Gabe's Essay

Gabriel Campbell

Mr. Salsich

English B

April 14, 2009

 

            There are certain people that we love no matter what. We love them whether we’re mad, depressed, happy, excited (asyndeton). Regardless, there is just an undying love for them. Naomi Shihab Nye and the narrator from “Sonny’s Blues” have this kind of love for their brother.

            In “the Little Brother” poem, Naomi Shihab Nye uses figurative language to express the main theme that she loves, misses, and seeks forgiveness from her brother. Firstly, she uses imagery to describe the items that were particular to her brother. When she wrote, “I keep finding little pieces of  old junk you saved, an old packing box, a white rag” she the imagery to state possession. If she had said “an old box” or “a rag”, the reader would not comprehend (FAST) that those were the only part of her brother that she has let. In addition, she used imagery when talking about how she didn’t mind that they were different. She wrote, “You’re Pierre Cardin and I’m a used bandana. That’s fine, I’ll take differences over things that match” to say that she cared about him so much that she couldn’t care less that they were different. She loved him no matter what. Finally, she used imagery to seek forgiveness from her brother. When she wrote “fingering receipts and stubs, trying to put them back into some kind of shape” to say that she is trying to piece their relationship back together. She was proving to him that she would do anything, no matter how tedious (FAST) it may be, to get their relationship back on track. Overall, Naomi Shihab Nye articulates figurative language in her poem to stress loving, missing, and wanting to be forgiven by her brother.

            There were a few ways that the story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin related to “the Little Brother Poem”. First of all, when the narrator wrote “My trouble made his real”, he was finally realizing the problems his brother had. Once he finally experienced sorrow, the sorrow of his brother had become clear. This was like when Naomi Shihab Nye realized her brother’s problems when he “Disappeared into the streets of Dallas”. In addition, the phrase, “that life contained so many others” related to the poem. The life of Ms. Shihab Nye’s brother holds a part Ms. Shihab Nye’s life because he holds the memories of everything she has done to him. Similarly, Sonny’s life contains that of the people who have hurt him. Finally, the two poems relate because the poets love their brothers dearly. They have done nearly everything to try and help them out.  They were also willing to do anything to repair broken relationships. Overall, the story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and “the Little Brother” poem by Naomi Shihab Nye are very similar in relationships.

            Siblings can have a certain impact on us, getting us out of trouble, teaching us life lessons, and loving us (participle phrase).  No matter how annoying or bothersome they can be, we will love them no matter what (periodic sentence). After all, they are our siblings. Overall, this can be applied to the story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and “the Little Brother” poem by Naomi Shihab Nye.