The purpose of this blog is to express our thoughts and share ideas about the short stories and discussions in class. So get on the blog everyone, and let us hear your thoughts and opinions!
Friday, March 12, 2010
In favor of Sonny's brother!
How would you play the devil's advocate for Sonny's brother in proving that he is not enslaved in any way? How can you argue in his favor from any aspect? Please feel free to go berserk with the idea and comment without any reservations?
Well, like it was discussed in class, it can also be said that Sonny's brother is just a cautious person in general. While we all have the idea that he is enslaved it is probable that he is thinking realistically.In a time when prejudice, and racism is at a high why would you want to stand out. Why risk the chance of drawing attention to yourself through rebellion. If anything learning the truth about his uncle's death provided more favor towards the life he is living. His unlce like Sonny played music, and use it to shead light on thier oppresion. Then he was killed by white men. I don't know if Sonny knows about their uncle, but if he doesn't that could support his way of life versus his brother's. If Sonny had known about the death of his uncle then maybe he would live like his brother. It is perfectly logical to think that he is living his life this way, because he knows what could happen otherwise. Just because someone wants to live a practical, and cautious life with a family and decent job doesn't always mean that the person is enslaved by the norms of society.
Honestly, I am not very sure what the term "the devil's advocate" means, but I will answer this question to the best of my ability. When I looked up the definition of what a devil’s advocate is I found it is when one takes the unpopular side in an argument, for the sake of examining all possible perspectives. Sonny’s brother is obviously enslaved in some type of way, so it would be hard to play the devil’s advocate on his part. You can tell his brother is enslaved by society because all he expects his brother to be. His brother was obviously raised in a way that music isn’t seen as the typical “money making” career. Sonny however does view music as not only a hobby but a career at that. Sonny plays music from the heart. He plays for the soul. He doesn’t care about what everyone else thinks of him. He is only in it for his own sake, and plays music because it makes him feel at peace. However, Sonny’s brother takes the opposition thinking his brother is basically a “failure at life” with the drugs and the music career simply because it isn’t something he favors. It isn’t something he agrees upon. One may feel pity (or play the devil’s advocate) on Sonny’s brother’s point of view for the mere fact that he was raised in such a way that he can’t accept others happiness. He wasn’t raised to “live” but only to exist and play the “typical human role” in life (That is, to have a family, and get a money-making career).
There is nothing wrong with someone being perfectly content in adhering to the norms and expectations of society and I agree that it is wrong to stereotype such a person in any one category.
I appreciate both your comments, not sure who the other blogger is though. Both your interpretations are helpful in our endeavor to understand the characters in these stories the best we can. My intention as an instructor is to facilitate thought in order for us to be able to see things from different perspectives.
Sonny's brother is not enslaved. Sonny has a disease, being a drug addict is a disease that you have to succumb to, you chose to do the drugs at first but then it enslaves you... Sonny's brother chose his job. He could've fulfilled his dreams and he could've picked any profession just like you changed your profession and are now going to be a professor. He can quit any day, go back to school get a different career, he's obviously not motivated enough. Maybe he's jealous of Sonny for pursuing his dream of music and that's why he's so negative. thinking that Sonny's brother is enslaved in any way is just an excuse for him to be miserable, and that's not true. Sonny's brother is choosing to be miserable society and not forcing him into the job, society is not holding a gun to the brother's head like Sony's disease is.
well i kind of do feel like Sonnys briother is enslaved just in a different way the Sonny is being.so ill try on this. Sonnys brothers action are understandable. As the older brother , Sonnys brother probably felt responsible for SONNY. growing up the way he did he knows the horror that goes on around him and his view of success is escaping harlem and getting a solid job. seeing his brother go down a path of drugs in the past made him fear full. Sonny's brother was just trying to p[rotect and take care of his younger sibling, even if it was not in the best way.
I believe Sonny's brother is enslaved by what he thinks society should be. Sonny's brother plays it "safe" as people would say, when on the other hand Sonny does not play anything safe. Sonny, is also enslaved by drug addiction. In my opinion, Sonny's brother is also enslaved by trying to take care of Sonny, trying to be the "good guy" in Sonny. I feel Sonny's brother is enslaved by trying to be the "good son" because Sonny himself is far from it.
