In “Sonny’s Blues,” jazz music plays an important role in understanding the identity, community, and the healing power of art. For Sonny, jazz is not just any music, it’s a way that he formed to help people understand him, connect with others, and deal with life’s struggles. Baldwin uses jazz as a sign of the challenges and strength of African American life, giving it deep meaning throughout the whole story. First, jazz represents Sonny’s identity and his way of coping with pain. Through music, he finds a way to deal with his struggles, including his addiction. In the nightclub scene, Baldwin explains how Sonny’s music reveals his hardships: “Sonny’s fingers filled the air with life, his life.” Jazz, with its unpredictable and creative style, is like Sonny’s own journey, finding his way through a difficult and unfair world while staying true to who he is. Second, jazz helps people connect and understand each other. In the nightclub, when Sonny’s brother hears him play, he finally starts to realize what Sonny has been through, it was something that one couldn’t understand just through a few words. And the music brought them closer, helping them understand each other more, and closing the emotional gap they had in their relationship. It just shows how music can bring people together and express feelings that are hard to put into words. Lastly, jazz shows how art can help people overcome suffering. For Sonny and his community, jazz isn’t just entertainment, it’s a way to survive. Baldwin writes that the music carries the “battle fought with himself and others.” By creating music, Sonny turns his pain into something meaningful and beautiful. Through these moments, Baldwin shows how jazz helps shape Sonny’s identity, brings people closer, and turns hardship into hope, proving the life-changing power of art.

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