Sonny's Blues

 

1. The Plot Stages of "Sonny's Blues"


Exposition: Sonny's arrest and a meeting with Sonny's friend(-p.78)


Rising Action:

-Narrator's reunion with Sonny(driving home scene, pp.78-80)

-Flashback 1(Mom's story of their uncle's death, pp.82-85) 

-Flashback 2(Narrator's confrontation with Sonny about his dream of becoming a Jass musician, pp.85-88))

-Flashback 3(Sonny's fleeing from Isabel's family and enlistment with Navy, pp.89-90)

 

Climaxthe second confrontation of Narrator and Sonny(p.90)

 

Falling  Action: Grace's death and Narrator's conversation with Sonny(pp.90-96)


Resolution and Denouement: Nightclub scene(pp.96-100)

 

Reading of a few passages from "Sonny's Blues"


1. Exposition(pp.74-78)

-the way the important facts are revealed to the readers(pp.76-77)

 

2. Rising Action(pp.78-90)

-Narrator's reunion with Sonny(driving home scene, pp.78-80): going back to the past the two brothers share

-Flashback 1(Mom's story of their uncle's death, pp.82-84)

-Flashback 2(Narrator's confrontation with Sonny about his dream of becoming a Jass musician, pp.85-88)

-Flashback 3(Sonny's fleeing from Isabel's family and enlistment with Navy, pp. 89-90)

3. Climax: the second confrontation of Narrator and Sonny(pp.90)


4. Falling Action: Grace's death(pp.90-91): the theme of "suffering," a sacrifice.

Narrator's conversation with Sonny listening to an old-fashioned revival meeting(p.91-96): a hint of redemption

 

5. Resolution and Denouement: Nightclub scene(pp.96-100): 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. 

 

Charlie "Bird" Parker, "Groovin' High"

 

 

 "Am I Blue"

 

"Am I Blue?"
 

Am I blue, am I blue
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

 

 

Related Bianries

  • SB Passage I.docx SB1
  • SB Passage II.docx SB2
  • SB Passage III.docx SB3
  • SB Passage IV.docx SB4
  • SB Passage V.docx SB5
  • SB Passage VI.docx SB6
  • SB Passage VII.docx SB7
  • SB Passage VIII.docx SB8
  • SB Passage IX.docx SB9
  • Related Links

  • a lecture script on "Sonny's Blues" at UCDavis