A Brief Summary Of Sonny's Funeral By James Baldwin

The story starts out when the narrator reads in the newspaper that Sonny was arrested during a drug search. At this point, the narrator learned that sonny was addicted to heroin and that he will be sent off to a rehabilitation facility to get better. After school, he came across Sonny’s friend. He had told him that Sonny will get better, but he will get back on heroin. At this time, the narrator felt extremely regretful for not being there for Sonny when he needed it more. However, after the death of his daughter, he reached out to Sonny. When he was let go from the rehabilitation facility he brought him to see the family. The narrator had a flashback to when he had his last talk with his mother, in which he promised to be there for Sonny.

Sonny began to live with the narrator’s family, and self taught how to play the piano while the narrator is away with the army. When the narrator returns from the military, he and Sonny did not see eye to eye on the way Sonny wanted to do with his life. Then the narrator explains to Sonny the suffering they went through during the death of their daughter. So much suffering from his daughter’s death made the narrator wrote a letter to Sonny while he was at the rehabilitation center and he began to realize the importance of having someone to talk to during tough times. At the end of the story, the narrator finally realizes why Sonny should be playing Jazz when he hears him play for the first time at a nightclub. Sonny uses music as an outlet for everything that has happened to him in life, and finds peace in playing Jazz. As Sonny struggles to play “his blues,” the narrator can see that these blues represent real darkness in his life, and that his music is a way for people to find joy where there is sadness. At this point, the narrator can finally accept Sonny and the life he chooses, even if it may come with some risks. His brother’s happiness is what is most important to