The story “Sonny’s Blues” is a depiction of Harlem during the post-war era. It shows the struggle of the individual people to survive, as opposed to the problems of population as a whole. It also embodies some of the possible problems faced by James Baldwin himself. He was also the oldest of nine children, and had a father like the one in the story with a stout personality. He accentuates the problems faced by the family, such as a desire to live in a “safe” neighborhood, but there is no real safe location, since the influences of negative things can penetrate the strongest of walls. This notion is also shown in the deterioration of Sonny, as he is also described to be smart and could not have stooped low, and begun doing drugs. Another problem
