It is appropriate to say that James Baldwin uses jazz or blues as a thematic device. In the text, the sound of the blues has a special meaning, a particular signal that should remind the reader of certain aspects of Sonny’s life. The protagonist in Baldwin feels Sonny’s fate through the blues and also runs away from reality. Reality presses the protagonist, and he chooses to run away from it. The protagonist’s younger brother becomes a heroin addict under arrest, and he could have prevented this tragedy. However, he ignored Sonny’s addiction; now, he feels like he abandoned a member of his family. Blues also refers to the protagonist’s family and memories of relatives and loved ones. For Sonny, music represents the only real addiction that has entered his heart. The main reason for the protagonist’s suffering is, in my opinion, an escape from the past and constant regrets. He sees Sonny’s love for jazz and sees that musicians and his friends have become a second family. True love and true passion are what Sonny finds in jazz; the protagonist realizes that he missed it.
In an attempt to forget about his sorrows, Sonny went into communion with his friends. He listened to music and tried to make friends with new people (Du Bon Mot, 2020). Most importantly, in an attempt to forget himself, he began to use heroin. Harlem in the 1920s was a place of chaos and devastation, where drug trafficking and prostitution flourished. Sonny absorbed the surrounding culture; unfortunately, drugs prevented him from enjoying life and music.
In my opinion, the brothers initially differ in their perception of the world. They grew up in the same place and were influenced by the same culture. The older brother may have been forced to take responsibility for the younger from childhood. So in his later life, it happened that he could only blame Sonny for the lack of common sense; Sonny blamed his older brother for not understanding (Du Bon Mot, 2020). In a way, the relationship between these brothers is archetypal since the protagonist is the canonical and archetypal older brother. I associate myself with my older brother because I also strive for responsibility. Perhaps the protagonist tried too hard to control everything and, as a result, was mired in guilt because he could not do the obvious and the simplest to protect Sonny.
Reference
Du Bon Mot. (2020). Sonny’s blues James Baldwin full audiobook[Video]. YouTube. Web.