You have a choice of FOUR assignments for your short essay. Please choose only one. Please indicate at the top of your paper which assignment you are answering.

Remember: your essay should be 1500 words; MLA style; double spaced; and, in a simple font such as Times Roman size 12.

Assignment Option One:
The short story is entitled “Sonny’s Blues.” What are Sonny’s Blues? Make reference to both music and suffering.

Assignment Option Two:
Discuss the relationship between Sonny and his brother. How does each character help or aggravate the other’s struggle?

Assignment Option Three:
Read the nightclub scene at the end of the short story closely. What realization does the narrator have? What do we, the reader, realize about Sonny? You can make reference to earlier parts of the story.

Assignment Four:
Compare and contrast the religious revival scene and the last scene in the nightclub. How is redemption treated in both scenes?

A good online resource for this text is: http://www.shmoop.com/sonnys-blues/