Symbolism uses objects or scenarios to represent other objects and scenarios in literature. It is an artistic and poetic style of using symbolic and indirect suggestions to express mystical ideas, emotions and state of mind (Goldwater 2). For instance, what comes to a person’s mind when they see a rose growing could be romance. In this case, the rose is a symbol of romance. Therefore, symbolism is a technique that authors of literature often use to illustrate real-life situations (Goldwater 3). The authors James Baldwin and Flannery O’Connor demonstrate the art of symbolism in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and “Sonny’s Blues” in various ways. James Baldwin uses symbolic elements like the cup of trembling, light and darkness, and housing projects in his literature, while O’Connor leaves symbolism more obscure than Baldwin’s. However, the similarity in their use of symbolism is conventional in the sense that they both have elements of nature
Darkness is a prevalent symbol used by both authors in their literature. O’Connor introduces the theme of darkness as a symbol of a bad omen (70). Before the family is trapped, O’Connor describes a dark, looming forest as “tall and dark and deep” (70). The theme of darkness and bad luck is also demonstrated by a place known as ‘Toombsboro,’ where the grandmother wakes up while the family is on a road trip. After waking up, she remembers an old plantation in this place that does not existing at the moment (O’Connor 45). Darkness continues to be demonstrated by the phrase “black battered hearse-like automobile,” which is The Misfit’s car; the word ‘hearse-like’ implies death (O’Connor 46). Therefore, the symbol of darkness has been used multiple times in story.
Baldwin also uses light and darkness in his literature to underline the warmth, optimism, sadness, and hopelessness that characterize the lives of his characters. Baldwin utilizes light to characterize Sonny’s facial depiction when he was younger, and the tenderness that flowed from sitting in a room full of people after church is also evoked by this use of light (Baldwin 126). Light is a metaphor for all of the optimistic and pleasant aspects that are inherent in the experience of living. Additionally, there is a spiritual undercurrent to the theme of light. According to Baldwin, light not only stands for the most positive aspects of life but also represents some deliverance and grace in the world (126). Living a right and decent life requires one to live in the light.
Baldwin also exposes the protagonists in the novel in continual danger from the evil lurking in the shadows, which is in direct contrast to the good. The darkness, which stands for various societal and individual issues, may be found in every corner of the world (Baldwin 135). As soon as the sun sets, the characters in the novel become vividly aware of the physical presence of ghostly darkness that torments them. The darkness represents Sonny’s existence in jail, his addiction to narcotics, and the overall situation of life in Harlem as a whole (Baldwin 136). All of these things are interconnected. Despite the pervasiveness of the darkness, there is always some light there to counteract its presence (Baldwin 136). In the end, light symbolizes rescue, comfort, and love, while darkness stands for the terror and despair that always threatens to end everything.
There are contrasting aspects of symbolism by the two authors. Baldwin uses metaphors as an element of symbolism, while O’Connor uses archetypes. A metaphor is a figure of speech that alludes to one item by referring to another. It does this by comparing two seemingly unrelated objects while demonstrating that they have a characteristic in common (Baldwin 137). Therefore, although a metaphor may bring clarity, it can also highlight the similarities between the two items or concepts despite their evident differences because they are figurative language (Baldwin 137). An archetype is a recurring theme or kind of character that serves as a representation of something universal in storytelling. For instance, an author may establish a character’s identity for readers on particular characteristics or attributes. In literature, archetypes are people, images, or themes symbolically representing a fundamental truth or aspect of the human condition.
Baldwin uses metaphor to emphasize Sonny’s challenging and complex situation. the narrator uses the image of a glass shaking “like the very cup of trembling” above Sonny’s piano toward the conclusion of the narrative (Baldwin 136). The cup of trembling is a symbol used in the Bible to represent the pain and terror that have afflicted the people, and this picture is taken from a biblical passage. Although Baldwin uses the cup of trembling less overtly as a metaphor than the biblical scripture, it nonetheless promises recovery from that suffering (Baldwin 135). Sonny’s consumption of the cup of trembling serves as a reminder of all the misery he has gone through and offers the opportunity for atonement and serenity. Sonny uses his musical talent to channel all his pain and that of the people around him into something magnificent.
Like the biblical characters, Sonny is heading toward redemption, but his future is still in the air. He could still endure agony since that is the price a musician needs to pay for their craft. Sonny’s suffering is necessary and redemptive, and there is something Christlike about the entire situation (Baldwin 138). It is unclear from the story’s conclusion whether he will endure further hardships to perform his music or if everyone involved will have a deeper sense of serenity and atonement (Baldwin 138). The tension and dualism Sonny encounters are emphasized even more by the premise that the glass is laden with milk and scotch.
O’Connor employs archetypes as an element of symbolism when describing the cloudless and sunless sky. After the family is involved in a vehicle accident, the clear, sunless sky is noted multiple times, most particularly by The Misfit, soon after his first appearance in the novel (O’Connor 89). The narrator returns to this strange sky after the grandma has been shot and says, “her face smiling up at the cloudless sky” (O’Connor 137). The audience would anticipate nighttime if there were no clouds or sun. However, the narrator never informs the audience that it is night or dark, and the grandma says it is a beautiful day immediately after The Misfit describes the sky.
Generally, the symbolism is expressed in both texts in similar and distinct ways. First, both authors utilize the symbol of darkness as a broad meaning of gloom. Darkness is used to symbolize coming death and deaths that have already occurred. O’Connor specifically writes about the dark forest where people got killed. However, both authors have also employed symbolic styles in ways that distinguish the two texts. Overall, Baldwin utilizes metaphors, while O’Connor utilizes archetypes in their stories.
Works Cited
Baldwin, James, and George Kirby. Sonny’s Blues. Klett, 1970.
Goldwater, Robert. Symbolism. Routledge, 2018.
O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. Rutgers University Press, 1993.