I do in a sense feel that Sonny’s brother is enslaved. I feel that he doesn’t take chance or do what he really wants do. He goes along with society and it has ultimately controlled his life. In another sense I feel that there is nothing wrong with Sonny. I believe that he is a laid back type of person that doesn’t really care how others fell he lives his life, he lives it the way he feels fit and that’s what matters the most to him. It has a lot to do with the environment that they Sonny and his brother live in. Most people grow up and spend their entire lives in Harlem. Sonny’s brother wants out of this environment, but I feel that he is so used to the society and environment that he doesn’t know how to escape it.
Well, I do believe that Sonny's brother is enslaved, but since I have to figure out why some people would believe that he is not enslaved, I think it would be because unlike Sonny his brother knew exactly what he was expected to do in life. His brother knew that he needed to go to school and get a job so that he can eventually support his family. In the beginning of the story Sonny did not want to go to school and would skip to play music. So I guess in a way Sonny was enslaved by his ambition to be a musician and how society didn’t understand why someone would want to play music when it is not a career that you can have good income. As a result of wanting to be a musician his brother did not understand why he would want that kind of job and resulted in the fighting more often and at times not speaking for a long time. This to me is a way that his brother actually enslaved Sonny, like how he thought that Sonny should be a certain way in his eyes and since he wasn’t going to be the person that he wanted him to be then he didn’t want anything to do with him. In the end however, I feel that both Sonny and his brother are enslaved in different ways. Sonny by his brother and how he is portrayed in society, and his brother by what he felt he needed to be in society’s eyes. ~Nicole Treschitta~
I feel that Sonny's brother is enslaved by society's standards. Sonny's brother tries to take on the role of the typical man, by having a job and trying to provide for his family the best he can. But after the discussions in class I feel that if both Sonny and his brother are both enslaved in different ways. Sonny seems to be enslaved by his brother and Sonny's brother is enslaved by society.
Sonnys brother is just making sure he is set for life. He is cautious and wants to be stable therefore he is not worried about his future. His brother is not enslaved by society he is simply just trying to be able to provide for his family by having a steady job. To get this steady job he knew he had to go to school and recieve his education.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWell, like it was discussed in class, it can also be said that Sonny's brother is just a cautious person in general. While we all have the idea that he is enslaved it is probable that he is thinking realistically.In a time when prejudice, and racism is at a high why would you want to stand out. Why risk the chance of drawing attention to yourself through rebellion. If anything learning the truth about his uncle's death provided more favor towards the life he is living. His unlce like Sonny played music, and use it to shead light on thier oppresion. Then he was killed by white men. I don't know if Sonny knows about their uncle, but if he doesn't that could support his way of life versus his brother's. If Sonny had known about the death of his uncle then maybe he would live like his brother. It is perfectly logical to think that he is living his life this way, because he knows what could happen otherwise. Just because someone wants to live a practical, and cautious life with a family and decent job doesn't always mean that the person is enslaved by the norms of society.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am not very sure what the term "the devil's advocate" means, but I will answer this question to the best of my ability. When I looked up the definition of what a devil’s advocate is I found it is when one takes the unpopular side in an argument, for the sake of examining all possible perspectives. Sonny’s brother is obviously enslaved in some type of way, so it would be hard to play the devil’s advocate on his part. You can tell his brother is enslaved by society because all he expects his brother to be. His brother was obviously raised in a way that music isn’t seen as the typical “money making” career. Sonny however does view music as not only a hobby but a career at that. Sonny plays music from the heart. He plays for the soul. He doesn’t care about what everyone else thinks of him. He is only in it for his own sake, and plays music because it makes him feel at peace. However, Sonny’s brother takes the opposition thinking his brother is basically a “failure at life” with the drugs and the music career simply because it isn’t something he favors. It isn’t something he agrees upon. One may feel pity (or play the devil’s advocate) on Sonny’s brother’s point of view for the mere fact that he was raised in such a way that he can’t accept others happiness. He wasn’t raised to “live” but only to exist and play the “typical human role” in life (That is, to have a family, and get a money-making career).
