Sonny's Blues

Coming of Age


In the short story, “Sonny’s Blues”, Baldwin carefully crafts multiple elements of the story in order to support the master theme of suffering. The focus of the story is placed on the suffering of human lives and how one deals with the daily repercussions that are bestowed upon us. Baldwin meticulously arranges several motifs that can be traced throughout the story. Among the most notable of these are the premises of music and childhood. The significance of these symbols is displayed through their incorporation with the central theme.
A fundamental feature of the story is the motif surrounding the trials and tribulations one must endure in the process of maturing. The symbolism of aging is apparent as early as the story’s title. This aspect inevitably doubles as musical symbolism for the jazz that Sonny plays and the depression that Sonny encounters as he struggles to become a man. In addition, Baldwin took care in naming his main character, Sonny, so th...