Nonverbal Communication In Sonny's Blues

James Baldwin’s literary piece “Sonny’s Blues” is one that can be interpreted in Various ways. However, it is clear that one theme repeated throughout the short story is the idea of emotional complications attached to brotherhood. One which evokes positive intentions along with an extremely strong desire to make sure your brother is okay. Still, this feeling can unintentionally become dreadful. This is depicted in Sonny’s Blues as it overcomes the narrator's senses suppressing him from not only understanding but listening to other people's perception, which Keith E. Byerman also illustrates in his piece, “Words And Music: Narrative ambiguity In ‘Sonny’s Blues.’” Baldwin’s use of Blues depicts the power of nonverbal communication that enables …show more content…
Byerman supports this idea through his discussion of the narrator’s line which states, “but now, abruptly, I hated him. I couldn't stand the way he looked at me, partly like a dog, partly like a cunning child.” The word “abruptly” emphasizes how fast the narrator was to come to the decision that he hates this friend of Sonny’s. You can visualize the narrator’s perception of this boy through his description of how the boy is looking at him “like a dog.” Being looked at like a dog arises a sense of disrespect. Such language prepares us for, while guaranteeing, the failed communication of this episode. The narrator is offered knowledge but chooses to interpret the messenger rather than the message. He expresses a desire to know, and remorse when he does not listen, but he also repeats his unwillingness to understand (Byerman 368). I strongly agree with this brilliant statement and choice of quote Byerman uses. …show more content…
The narrator states, “ I heard what he had gone through, and would continue to go through until he came to rest in Earth[...]And he was giving it back, as everything must be given back, so that, passing through death it can live forever (47).” Sonny uses his blues as his personal form of expression. His blues gives back the memories he grips so that it can still feel alive though, it may be gone it will never be forgotten. Sonny’s music helps his brother understand his choice to be musician. It also gives his brother the gift of being able to see his mother's face again, to feel the hard times his mother encountered in her life, to see the road where his grandfather had died, and also he to see his daughter again, as well as feeling his wife's tears again (47-48). Sonny's blues weren't just blues, the idea of his blues being much more than that is expressed as he let go of his feelings it brought back the impossible feelings and images that were once gone for his brother. Under this circumstance, the narrator finally realized Sonny’s way of communicating was through his blues and all he had to do was listen. All along he wanted Sonny to go to school and become his perception of someone though, Sonny told him plenty of times he knew what he wanted to do. What he didn't realize was that he just needed to listen as seen in the line “he would never be free until