Analyzing Sonny's Blues Using the Basic Elements of Short Fiction

Title
Freedom takes in many different forms depending on every individual. It can cause a person either negative or positive effect that varies from the scale of how much freedom they want to obtain. Individuals, especially adults, tend to achieve more freedom through independence, leading to personal growth or, worse, isolation. To avoid adverse impacts, some people develop the personality of obeying society's expectations or submitting to or dominating other individuals, while some run towards unexpected decisions (Fromm). In the story Sonny’s Blues, most of them chased after freedom of their own accord. Sonny wanted the freedom to make music, but in finding his way to his dreams, the light continued to grow smaller. The thought of finding freedom with no one to lean on, he engulfed himself in dangerous substances that led to unexpected events. At the end of the story, both Sonny and the narrator found their means of freedom and could achieve it despite their adversaries (Baldwin).
Essential Elements of Short Fiction
Plot
The story depicts the narrator's life story as he reflects on the life he had with his younger brother, Sonny. One morning, on his way to work, the narrator found the news in a newspaper that Sonny was arrested on the accusations of using illegal substances. The narrator found himself not believing or merely not wanting to believe what he saw and started to reminisce about his and Sonny’s past before they were separated. Years gone by, the narrator was able to see Sonny again after being detained, and they both lived with each other. With the effort of the n...