I witnessed from the safety of my warm but cozy bedroom. I can still visualize the first Snowman that I and my friend made, dressing it with our own hats and scarf’s. I remember well the first and last time that I went camping, the thrill of it was unbearable but going to sleep in a pitch dark forest was more than complicated, the only thing giving us light was our trusty flashlights and the little glimpses of the moonlight coming in through the trees like a beam from a helicopter search light. I remember my first ever pair of Nike runners, the only reason I wanted them was because all the ‘’big boys’’ had them. I remember my visit to Syria; I must admit I had never felt so at home. The humidity was insufferable but the fun and enjoyment I had there was priceless. I remember moving to a new home. Back then it wasn’t the most ideal thing to do, well at least that’s what I thought. It was like moving to a new country for me, leaving all my friends behind to explore the world. I remember my first ‘’Racing Red’’ bicycle. At first I was afraid to go on it, thinking I would damage the bike and myself. Eventually that did happen; this brings us to my first ever painful experience. It wasn’t entirely my fault, I was looking back to see where my friend was while cycling the bike (an amateur mistake). I still remember the bike wheel crashing into the curb sending me flying over the handle bars, this left me with a stone in my knee, which is still there to this date. I remember my first to last day of school like it was yesterday. Recollection about it makes me feel like jumping into a time-machine and going back to those ‘’Good ol’Days’’. I remember me getting my bag equipped and ready for the big day, the biggest day is what I thought back then. Encouraging my mam to iron my fresh new Uniform, which I thought made me look like a business-man. I remember walking in through the gates of the school, which gave me a vision of a prison. The school didn’t really have the atmosphere that I was expecting, well not until break time. I remember making my first friend in school, we didn’t talk at first but when we started playing football it all connected. I remember the first fight that happened during school, it was all over if it was a goal or not during a match we were playing. I remember the last day of school it all happened so fast, one minute we were in doing a graduation ceremony and the next; we’re in Subway signing each other’s uniforms like we will never see each other again. Memories like these put a smile on your face whenever you’re down, it makes you happy whenever you’re sad. It’s important to look back at memories to view what you have accomplished at life. And you only have two main people to thank for these memories which are; your Mom and Dad. These memories gifted to you by your parents have shaped your Past, Present and will shape your Future. How to cite Childhood Memories, Papers

Major Problems in Europe During the Fourteenth Century free essay sample

In the fourteenth century, European states faced many major problems that are evident in the history of the entire continent. These problems drastically changed the culture, religion, economy, and land. Throughout the 14th century, Europeans faced several catastrophes that changed the continent’s culture, land, religion, and economy, as shown in the Black Death, social upheavals, and war. The Black Death was one of the most devastating calamities in Europe’s written history. The Bubonic plaque was the most common form of plague during the Black Death. It was spread by black rats infested with fleas carrying a deadly bacterium. Originating from Asia, the plague spread quickly when it reached Europe in 1347 from Genoese merchants. In 1348, the plague and spread to France, and by the end of that year, to England. In northern France, some villages experienced death rates of almost up to forty percent. In England, some villages were completely wiped out. We will write a custom essay sample on Major Problems in Europe During the Fourteenth Century or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Within three years, this outbreak of disease eliminated almost two-thirds of the continent’s population. It took almost 200 years from Europe to return to the population level it had before the Black Death struck. The plague also eliminated hope and wiped out crops. This depleted a will to live; there was little food, safety, and hope. The only thing people had was God. People began turning to religion to save themselves and give them a purpose to live. Another major problem that stuck Europe was social upheaval. Due to the high death rates and the decreasing number of able-bodied humans following the Black Death, wages began to rise because workers had more to barter for. This forced landlords to pay more for labor, while the price of everything else was decreasing. Following that was the decline in the rank of landlords and increase of the peasants’ social status. In 1358, a peasant revolt broke out in northern France. However, this revolt was not successful. Something similar happened in England, in 1381, a product of rising expectations. The peasants refused to pay a new tax, and drove out the collectors from their villages. This initiated a widespread rebellion of both townspeople and peasants. Unlike the revolt in France however, this one was successful. The poll tax was pardoned by the young king after the revolt. War was also a major problem of the fourteenth century in Europe. One famous war was the Hundred Years’ War. It was created through a struggle between the French and English. One dispute over the right of succession to the French throne also complicated the struggle. The Hundred Years’ War began with enthusiasm from knights, but the manpower ended up with the peasants. One famous hero was Joan of Arc who experienced visions from saints whom told her to have the dauphin crowned as king and free France. The war finally ended with England’s defeat. Looking back, we can see that Europe had many problems in the fourteenth century. These problems greatly affected Europe, and this is evident in the history and shaping of its culture, land, religion, and economy. The Black Death wiped out much of the population, and following that was social disruption. There became a greater need for peasants more than noblemen and landlords. Finally, war caused great distress and also showed the strength of the peasants.