Sonnys Blues or To Build A fire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sonnys Blues or To Build A fire - Essay ExampleBaldwin effectively uses characterization, conflict and setting to explore the descent between the narrator and his younger sibling.The tell apart characters of the narrator and Sonny delineates their relationship. The narrator is an algebra teacher, whose point of view describes his own life and Sonnys. He is a practical family opus who is aware of his responsibilities and is content to earn a living and carry on as best as he can. He is willing to accept the perspective quo of the world. He believes in will power and how life could be well, beautiful (Baldwin, 21-1). He is seven years older than Sonny and feels a sense of office towards his younger brother. He promises their mother, I wont let nothing happen to Sonny (Baldwin, 11-5). On the other hand, Sonny is the boy with wonderfully direct embrown eyes, and great gentleness and privacy (Baldwin, 1-3), who is in search of meaning and identity. He is not content to follow the be aten track and wants to make malarkey his life. Their contrasting characters leads to conflict in their relationship.The conflict in the relationship between the two brothers is brought about by two sources Sonnys drug use and his alternative of sleep together as a career. The narrator expects Sonny to complete school and settle down to a safe, respectable livelihood. To the narrator, jazz is hanging around nightclubs, harlequinade around on bandstands, while people pushed each other around a dance floor (Baldwin, 12-8). He sees no future in jazz as a way of earning a living. He cannot understand Sonnys stand that its the only thing I want to do (Baldwin, 13-8). To Sonny, jazz is his life. The narrator also cannot accept Sonnys drug addiction and finds his brothers life weird and disordered (Baldwin, 16-5). The conflict between them builds up and leads to their estrangement, which is emphasized by the setting of the story.The setting of the