This is all he cares to know about Sonny because knowing anymore might be painful for him. It is also worth noting that the protagonist in this tale has gone on to become successful and live a somewhat respectable life, unlike his brother. The protagonist does everything he can to escape the street life that held no future, no promise. He fled the pain and darkness of those streets and Sonny was just a painful reminder of his past. Donald Murray writes that there is "no escape from the darkness for Sonny and his family" (Murray 354) and the only way to cope is by finding another way to survive with the darkness. Sonny's brother could not have chosen a more different path in life to take. He is a teacher and feels a certain amount of superiority over Sonny. Sonny was not in the least bit inclined to become more educated and he finds in joy in music. Here, Baldwin shows us the different between the boys -- one loves numbers and the other loves music. The protagonist encourages Sonny to "stop kidding around" (33) and find something productive to do because "people can't always do exactly what they want to do" (35). Sonny disagrees, telling him, "People ought to do what they want to do, what else are they alive for?" (35). These two brothers could not be more opposite. Sonny is the dreamer and his brother is more pragmatic in his approach to life. Like most people who disagree, they each feel they are right. Jennifer Hicks maintains that Sonny is different and does not care of he is different. His brother, on the other hand, worked to fit into society's definition of what an African-American should do. He worked according to their mores and did become a success, according to their definitions. Sonny, on the other hand, chooses another route. Hicks writes, "Rather than fulfilling himself by assimilating into the mainstream culture and following the American Dream, he chose to immerse himself in the blues world and become a heroin addict" (Hicks). It is important that we see this as a choice and not...
This notion is important to the overall theme of identity Baldwin seeks to get at with these two brothers. She continues, "It is within this portrayal of how individuals react to and deal with their circumstances that we see Baldwin looking both at individual importance and ethnic renewal" (Hicks). The difference between the two men is palpable.
Self and Social Psychology Social psychology is a relatively new field of study in modern science. Its focus is on the identity of the "Self" -- the sense of individuality: the component parts that make up who one "is" and the meaning of the "whole" Self. This paper acts as a referenced for individuals unfamiliar with the general principles of social psychology. It aims to provide the reader with a basic
Do I choose things that are primarily in my best interest or do I choose based in what is best for society and then trust that the end result will be in my best interest? There are so many choices in life and I do at times become nervous about making the right choices, however, I think with the right education and spiritual guidance I will find the path that
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