1. The Plot Stages of "Sonny's Blues"
Exposition: Sonny's arrest and a meeting with Sonny's friend(pp.67-71)
Rising Action:
-Narrator's reunion with Sonny(driving home scene, pp.71-73)
-Flashback 1(Mom's story of their uncle's death, pp.75-78)
-Flashback 2(Narrator's confrontation with Sonny about his dream of becoming a Jazz musician, pp.78-82))
-Flashback 3(Sonny's fleeing from Isabel's family and enlistment with Navy, pp.82-83)
Climax: the second confrontation of Narrator and Sonny(p.83)
Falling Action: Grace's death and Narrator's conversation with Sonny(pp.83-89)
Resolution and Denouement: Nightclub scene(pp.89-93)
Reading of a few passages from "Sonny's Blues"
1. Exposition(pp.67-71)
-the way the important facts are revealed to the readers
2. Rising Action(pp.71-83)
-Narrator's reunion with Sonny(driving home scene, pp.71-73): going back to the past the two brothers share
-Flashback 1(Mom's story of their uncle's death, pp.75-78)
-Flashback 2(Narrator's confrontation with Sonny about his dream of becoming a Jass musician, pp.78-82)
-Flashback 3(Sonny's fleeing from Isabel's family and enlistment with Navy, pp. 82-83)
3. Climax: the second confrontation of Narrator and Sonny(pp.83)
4. Falling Action(pp.83-89): Grace's death; the theme of "suffering," a sacrifice. Narrator's conversation with Sonny listening to an old-fashioned revival meeting: a hint of redemption
5. Resolution and Denouement: Nightclub scene(pp.89-93): the narrator's recognition of the value of the music Sonny has devoted himself to, "the cup of trembling" as a sign of forgiveness and redemption.
Some Jazz(or Gospel) Numbers mentioned in the text
-Charlie "Bird" Parker, "Groovin' High" (p. 79)
"Am I Blue?"(p. 92)
Ain't these tears in my eyes telling you
Am I blue, you'd be too
If each plan with your man done fell through
Was a time I was his only one
But now I'm the sad and lonely one, lonely
Was I gay till today
Now he's gone and we're through, am I blue
Was I gay till today
Now he's gone and we're through, am I blue
Oh he's gone, he left me, am I blue
1 'Tis the ol' ship of Zion,
'Tis the ol' ship of Zion,
'Tis the ol' ship of Zion;
Get on board, get on board!
2 It has landed many a thousand,
It has landed many a thousand,
It has landed many a thousand;
Get on board, get on board!
-A Film Adaptation of Sonny's Blues