The Theme Of Redemption In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

The short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin is about two brothers’ lives as they survive Harlem. The narrator and his brother, Sonny, struggle with escaping from Harlem and finding the light, or good, in their lives. Baldwin’s style aids the reader in understanding the characters and the theme of redemption.

Baldwin’s use of imagery such as “they were growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities” (55), when describing the young boys in Harlem, suggests that the young boys aren’t only limited by the borough they live in, but also by the idea that youth of Harlem have a predestined future of failure. Sonny and his older brother fight against this preconceived idea. While his older brother succeeds in becoming a teacher, Sonny’s addiction to heroin compels him into the darkness.

Sonny’s addiction to heroin prevents him from truly gaining the freedom he seeks.

Sonny says “it can come again... I just want you to know that” (Baldwin 76), when he is talking to his older brother about how he hasn’t changed, he’s simply older. Sonny is tethered to his past, to a darkness, but he finds solace in music. Sonny is a talented pianist who can escape the darkness when he plays jazz. When his older brother leaves for the war, Sonny stays with Isabel, his brother’s girlfriend. Sonny refuses to go to school, choosing to play jazz instead. “Sonny was at that piano playing for his life” (Baldwin 69), this shows Sonny’s strong conviction that music was saving him. The narrator recognizes that music was the only thing keeping Sonny off the streets, when Sonny invites him to one of his shows later in the

story.
Sonny and his brother are opposites, Sonny is creative and idealistic, while his brother is practical and reasonable. The narrator chose to become an algebra teacher, choosing education as his method to distinguish himself from the rest of Harlem. In contrast from his brother, Sonny says “I think people ought to do what they want want to” (Baldwin 67), he chose to be a musician instead of following his brother’s academic footsteps.
Baldwin alludes to the biblical story of Abel and Cain when the narrator’s mother tells him to watch over Sonny. Much like Cain’s response of “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” when asked where Abel was, the narrator doesn’t want to be Sonny’s keeper, even though their mother left him with the responsibility to look after Sonny. The narrator feels as if he has failed his brother, he was not able to guard him from the drugs and the misery that accompanies drug use. When Sonny is in jail, the narrator pretends not to care about his wellbeing, but his mother’s words remind him to look after Sonny.
Sonny is redeemed at the end, his brother sends him a scotch and milk and later says “it glowed and shook above my brother’s head like the very cup of trembling” (Baldwin 80). Baldwin is once again making an allusion to the Bible. The book of Isaiah 51:22 says “I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again.” The cup of trembling is a symbol for suffering and pain, by removing it, God has redeemed the people, and relieved them from their suffering. The narrator is saying that Sonny has been redeemed in his eyes. Sonny doesn’t have to worry about his brother hating him for his addiction and trouble with the law. Although Sonny has struggled with his addiction, he realizes that he is not confined when he is playing jazz. At his performance, “Sonny moved, deep within... he was part of the family again” (Baldwin 78). Music helped Sonny step out of the darkness, he found his life again, the narrator says “freedom lurked around us... he could help us to be free if we would listen” (Baldwin 79). When he reunited with Sonny, the narrator saw that by listening to his brother, he was liberated from his guilt. He felt guilty for all the suffering Sonny had gone through. Their past mistakes were forgiven, allowing them to begin their lives as siblings.
Baldwin’s short story relates the lives of two brothers, their struggle to survive, and break free from the neighborhood that trapped them. Through allusions and figurative language, Baldwin demonstrates that life is brutal, “the world waited outside, as hungry as a tiger” he says (79). Sonny and his older brother found redemption from each other, and within themselves. They save each other, showing that family bonds can endure any obstacle.