Sonny's Blues

• Blog – What does the brother realize about Sonny as he plays the piano? What does the music allow Sonny to do?


It takes a while for Sonny’s brother to understand Sonny and why he wants to play the piano. The brothers get into a big argument about Sonny skipping school to play jazz. The first time the brother realizes why Sonny played the piano was when Sonny invited him to one of his gigs. The brother learns that by playing the piano Sonny is able to express the truth inside himself and in turn allows the brother to realize that the truth that exists all around him in life. He also learns the necessity of music and its role in the black community. The brother noticed how Sonny was struggling to find the right language to express himself in. Not only until the end of the story does Sonny find this new language when he gets lost in the expression of his music. Sonny used music as a way to escape. Music was the only thing that gave him hope and kept him dreaming for a better life. Music gave Sonny hope for the future. The relationship between drugs and music has been historically intertwined. “Sonny’s Blues” started off with Sonny getting arrested for heroin and why he did drugs. Near the end of the story we Sonny tells his brother that the reason he did drugs was to escape the hardships of life. Sonny used his experience of addiction to create his music. So, had it not been for Sonny’s drug problems earlier on in his life, there would be no “Sonny’s Blues” or his music.