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed, Allison!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with someone being perfectly content in adhering to the norms and expectations of society and I agree that it is wrong to stereotype such a person in any one category.
I appreciate both your comments, not sure who the other blogger is though. Both your interpretations are helpful in our endeavor to understand the characters in these stories the best we can. My intention as an instructor is to facilitate thought in order for us to be able to see things from different perspectives.
Sonny's brother is not enslaved. Sonny has a disease, being a drug addict is a disease that you have to succumb to, you chose to do the drugs at first but then it enslaves you... Sonny's brother chose his job. He could've fulfilled his dreams and he could've picked any profession just like you changed your profession and are now going to be a professor. He can quit any day, go back to school get a different career, he's obviously not motivated enough. Maybe he's jealous of Sonny for pursuing his dream of music and that's why he's so negative. thinking that Sonny's brother is enslaved in any way is just an excuse for him to be miserable, and that's not true. Sonny's brother is choosing to be miserable society and not forcing him into the job, society is not holding a gun to the brother's head like Sony's disease is.
ReplyDelete-Erin Sawyer
well i kind of do feel like Sonnys briother is enslaved just in a different way the Sonny is being.so ill try on this. Sonnys brothers action are understandable. As the older brother , Sonnys brother probably felt responsible for SONNY. growing up the way he did he knows the horror that goes on around him and his view of success is escaping harlem and getting a solid job. seeing his brother go down a path of drugs in the past made him fear full. Sonny's brother was just trying to p[rotect and take care of his younger sibling, even if it was not in the best way.
ReplyDeleteI believe Sonny's brother is enslaved by what he thinks society should be. Sonny's brother plays it "safe" as people would say, when on the other hand Sonny does not play anything safe. Sonny, is also enslaved by drug addiction. In my opinion, Sonny's brother is also enslaved by trying to take care of Sonny, trying to be the "good guy" in Sonny. I feel Sonny's brother is enslaved by trying to be the "good son" because Sonny himself is far from it.
ReplyDeleteI do in a sense feel that Sonny’s brother is enslaved. I feel that he doesn’t take chance or do what he really wants do. He goes along with society and it has ultimately controlled his life. In another sense I feel that there is nothing wrong with Sonny. I believe that he is a laid back type of person that doesn’t really care how others fell he lives his life, he lives it the way he feels fit and that’s what matters the most to him. It has a lot to do with the environment that they Sonny and his brother live in. Most people grow up and spend their entire lives in Harlem. Sonny’s brother wants out of this environment, but I feel that he is so used to the society and environment that he doesn’t know how to escape it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I do believe that Sonny's brother is enslaved, but since I have to figure out why some people would believe that he is not enslaved, I think it would be because unlike Sonny his brother knew exactly what he was expected to do in life. His brother knew that he needed to go to school and get a job so that he can eventually support his family. In the beginning of the story Sonny did not want to go to school and would skip to play music. So I guess in a way Sonny was enslaved by his ambition to be a musician and how society didn’t understand why someone would want to play music when it is not a career that you can have good income. As a result of wanting to be a musician his brother did not understand why he would want that kind of job and resulted in the fighting more often and at times not speaking for a long time. This to me is a way that his brother actually enslaved Sonny, like how he thought that Sonny should be a certain way in his eyes and since he wasn’t going to be the person that he wanted him to be then he didn’t want anything to do with him. In the end however, I feel that both Sonny and his brother are enslaved in different ways. Sonny by his brother and how he is portrayed in society, and his brother by what he felt he needed to be in society’s eyes.
ReplyDelete~Nicole Treschitta~
I feel that Sonny's brother is enslaved by society's standards. Sonny's brother tries to take on the role of the typical man, by having a job and trying to provide for his family the best he can. But after the discussions in class I feel that if both Sonny and his brother are both enslaved in different ways. Sonny seems to be enslaved by his brother and Sonny's brother is enslaved by society.
ReplyDeleteSonnys brother is just making sure he is set for life. He is cautious and wants to be stable therefore he is not worried about his future. His brother is not enslaved by society he is simply just trying to be able to provide for his family by having a steady job. To get this steady job he knew he had to go to school and recieve his education.
ReplyDelete