James Baldwin offers several constructions of black masculinity through his two texts Everybody's Protest Novel and Sonny's Blues. Since this essay compares works by the same author, it is essential to be interested in what these constructions are and also in their coherence within his work. In an effort to view black masculinity as a construct, Everybody's Protest Novel serves as the basis for which this construct is viewed in the two main characters of Sonny's Blues. Through this analysis, Baldwin will be held up to his own work – a standard he created for himself. The way in which Baldwin constructs the characters in Sonny's Blues depends on his discussion of the "protest novel" and also on the way in which he constructs the differences between the true images of the Negro and the falsely constructed images in texts such as The Cabin of the Negro. Uncle Tom. Sonny and the narrator are representations of the faltering ideal constructions of black masculinity in Baldwin's Sonny's Blues. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Everybody's Protest Novel is a critique of the representation of black people in literature. Baldwin uses the behavior of black characters in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin as examples of how black masculinity is represented. Tom is the character that Baldwin criticizes the most, claiming that Tom is a product of white America. He is content with the image of blackness that America has created for him. Tom is comfortable in his complacency and is therefore seen as siding with his white oppressor. With this character of “Uncle Tom”, Baldwin associates the narrator of his story, Sonny's Blues. The first impression of a black man given in Sonny's Blues is that of the narrator. At a glance, it seems like he's living the American dream. He is a quiet and discreet high school teacher who followed the “right” path of life. He helped his mother with her responsibilities and acted as a father figure to Sonny, joined the military, educated himself, married and had children. In these latter senses, these descriptions resemble the archetypal image of the (white) American dream. The narrator is disconnected from black culture and described as feeding the system in an attempt to live a "cookie cutter" life. The narrator even admits his disconnect in a conversation he and Sonny have about a jazz musician: "Well, look Sonny, I'm sorry, don't get mad... Name someone - you know, a jazz musician you admire." 'Bird.' 'WHO?' 'Bird! Charlie Parker! Don't they teach you anything in this damn army? I lit a cigarette. I was surprised and then a little amused to discover that I was shaking. 'I have been out of touch...'" (Baldwin 1738) Baldwin uses this revelation as a turning point for the narrator to strive to become "in touch" and more representative of a Negro in American culture compared to the he American exterior of black culture that he was. A second point to note is that the narrator does not have a name. It is likely that Baldwin is using this as a ploy to promote his idea of ​​this erroneous construction of the. masculinity. character than to take away his identity as Baldwin does? The realization to which the narrator is forced is constructed through Sonny It conveys the message that the American dream is inaccessible to the black man and is essential to ours. understanding of Baldwin's construction of blackness This is where the character of Sonny plays a pivotal role in defining the role of black masculinity and how it must be constructed to achieve truth and righteousness..