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   kwoo1213 Teacher
   College - Junior

   eNotes Editor

   In this story, the narrator's brother has been in prison.  His brother plays jazz music, which the narrator knows is important to his brother; however, he does not know just how really important it is until the end of the story.  Music is integral to the brother's life in a couple of ways:  it allows him to escape from his depressing world and existence and it is a creative outlet for him to express his feelings. 

   The narrator is able to finally realize this when he is observing Sonny play one night at a club.  He becomes lost in the music and finally realizes that his brother's music is a vital part of who he is:

   At the end of the set, the narrator realizes that the music has helped Sonny to stay free and avoid drowning in his suffering. Furthermore, the narrator recognizes that the blues can help everyone be true to what and who they are.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/sonnys-blues/summary

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   Posted by kwoo1213 on Tuesday October 28, 2008 at 5:59 PM