English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

English - Essay Example In each form of writing, though, Baldwin manages to retain his own voice, imbuing his writing with music and imagery that makes it possible for the reader to fully appreciate the situation he is attempting to describe. This can be determined by comparing one of his short stories, such as the very popular â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† with one of his essays, such as â€Å"The Harlem Ghetto.† The short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is not told in chronological order but is instead revealed in bits and pieces as the narrator interacts with those around him. When one reads through the entire story, the conditions of life in the ghetto are more fully understood. It is discovered that the narrator and his younger brother had lived together with their mother their entire lives. While the older brother was able to graduate from high school and join the Army as a means of supporting himself, the hardships of life finally took their toll on the boys’ mother and she died while the younger brother, Sonny, was still in school. Not able to take care of his brother himself and with no other family to turn to, the narrator made arrangements for Sonny to stay with the family of the narrator’s fiancà ©, who introduced Sonny to music and the piano. At the time, Sonny begged his brother to help him (Sonny) join the Navy in order to avoid some kind of trouble only Sonny seems aware of. Too involved in his own problems to listen to Sonny, the narrator leaves to complete his tour of duty while his brother begins skipping school and getting involved in drugs. By the time the narrator has returned home, his brother has gone to jail for dealing in drugs and the story begins as the narrator attempts to bring Sonny back into his life upon Sonny’s release. The entire story, then, follows the narrator’s attempts to finally ‘hear’ his brother enough to develop an effective and supportive relationship that will allow both