A Summary of Donald C. Murrays “ James Baldwins...

Mohammed Alhamawi Mr. Johnson English 1302-11 February 27, 2012 A Summary of Donald C. Murrays â€Å" James Baldwins Sonnys Blues: Complicated and Simple† Donald Murray, in â€Å"Complicated and Simple†, talks about how the author is emphasizing â€Å"mans need to find his identity† as the main issue society as well as Sonny and his brother are dealing with throughout the story. The area of Harlem with all its negative influences tend to affect its childrens upcoming. Either to take the difficult route of finding ones self or to fall in the drug trap of Harlem â€Å" its simpler to submerge oneself, at the most dismal level, the limbo of drug addiction, rather than to truly find oneself† ( Murray 353). Murray sheds light on Baldwins use of†¦show more content†¦Murray again highlights Baldwins use of this method only this time he chooses to use it somewhat differently. The darkness is what the family is sulking in to get away from all their troubles until someone â€Å"turns on the light† and wakes them up to the reality of life. Self realization, according to Baldwin, will be reached when a certain shock such as losing something or someone very close to you. Making the person stop and think thus reaching the point of self realization. Examples of this is the narrator and how he somewhat lost Sonny to the drug life and prison. As well as the death of the brother of the narrators father. The final point in which Murray comes to which is at last reaching self realization. Sonny finally feels that he has found his place and calling in life after all the suffering and trouble he had to go to. Baldwin uses some biblical comparison of Sonny taking a journey that will change him â€Å" hearing something else, is dealing with the roar rising from the void and imposing order on it as it hits the air† (Baldwin 356). This Journey that will cause Sonny to finally take that step that Creole pushes him to take with the music playing. Creole plays his role as motivation for Sonny as he is fairly nervous about playin g, â€Å"He wanted Sonny to leave the shore line and strike out for the deep water† (Baldwin 356). He was the father figure that Sonny never found in his real father or in his older brother because they were both dealing