Listening as the Theme in “Son

Theme is an essential element to any story, serving as a central message the author means to convey to the reader. In “Sonny’s Blues,” a short story by James Baldwin, the theme of the story shows the reader the importance of listening, both in the narrator’s life, but also in the reader’s life. By following the difficult lives of two brothers who grew up in Harlem, New York, Baldwin explains the painful …

…At the conclusion, the reader feels he is completely changed by his experience with Sonny's music. Now he must get in touch with his own feelings, thus making him more capable of responding sincerely and completely to the people he loves. Through all of this, he gains consideration and insight for the Harlem life, for the experiences of his parents, and for his own life. In essence, he has learned to love and to listen.