Music becomes the symbol that changes the brothers. To emphasize the importance of the power of music, Baldwin's narrator cannot grasp what Sonny is speaking about until he sees him play. It is only when he experiences the sound does he finally "get it." Music bridges the chasm that has existed between these brothers for so long and it literally saves their relationship from further darkness and turmoil. Sonny's blues are the very thing that save his life and, whether he realizes it or not, he is one of the lucky ones in that he found a way to escape - if only for a little while.
Works Cited
Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction R.V. Cassill, ed W.W. Norton and Company. New York: 1981. pp. 22-48.
Champion,...
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