A Greek philosopher and disciple of Socrates by the name of Antisthenes once said When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life. Many people agree that one of the most profound things in life is the bond between brothers. The closest, genuine, and most personal relationship one may share will be with their siblings; the person that knows them best. Sonnys Blues and the Biblical story of Cain and Abel are both two stories that depict the true importance of brotherly love. .
In Sonnys Blues, a narrative by James Baldwin, the story about two brothers makes an interesting turn when the narrator finds out that his brother Sonny has been arrested for the use of heroin. The estranged brother is shocked by the news and it sends the narrator into feeling a mix of emotions. As time passes, the narrator finally decides to reach out to his brother in jail, after the narrators daughter dies. He writes his brother a letter and lets him know about the unfortunate circumstance. When Sonny replies, he is filled with a lot of emotion and expresses a lot of the regret that he feels for the things hes done, and the results theyve caused. Sonny is released from jail and moves in with the narrator and his wife. At one point during Sonnys staying with his brother, they have a heated discussion about the things that have transpired between the two, and the narrator begins a rant about how the other musicians lifestyle and environment turned Sonny into an addict. The narrator is upset about the turn in Sonnys life. In this moment, Sonny opens up on the things hes experienced. He talks about the way hes turned to drugs to cope with certain things. Sonny felt that his brother could have reached out to him more, and tried to be involved in his life when he found out he was arrested.
In one of the last scenes, Sonny invites his brother to the club to hear him play music. In this scene, Sonny shows his vulnerability and eventually becomes more comfortable playing.