American Dream/Racism Unit: Racism in Sonny's Blues

American Dream/Racism Unit: Racism in Sonny's Blues

Introduction

Racial segregation and discrimination was a major concern of American society during 19th, 20th and 21st century. This racial segregation resulted in exploitation of African Americans and there were no rights provided to them (Martinez, 2007). These people suffered with the social, political and financial inequality. Even after the Civil War and Reconstruction, when the freedom and citizenship was provided to the Blacks, and there was exploitation in the name of Jim Crow Law (www.fordham.edu). After accepting the rights of African American in legislation these people had to suffer from the inferior treatment from the Whites and persistent racism in the American psyche (Martinez, 2007). Even after ending of slavery these people were suffering from the cultural and social inferiority (cai.ucdavis.edu). Sony's Blues is an example of such cultural and racial discrimination in the American society (Oates,1992). The African-American writer James Baldwin tried to reveal the real picture of racial segregation in American society. This story reveals the life in Harlem and the sufferings of Black due to poverty, racism, and substance abuse.

Discussion

Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin is a perfect picture of the social and cultural inequalities in American society on the basis of color and race. In this story the narrator came to know about his brother, Sonny an excellent piano player, was in jail for his involvement in drugs ( Reilly, 1970). The narrator then begins to think about all the sufferings and pains suffered by sonny and this reveal the racial and class conflict in the American society (Oates,1992). The narrator was an algebra teacher and he presented his life and his brother's as an example for his students as reaction to the negative social and cultural attitudes. He explained that how these negative social attitudes ...