"Sonny's Blues": A Spiritual Theme
As we encounter the story of "Sonny's Blues", on the surface it is the tale of two inner city brothers, and their perpendicular paths through life. The author, James Baldwin, propels us through this story with intrigue and suspense. However, the most inviting aspect of this story is the underlying theme encountered. Baldwin incorporates the art of symbolism, extensively, to develop the overall theme of the story. Through the use of the light and dark motifs, parable style, symbolism and allusion, Baldwin sends an inviting and comforting message. Ultimately, the reader rides shotgun on the spiritual journey of Sonny and his brother, the narrator. Though the author does not write it down in words, the theme is developed through the writing style and components of the story. Explore the religious theme of "Sonny's Blues" through the eyes of symbolism. In the opening paragraphs, Baldwin's vague use of 'it' propels us forward on this journey. "I read it...I read it...I couldn't believe it...I read it ...I just stared at it...I stared at it in the swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces and bodies of the people, and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside."(40) What does 'it' signify? 'It' is something
Additionally, through the opening's aura of being lost, and the resolution's sensation of rescue, the author has given the spiritual journey a point of origin and a final destination. Through the allusion to religious ritual and ceremony in the last few paragraphs, the author constructs a pious and fulfilling atmosphere. On the surface, the plot seems to project Sonny as the only passenger on the journey of spiritual discovery. A prime example of this is seen in the line, "Yet, as the cab moved uptown through the streets which seemed, with a rush, to darken with dark people. Alluding to the biblical symbol of the cup, the brothers are the source of each other's redemption and as such they are also each other's protector. The trials and tribulations the bothers endure, lead them, and transport them, to the spiritual destination they seek. They were not about anything very new. The instructions for his life are passed to him from his mother; do not allow the same spiritual and physical destruction befall him and Sonny. Using many elements of this story, the author presents the overwhelming theme of religious principles. Drinking of the glass, by Sonny, displays his willingness to enter into this arrangement, and by entering in to the arrangement, he is willing to accept the rights and responsibilities.
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Acceptance Essays
