1. “Sonny’s Blues”
By James Baldwin

2. Outline Background Plot Socio-Historical Context Characters
Growing up in Harlem
Military Service
Jazz music, Class Divisions, Racial Politics
Characters
Outline

3. James Baldwin Born 1924 in Harlem
Compared his stern stepfather to Ishmael in Genesis
First, albeit illegitimate son of Abraham
Forced to wander in the wilderness after legitimate Isaac was born
Ishmael theme apparent in literature
Fled the segregated north for France
Wrote much about black struggles in America

4. Plot Overview First person, unnamed narrator
Stable family man
Algebra teacher, wife, two sons
Lost Grace at age two
Estranged from Sonny
Story switches from real time to flashbacks, including
Story about uncle getting killed
Sonny’s desire to drop out, lives with Isabel
Ends at the Jazz Club in Greenwich Village
Plot Overview

5. Socio-Historical Setting
Growing up in Harlem
Separate but equal
Predominantly black Harlem, father won’t move out.
Defacto segregation
Narrator’s students.
Narrator begins to understand how such a child can go wrong.

6. Socio-Historical Setting
Military Service plays important role in the story.
Blacks have long history of serving in American military
Many hope service to country would prove worthy and gain respect from whites.
Socio-Historical Setting

7. Jazz music, Class Divisions and Racial Politics
Two black communities
Sonny’s vs. The narrators
Narrator’s community
Middle class
Downplay barriers to their success
Believe they can improve their standard of living by hard work, determination.
Eventually assimilate into white America
Sonny’s community.
More radical, less accepting of status quo
Struggle against whites fierce
Feel they will always be shut out from privileges whites enjoy.
Jazz music, Class Divisions and Racial Politics

8. Jazz music’s relation Narrator’s world: Sonny’s world Louis Armstrong
Charlie Parker

9. The story Is “Sonny’s Blues” a story: That moralizes against drug use?
That tries to explain why people become addicted to drugs?
About a man’s struggle to kick a drug habit?
About an artist’s struggle to kick a drug habit?
About the effects of drug use on a family?
About ways in which drug use and self- expression can sometimes serve the same purpose?
The story

10. What happens to the brothers at the jazz club?
The final scene