Sonny\'s Blues, James Baldwin Offers

¶ … Sonny's Blues," James Baldwin offers readers a first-hand look at the ravages of addiction (presented in the story in the form of heroin). Addiction is a way of coping with pain, as can be evinced by the principle character Sonny's conversations and actions. The story takes place with a background for racism, which is reflected by the murder of the narrator's father by Caucasian motorists. The despair and hopelessness of the characters and their surroundings contribute to Sonny's abuse of drugs.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is an unflinching look at the effects of sexism, and the constant devaluing of women's opinions and ideas when compared to those of men. The narrator of this story goes insane due to the fact that she is essentially shut into a room she dislikes and not allowed to pursue the things she would like to with her life. Both her doctor and her husband consider themselves to be the authority figures of what is right for the woman; the ending shows they could not have been more wrong.

John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemum's" deals with the sexual repression of its female protagonist, Elisa. Her femininity is repressed by a simple life of farming. Elisa would much rather have the opportunity to be active instead of inactive, to pursue a life of fixing things or of asserting her own power (represented through her affinity for raising Chrysanthemums, while instead she is relegated (against her will) to the life of a simple housewife.

"Black Men and Public Spaces" is an essay/short story about a male African-American author's experiences with racial profiling and having people afraid of him because he is an African-American male. Dramatic scenes of the author walking on desolate streets at night and being accosted because of his race and sex at the workplace reinforce this concept.

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin shows how women's personal liberty may be subjugated to and circumscribed by the wills of their husband. Mrs. Mallard considers herself to be liberated from this influence when her husband has been mistakenly proclaimed dead; excited at the opportunity to be able to live her life for herself, instead of acquiescing to him, she dies upon discovering that he is still very much alive.

"Barbie Doll" is a poem by Marge Piercy that details how frustrating it can be for women to consistently be trapped in stereotypical roles of demure, pretty ladies all the time. This poem details how those expectations begin early on in life, and can eventually force a woman to take drastic action (including plastic surgery which is alluded to in the poem) to fit into such a mold.

Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B" showcases the differences African-Americans face in their daily lives due to prejudice and racism. It shows his sense of alienation from his instructor in an academic setting due to the racial divide that, according to the poem, factors significantly into his existence and self-definition.