In Sonny's Blues think about the use of setting. Describe the way Harlem is portrayed in the story. How are the characters shaped by the place they are from? How does the setting contribute to the meaning of the story?

 

In Sonny's Blues, Harlem is thought as a disappointment. It was a place that people sought because they knew it was a place they could run to. However, it does not turn out to be so as it traps people. It is a poverty-stricken city that breaks people's hopes of changing their lives. The setting of the story has shaped the characters in that they live in anguish and are trapped by its surroundings. For instance, Sunny resorts to abusing drugs to escape the feeling of being trapped in the town. The setting of Sonny's Blues is during the post-World War 2. The significance of the setting depicts the cultural and political revolutions that greatly affected people. there were increased poverty and crimes.