Point of view
The story is told from the narrator’s point of view. As the reader soon finds out, the narrator is Sonney’s bother. In the short story Sonney’s blues, the narrator is a significant person, because it is he who tells the Sonney’s story. On the one hand, there are many advantages of such kind of telling the story. The narrator can explain all the unknown facts. From the narrator we find out much about Sonney’s life. He is the one to tell true story. There is one more reason to say that the narrator is one of the central figures of the story. He is the brother to Sonney. One of the major topics of the story is the story of family and struggle. The narrator tells the readers not only Sonney’s story, but his own, as well.
However, there are several disadvantages of the narrator. Sonney is drug addicted, and his brother, the narrator, cannot help but judging him from time to time. This is seen in the mood of the story. Besides, Sonney would have told the story of his life better. One more disadvantage of the story told from the first person narrator is that all the facts come through the filter of the narrator’s feelings, as well as memories. The point is that he cannot be truly objective when speaking about his brother, Sonney. Obviously, the real story will always be interfered with the narrator’s point of view. The good thing is that he does not judge his brother, even though he does not approve that he is a musician, nor he approves his drug addiction
Themes
There are several major topic of the story. In this section I will outline two of them: family and addiction. Family is one of the most significant things in the life. Sonney and his brother were not friends. However, after their mother’s death, the narrator, Sonney’s brother, becomes his keeper. In this short story, the author refers to the Biblical symbols. When reading the story, the relationships between Sonney and his brother remain of the relationships between Cain and Abel. Their father was alcohol addicted, their mother died. They had only each other in the world. The narrator helps Sonney struggle with his addiction. The point is that the narrator understood too late that his brother, Sonney, needed some help.
As it has been mentioned above, drug and alcohol addiction is one of the major topics of the short story. The addiction is something that the brothers faced all the life long. Sonney is addicted to drugs. His brother, obviously, does not approve that addiction. The point is that drugs help Sonney forget about his problems, about the settings he is living in. Alcohol addiction is the problem of the brother’s father. The author mentioned that he died of alcohol. In the story, the author did not judge Sonney. The point is that he understands how hard it is for Sonney to live like that.
Symbols
One of the central symbols of the story is light and darkness. On the one hand, Sonney is seeking for salvation, he is hoping. The author shows how Sonney is seeking for new life, for being happy. That is light. On the contrary, he is addicted to drugs. He does not see anything good in the surroundings he is living in. Besides, it seems that the bad events haunt both brother all their lives long That is dark side of his life. The god thing is that his brother understands all his problems and tries to help him. As it has been mentioned above, the narrator, Sonney’s brother, does not understand from the very beginning that Sonney needs help.
Another symbol is the cup of trembling. In the end of the story, the author mentions that there was a cup of trembling on the piano Sonney was playing. The symbol of the cup of trembling is used in the Bible, as well. In the story, as well as in the Bible, the cup of trembling means how people suffer. In the story, the author wanted to outline how difficult it was for Sonney to live. However, he is seeking for new better life. Sonney’s faith is not strong, however, he is moving toward the better life. However, unlike the Biblical cup of trembling, in the short story Sonney’s blues, the author used the cup as a symbol of something new. Regardless all Sonney’s sufferings, the surroundings he was living in, he converts it into beautiful pieces of music.
It is worth to mention that the author used themes, as well as symbols borrowed from the Bible. In my opinion, this is rather interesting because, as well as in the Bible, the story is about seeking for new life, for better life. Sonney is trying to find his place in the world. He is seeking for salvation. Sonney realizes his sins, what he has done wrong. As well as in the Bible, Sonney’s brother helps him in his striving. However, as well as in the Bible, in the story of Cain and Abel, the narrator, Sonney’s brother, realizes that too late. He almost does not have time to help Sonney.
Resources:
Baldwin J. Sonney’s blues. Web. 09 March 2014
