In order to find similarities between the main heroes in books The Bluest Eye, Kaffir Boy in America, and Sonnys Blues we have to examine the backgrounds of the heroes. The lives of heroes and their personalities had much in common. The problems such as discrimination, intolerance, and oppression they were facing in everyday life makes it possible to notice that these problems influenced the identities of heroes. Sonnys Blues, a short story by James Baldwin, illustrates a strained relationship between two brothers trying to survive in the mean streets of New York City. The story revolves around Sonnys dream of being a jazz pianist and the obstacles that stand in his way. Unfortunately, Sonnys salvation, his love for jazz, is also the single greatest contributing factor to his heroin habit and the difficulties between Sonny and his brother. This can be determined by first examining the relationship between the music scene that Sonny was involved in and the drugs that he fell victim.
Then, we will examine the strife between Sonny and his brother that was due to a combination of Sonnys impatience and his brothers ignorance of Sonnys goal. As far as Sonnys difficulty relating to his brother, music played an important role in tearing them apart, but also bringing them together in the end. Initially, Sonny brothers opinion of jazz musicians was terribly low, and his ignorance towards the subject was intolerable for Sonny. For instance, after their mothers funeral, Sonny and his brother got into a large argument about Sonnys plans for the future. It wasnt something so simple as his brother feeling that Sonny was wasting potential, but a long, drawn out, emotional conversation that illustrates just how far apart the brothers actually were. Sonny could not understand how his brother was unable to grasp the concept of his little brother being a professional musician, and likewise, Sonnys brother could not adequately express his feelings towards the subject, if for no other reason than the fact that he knew very little about jazz. For Sonny, the music was everything, and he could not abide by his brothers conservative views on the matter.
The Term Paper on King Of Jazz: Louis Armstrong
The great art of Jazz was born in the year of 1895 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz is responsible for the creation of Drum Sets and the creation of words like “cool” and “hip”. Jazz was played in all the bars, honky-tonks, saloons, and dancehalls. Jazz was a tremendous influence on the music played today, but it would not have come so far if it was not for Louis Armstrong. Armstrong is considered ...
As mentioned before, Sonnys brother did not understand Sonnys fascination with jazz, thought it foolish to spend his life playing music with good-time people, and told Sonny this in so many words. Sonnys brother was a schoolteacher, and a logical man. Finally, Sonny asks his brother to come see him play that night at a club. Sonnys blues flowed from him, and it seemed to be therapeutic, not only for Sonnys brother, but for Sonny himself. It is at this point that Sonnys brother realizes that he (Sonny) could help us to be free if we would listen, that he would never be free until we did (Baldwin 1824).
At the very end, when Sonny sips from his scotch and milk and nods out to his brother, the reader gets the feeling that Sonny and his brother understand each other better now, and that they are headed for a brighter future by admitting to the past.
In the book Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathebane, there are many obstacles that Mark the protagonist has to overcome. The first of his problems was to get through school in his poor South African ghetto. The second was to achieve his goal and receive a tennis scholarship to an American college. Marks father is one of the major antagonist, he was opposed anything to do with Mark getting an education in a school. He was a very traditional man and he did not like anything that had to do with the white man. He thought it was nonsense to get a white mans education and he would not provide the money that was necessary to get Mark for school..
The Essay on Mark Twain 5
The possession and safeguarding of empire on distant lands by a nation is called Imperialism. The term was familiar to the Americans only during mid nineteenth century. Mark Twain expressed his attitudes against imperialism in many of his works and also declared it in harsh words. “I am an anti imperialist”, I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land”. Later he became the ...
