Living On the Blues

Living On The Blues “Sonny’s Blues,” by James Baldwin is a story about the relationship between two brothers. The story deals with each brother’s own internal conflicts as well as the conflicts they had with each other. The central idea of this story is how ones own experiences of personal hardships make them better able to empathize with the troubles of others. In the beginning of the story the brother reads about his …

…first person narration point of view. The brother tells the story entirely form his perspective and how he perceived the lives of Sonny and himself. The brother recalls having, “been there when he (Sonny) was born,” and “had heard the first words he had ever spoken.” Emotions are also conveyed by the brother who resorted to, “whistling to keep from crying,” when Sonny “pushed me to the door and he slammed the door behind me.”