Sonny's Blues

Research the setting of “Sonny’s Blues” – Harlem, NYC.

The 1950s was a very politically unstable time for African Americans. Their rights were constantly under attack. All the efforts made during the Forties to integrate the Armed Forces were abolished during the Korean War. A new era of racist assassinations began to occur and African Americans started to take a stand against blatant racism. The NAACP argued cases in Southern states against the discriminatory practices in public schools. In May of 1954, the Brown vs. Board of Education occurred. This case ruled racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. The African American non-violent movement began taking the form of boycotts, sit-ins, and peaceful protests. The African American authors during this decade were writing about love, discrimination, the prison system, protest, black sexuality, and black life in Harlem.

http://www.geocities.com/afam_literature/50.htm

By 1950, Central Harlem was about 98 percent black, while Greater Harlem was 57.5 percent black. Central Harlem lost more than half of its population between 1950 and 1980, and Greater Harlem also saw its population drop as well. This was a period of sharp economic decline in New York City, especially for the black community. This also marked the era of urban renewal, and many older housing units were razed either for public housing projects or for other apartment developments. The new developments did not come close to housing the same number of people. Almost all of the people who remained in Central Harlem, though, were black.

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/demographics/20080827/5/2620

How does the setting affect/shape Sonny’s character and create conflict/complications in the story?

Around that time Harlem was a "lost" city and everyone that lived there was bound to run into the same things; poverty, drugs, racism, etc. Some people are strong and can overcome negative things but, others like Sonny are weak of the mind and soul and are easily influenced.

"The streets and communities of Harlem are described as being a harsh environment which claims the lives of many who have struggled against the constant enticement of emotional escape through drugs, and financial escape through crime."

http://paepcke.org/essay2.html

Sonny tries to cope with heroin and the crime scene by doing the only thing he had a passion for, which was "JAZZ"!! He tells his brother his hopes and dreams and the only thing he does is criticize him. His advice was to think of something he can actually make a living out of. This makes Sonny shut his brother out of his life, and find "friends and family figures" through other sources, such as heroin and jazz. This creates conflict within the story and Sonny because he ends up deep into heroin, thus trying to "kill himself" like his brother stated in the story and eventually getting locked up. Sonny and his brother became distant and barely spoke, creating tension between their relationship.

Research the history of African-American men in the military – Pre-Civil Rights movement.

Blacks have always participated in the wars but it wasn't until the 50's that credit was given to them for there bravery and so on.

By the beginning of World War II, African Americans were putting increased pressure on the government to make conditions more equal for blacks in the armed forces. Still reluctant to integrate the military, the government took a step forward in 1941 by creating the first all-black military aviation program, at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The action received a great deal of criticism from black Americans who were outraged by their continued segregation.In May 1943, the first group of Tuskegee-trained pilots was sent to North Africa to join the Allied forces. They were headed by Capt. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who would later become the first African-American Air Force general. The accomplishments made by the 99th Fighter Squadron, especially in it's collaboration with the all-white 79th Fighter Group in October 1943, helped pave the way for integration in the Air Force.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmmilitary1.html

Why is it ironic that Sonny wants to enlist?

It's ironic that Sonny wants to enlist because he thinks that he will be getting out of the crime scene and drugs. At the same time, enlisting into the military is all about that, just in different places, other people and cultures. He is basically, escaping the same thing he would be thrown into.

Research song lyrics by Billie Holiday. Find a song or verse that you feel best represents the suffering of Sonny – his blues. Include song title and lyrics here. Explain why.

I'm afraid-The masquerade is over (Billie Holiday)

"Your words don't mean what they used to me.

They were once inspired, now they're just routine.

I'm afraid the masquerade is over".

These specific lyrics represent the two sides of Sonny i saw in the story. The first two lines are Sonny in the beginning, when he was a lost soul. Addicts constantly tell people the same lines and do the same routines, it comes to a point where nobody believes anything you say anymore. You go through life and your addiction in a monotonous way. I think when Sonny had his first epiphany and did well playing his jazz his other "face/persona/mask" was finally off and done with. He was a new person!

Research Bebop.

Bebop emerged in the 1940s a as a style of jazz in great contrast to the music of the big bands. It featured a small group of musicians -- four to six players -- rather than the 10 or more associated with the big bands. The smaller size allowed more solo opportunities for the players. The music itself was characterized by more complex melodies and chord progressions, as well as more emphasis on the role the rhythm section. Furthermore, phrases within the music were often irregular in length, making bebop interesting to listen to, but in contrast to music of the big bands, unsuitable for dancing.
The development of bebop is attributed in large part to trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. The unique styles of Gillespie and Parker contributed to and typified the bebop sound. They experimented with unconventional chromaticism, discordant sounds, and placement of accents in melodies. In contrast to the regular phrasing of big band music, Gillespie and Parker often created irregular phrases of odd length, and combined swing and straight eighth-note rhythms within the swing style.

http://www.hypermusic.ca/jazz/bop.html

Bebop is the music that Sonny favors. What does the music represent politically and socially to Sonny? What does the music represent to Sonny’s brother?

Politically, the music represents change and protest from blacks in the U.S.

Socially, it represented everything Sonny was about. Deep, passionate, complex and was also linked to drug use and a new era of music for all cultures. Sonny's brother in my opinion, didnt really appreciate music like Sonny did and did not comprehend it. Which was exactly how his relationship with Sonny was; misunderstood. At the end, he saw how happy Sonny was and even though he fully didnt understand him or his music he learned to accept it and love him for who he was.