Sonny's Blues Indeed

I recently read a story called "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin. The story takes place in Harlem, New york circa the late 1940's early 1950's at the time of the Harlem Rennaisance. Unemployment is high, living conditions are far less than prime with the introduction of housing projects which have taken the place of the traditional houses, crime is up and narcotics lace the air. Yet, creativity through music particualrly, flows through the community as a means of escape from an otherwise dismal lifestyle.

It is this need to escape that shapes the character of Sonny in the story. Having lost both his parents and subsequently his brother to the military, it is not hard to see why Sonny needed to create for himself an escape. While living with his brother's fiancee's family, he sought to do this by playing piano. However, his talent and dedication went unappreciated causing conflict with their family and no odubt within himself, since no-one understood him and they were all to quick to cast him aside. This could have also driven him toward heroin abuse as (later revealed in the story) it would gave him a feeling of "control" over his situation.

In reading the story on ediscovers that the narrator was formerly enlisted in the army. This is interesting since African-americans in the army have had a long a varied history. It was traditionally considered a last resort to have 'blacks' in the army and if brought into the ranks, they were, it is believed, sent to the front lines to die and defend the ranks of white soldiers which were to follow.

It is ironic that Sonny would want to enlist in the army knowing that he would most likely be placed on the front lines, when he could not commit suicide when going through his period of addiction and withdrawal. The irony is further deepened in that being as free spririted as he is, he would consider the idea of joining a group which would seek to strip him of his individuality and conform to a strict status quo.

The song "Solitude" by Billie Holiday states:

"I sit in my chair and filled with despair
There's no one could be so sad with gloom everywhere
I sit and stare I know that I'll soon go mad
In my solitude I'm prayin'
Dear Lord Above

Send back my love."

I find that this lyric describes Sonny's afflictions in his time of rehabilitation as he would have had much time to reflect upon his choices and where they have brought him to. In addition, it shows his longing for his love of music and the piano which, I would believe, he had no access to while going through treatment.

Furthermre, the role of bebop comes into play significantly in the story. Bebop, being an updated or more modern approach to the classical art of Jazz music was frowned up by many Jazz musicians at a time when jazz was becoming popular and veritable. Bebop unlike jazz, focussed on the solos of particular musicians in the group who would make up a solo based on their mood at the time which lent a brooding and sometimes dark feel to the music, when jazz was more upbeat and lent itself to dancing.

Sonny was drawn to bebop in my estimation, because it represented an outlet to the spirit which he tried to express and was his way of being a social creature without words. It also showed his individuality and nonconformity in that he was experimenting with a style of music which was not main stream at the time and considered not up to par with the more established jazz. Conversely, it represented to hsi brother, the root of Sonny's problems since the man which Sonny's idolized was a heroin addict himself. Later however, bebop came to represent Sonny's sould to his brother and a means of understandign him on a level much deeper thatn any conversation could have acheived