Discussion:
This activity aims to develop a robust class discussion based on Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" reading in Unit 4. You will engage in dialogue with your classmates about what you learned about recognizing the use of plot, structure, character, point of view, theme, symbolism, setting, tone, irony, satire, and other literary devices within short stories from this period-in addition, similar to Unit 2 and 3, demonstrating your understanding of a diversity of perspectives and their influence during this period along with analyzing the ongoing development of these short stories as a genre from before 1900 to the present.
Discussion Questions
Q1. What does music symbolize in the story "Sonny's Blues?" Think about the characters and their feelings about music or what it does for their lives and the context of growing up in the early 20th century in Harlem as a young black man. Be specific.
Q2. How does Baldwin use the relationship between the two brothers to explore the challenges and realities of the lives of black men in his time? Think about the differences and similarities between the two brothers and how the brother/brother relationship is meaningful or symbolic. Why does the narrator's mother want him to watch out for Sonny?
Q3. The narrator thinks much about his young students and their future. Why does he worry about them? Think about the passage on page 9, where he thinks about "the darkness outside." What is the "darkness outside," and how does it relate to the children in his community?
Q4. Why does Sonny do drugs? He gives a long but somewhat abstract explanation. Using his discussion with the narrator near the end of the story, explain why you think he became addicted to heroin even though it disrupts his music career.
Q5. What else are you thinking about? This story has a lot to unpack: emotions, symbols, characters, etc. Write an original post thinking through some other topic or issue that came up for you. If you want, write a question you had and try to answer it with an analysis in your post. Remember, you can only use this option twice during the term.