The imagery here feels bittersweet. All of the suffering and love the narrator's loved ones have experienced throughout their lives all communicated through Sonny's song. Sometimes music can transcend language.

From Spark Notes: This image is borrowed from the Bible, where the cup of trembling is used as a symbol to describe the suffering and fear that have plagued the people. The biblical passage promises a relief from that suffering, but Baldwin's use of the cup of trembling as a symbol is less overt.

All of that time playing at Isabel's home and everyone felt tortured by his playing... It must have been hard for him not to be heard and, in turn, seen.

Perhaps Sonny was always trying to communicate through his music since he was not able to through his words.

It seems that Sonny feels the same as the narrator regarding their community.

Helping people with self-destructive tendencies can be difficult, especially if you love them. The narrator has also demonstrated that he has always had a difficult time being vulnerable with his brother, so it may be that he doesn't know how to have this conversation with Sonny, specifically.

Sonny is very thoughtful. Whereas the narrator is compassionate, I feel Sonny is empathetic; he's prone to feeling what others feel and the weight of those feelings can be overwhelming for him.

This feels like the most vulnerable Sonny has been with the narrator.

There is so much weight in this one sentence alone. It doesn't seem like Sonny has many people who know him or see him. His parents are gone and his brother is deployed and he is lonely. For him to realize this about his music... it must be incredibly invalidating.

It seems like Sonny is ambivalent about his future, as most young adults tend to be.

Aid for veterans and their families used for higher education.

When the narrator questions Sonny's career choice, it is obviously coming from a place of care, but the impact of his words are no doubt hurtful. Intent vs. Impact.

Dark here seems to be both literal and figurative.

Thinking about the impending doom for black folks that the narrator keeps mentioning makes me sad, but it was a reality for many black folks during these times. Even now, one could argue that these themes are entirely prevalent.

It sounds like father and Sonny both had issues with being open and vulnerable, as fathers and sons tend to.

This makes me think of "impact vs. intent" when speaking to someone. The intent behind his words are no doubt informed by concern, but the impact of his words could be detrimental to his brother if not delivered tactfully.

This resonates with me, personally. I felt the same about my hometown when I finally left; sometimes it's hard going back.

His description of the streets is very nostalgic.

I'm not certain if he is referring to hurting his loved ones or being at rehab and going through withdrawals. Maybe both?

I think he is now envisioning Sonny being the same as this man after he is released. I think he is scared for his brother.

This reminds me of a training I attended about suicide ideation. The facilitators said something to the effect of, "Most people who die by suicide don't actually want to die, they just want the suffering to end."

That statement resonates for me here.

The comment the narrator makes about the facade the woman puts on is not unlike the comments made about the darkness closing in on the school boys. It seems the narrator doesn't see a bright future for the young, black community during this time.

Though the narrator is obviously upset, he still reflects on the harmful thing he said. He seems compassionate.

The narrator seems like a genuinely decent, kind person.

Perhaps because Sonny's friend is still here and Sonny isn't?

Speaks to the impact film has had on the boys. It sounds like he is implying that the boys want to emulate what they see in films, which makes them disregard the aforementioned darkness, which is closing in on them.

This speaks volumes about the experience for black folks back in these days, whose opportunities were so limited by years institutional racism and slavery. I believe this was also written before the civil rights movement, which means even less opportunities were available.

Earlier, Ben mentioned that his dinner was meat and grains and it tasted like meat and grains. He must not have tasted exciting flavors before, like sweet.

How someone with depression may feel in our world.

Not unlike the experience for some queer folks in our world.

He needs warmth and love. It's no wonder he relies on Good so much since he never feels it from his family or friends.

All of Ben's statements are so objective and to-the-point, which is how he is expected to communicate with others, though it seems he may actually have some emotion he wants and needs to express.

What a world this is where no one can genuinely say, "That's. so nice of you."

In this world, the feeling of "good" is a commodity that one can inject. It's almost as if people in this world cannot feel good on their own, so they must rely on a manufactured version of it. Perhaps this is a play on our need for instant gratification and our materialism?

Ben says, "I understand.", in reply to many people. This statement feels as transactional as everyone he is surrounded by in this world.

In a world where perfection seems to be all-important, the weight of this statement becomes heavier.

Optimized, clear-borns, shoelookers, para-one... There are many classifications of people in this world, and more classifications for imperfect people than perfect people.

This sounds like commentary about toxic masculinity. In this world, being emotional is bad while being prideful is revered.

Exaggerates and makes Mr. Harper seem like a serpent or some sort of cretin.

Is this referring to a head scarf, like a hijab?

There are a lot of expectations of her.

Gives us insight into home culture. Some cultural dimensions may be at play that influence Fwadausi's upbringing.

Incongruence in what she is saying and how she's saying it. She is not present with Mama Amma because she is still preoccupied, considering the consequences that await her.

Ironic because the key is, in fact. little. So easy for anyone to lose. Yet, it is such an important item that when one loses it, it doesn't feel little anymore.