Identifying Conflict in Sonnys Blues and No Name No Woman - Assignment Example

Sonny’s blues and No no woman Sonny’s blues In the text “Sonny Blues” by James Baldwin conflict can be identified from the writer’s storyline as he shares his life experience with his brother Sonny. The first type of conflict to evidence in the story is conflict of individual against self. The writer spots Sonny’s friend who had come to visit him and share with him the whereabouts of Sonny, but from the statement of the writer it is clear he did not like the him “ But now abruptly, I hated him.

I couldn’t stand the way he looked at me, party like a dog…..” (Baldwin, 2009). Sonny’s friend was trying to make friendship with the writer, but the writer could no visualize any benefit that could come from him. The writer went ahead and equate Sonny’s friend to a dog on how he party. It clearly shows the animosity that the writer had against Sonny’s friend. Though they discussed and share thoughts the writer headed to the station, it is indisputable that the writer just wished they could part the next minute.

Conflict of individual and self, in this case, the writer discards any motives Sonny’s friend uses to win friendship. In the text the writer could give Sonny’s friend some cents to buy cigarette but he deep down in him, he did not want. Another conflict arises between Sonny and his parents. This is evidenced in the letter that he wrote to the writer (brother). “Am glad daddy and mama are dead and can’t see what happened to their son…..” (Baldwin, 2009) from this statement it is evidenced things are not that good.

It is illogical for one to celebrate the death of his parents as evidenced from Sonny’s letter to his brother. Two types of conflicts can be drawn from his statement. First is the conflict between individuals, in this case this, Sonny is one party and the parents the other party. The second type of conflict is individual versus self. Sonny in the letter said he was glad that his parents were dead; this is because he was ashamed of what was happening to him. But if the status of his life would have been different he could have cursed the death of his parents.

No name no woman In this story the mother exhibits a conflict of an individual versus self when she wants to tell her daughter about her dead aunt. “You must not tell anyone” (Maxine n.p), the mother is fears for spread of the information she wants to pass to her daughter. Conflict arises within herself on whether she should share the misfortune of her husband’s sister with her daughter or just hide it from her completely. She decides to share it with her daughter to advice to be cautious with men, “Don’t humiliate us.

You wouldn’t like to be forgotten as if you were not born….the village is watching” (Maxine n.p). The quote from the mother evidenced a conflict between her and the society. To expound on this quotation it seems whatever the daughter had to do should always be as per the society expectation. Contrary to that, the mother fears of she might be a laughing stock for the community. ReferencesBaldwin, J. (2009). “Sonny Blues”The jazz fiction anthology.Ed. (pp. 17-48). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Maxine Hong Kingston, M. (n.p). No Name Woman.