Sonny's Blues (Sentence Analysis)

 “Neither did they dare to make a great scene about that piano because even they dimly sensed, as I sensed, from so many thousands of miles away, that Sonny was at that piano playing for his life.” (Baldwin 228)

Throughout Sonny’s Blues we see how fearful Sonny is of relapse and how he uses music and piano as an outlet for his issues. This sentence takes place in the beginning of Sonny’s recovery process and shows how fearful he is of relapse and of what could become of his life in the future. To Sonny, music is the only thing that is keeping him alive right now, as it replaces his previous addiction and allows him to work through his trauma and suffering. While in the early stages of living with the narrator Sonny secludes himself, becoming totally enthralled in his music. In doing so, Sonny begins to use music as an escape, an escape from the reality of the situation he is in, from his addiction, and from Harlem.

There are various moments in the story in which Sonny tries to run from his problems rather than confronting them before discovering music as a way to channel his emotions: when he joins the navy and when he suggests leaving Harlem rather than living with the narrator. Prior to moving in with the narrator's family, Sonny expresses a discomfort with continuing to live in Harlem. Though the narrator does not understand Sonny’s reasoning, it is implied that the reason that Sonny wants to escape from Harlem is because he fears that he will relapse if he stays in the environment that once fostered his addiction. However, Sonny does eventually end up moving in with the narrator and his family in the housing project they live in. In order to prevent himself from relapsing in such a triggering environment Sonny decides to follow his passion for music, with jazz becoming his life's purpose, and possibly being one of the only things that is keeping him alive and healthy.

However, rather than running from Harlem, where his past trauma is exacerbated, Sonny turns to music for solace. In an effort to escape from a past addiction Sonny develops a fixation on jazz music and piano, which, in a way, functions as a new addiction of his. Sonny throws himself into music in an effort to keep himself from relapsing and save his own life, something which is shown through this sentence. At this point in his life Sonny does not  have much to look forward to other than the hope that piano will bring him a better future, piano is his only chance at staying clean, becoming successful, improving his life, etc… Still recovering from his addiction, stuck in an environment that constantly reminds him of his troublesome past, piano and the goal of becoming a jazz musician are the only things that Sonny has kept him motivated to work to create a better future for himself and to stay alive.

This sentence shows how piano not only serves as an escape from Sonny’s past and present issues, allowing him to express himself and work through his pain, but that it also is his only hope for a better future and better life. The work that Sonny puts into improving himself as a jazz musician is also him making an effort to stay alive and not relapse. As indicated in the quote, Sonny’s future with piano and with jazz music is what is keeping him going, something which everyone is aware of.