James Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues" highlights the struggle for community involvement and individual identity. Baldwin's "major theme – the discovery of identity – is nowhere more successfully presented than in the short story 'Sonny's Blues'" (Reilly 56). Individuals generate isolation and even persecution by the dominant collective community. This conflict is illustrated in three ways. First, the story presents Sonny's alienation from his brother, the unnamed narrator. Second, Sonny's legal problems suggest that independence can lead the individual to break society's legal conventions. Finally, the text draws heavily on biblical influences. Sonny returns to his family just like the prodigal son, after facing substantial trials and being humiliated. The story's allusion to the parable of the prodigal son reflects Baldwin's deep personal interest in Christianity and the Bible. First, Sonny's identity is in stark contrast to that of his brother, the narrator. The most obvious difference between the two are their names. Sonny's name is prominent and part of the theme of the story. Sonny's brother, however, is never given a name. Despite being the voice and perspective of the story, the narrator has no distinct identity. He is known exclusively for his relationship with others, for his status as brother, son, husband and father. The author's omission of the brother's name is clearly intentional. Not having a defined identity, the brother is the representative of the black community. The narrator is a responsible family man. His work as a high school math teacher illustrates his interest in helping others through education. His decision to marry suggests that he is respons...... middle of paper ......ny suffers isolation, persecution and imprisonment. However, he finds redemption in his brother's eyes without sacrificing his individualism. Sonny is able to use music to bridge the gap, taking on greater responsibility for his reintegration into his family and community than the prodigal son. Works Cited Albert, Richard. "The Jazz-Blues Motif in 'Sonny's Blues'" by James Baldwin, College Literature Vol. 11, no. 2 (Spring 1984): 178-185. Booth, Alison, Hunter, J. Paul and Mays, Kelly (eds.). The Norton Introduction to Literature, Ninth Edition. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.Reilly, John M. “Sonny's Blues: James Baldwin's Image of the Black Community,” Negro American Literature Forum vol. 4, no. 2 (July 1970): 55-60. Tackach, James. “The Biblical Foundation of James Baldwin's 'Sonny's Blues',” RenascenceVol. 59, no. 2 (2007): 109-117.