Grammar check

Kim 4

Short Story Response

Junwoo Kim

Professor Bell

English 2

October 04, 2014

Sonny’s Blues

A lot of people answer “success” when they get a question about the result of a dream. The definition of success is an accomplishment or achievement about something which someone tries to do. People try and make their plans for the future to be successful and to achieve their own dreams. For example, Mr. Yang, who is one of my best friends, is practicing singing and studying music to reach his dream with the best efforts. Like this, people want to reach their dreams and to be successful. It means that having dreams stimulates and motivates people to make more effort to get success or reach their dreams. In addition, having dreams can make people’s lives to be hopeful because it leads them to think about being success. Also, these kinds of advantages can derive people’s hidden abilities and make them to be better. For instance, Helen Keller never prevented discrimination from her dream even though she had disabilities which were blindness and deafness. She also opened many campaigns such as labor rights, women’s suffrage, etc. Numerous people in the world still get an inspiration from her endeavor and works. She is one of the biggest examples for people. Similarly, in Sonny’s Blues, Sonny never gives up his dream which is to be a jazz musician. Having dreams can change people’s lives, encourage them to get over any difficulties as Sonny did and I had a similar experience.

Dreams can change lives because Sonny and his brother grew closer. His brother strongly opposes Sonny’s dream because he think that being a musician is not a good way to make a safe living. It means that musician’s earning is not guaranteed. Sonny leaves home for achieving his dream after arguing with his brother. After few years, Sonny invites his brother to a bar where he works. Sonny really wants to show his talent to him. When his brother sees Sonny’s show, he realizes Sonny’s real worth and accept Sonny’s dream. Likewise, Sonny can finally achieve his real dream which is being a jazz musician. Some people can think like Sonny’s brother that musicians are not safe because their earning is uncertain. So, people can say that Sonny is not successful because they usually evaluate success compared to money. However, it is definitely wrong because success is not the same as money. When people achieve their dreams and succeed, money can just follow additionally; not certainly. As a result, Sonny is successful because he finally achieves his dream of being a jazz musician.

Having dreams can encourage people to overcome difficulties. I also had many difficulties like Sonny because my parents did not encourage me first. I originally dreamed to be a singer, so I practiced all day. At first, my parents did not allow me to do singing because they said that singers cannot earn money constantly. However, I did not give up singing after listening to advice from my parents because I felt that singing made me to release stress and to feel many emotions such as happiness and sadness. I really wanted to live my life with singing, so I did not tell the truth, and I practiced continually. After a few months, I joined the famous entertainment, which educates children to be singers, in my country South Korea. My parents started to help and support me to be a singer, and I did my best. However, I got a serious problem on my neck because I coughed up blood. I went to the hospital, and I realized that I had vocal nodules. A doctor said that I needed to have vocal surgery; however, my voice could be changed. That was why I did not get the surgery, and I just got a prescription. While I was taking some medicines, I never stopped practicing singing. It brought me a terrible result because the vocal nodules became more serious. So, I had to stop singing. I was really frustrated, and I felt that I lost my dream. My parents encouraged me a lot, and they tried to make me study. However, it was not an easy decision. After a few months with deep considering, I told my parents that I would study abroad even though it would require lots of money, and nothing was guaranteed. If I did not get vocal nodules, I would not choose such an unsure path. However, this uncertain path led me to have a new dream which is being an economist.

My life and Sonny’s life have a similarity because Sonny also got through difficulties. Sonny tried to persuade his brother about his dream even though his brother opposed Sonny’s dream. At first, Sonny and his brother argued a lot because his brother thought that earning money is very important; however, his brother finally understood and accepted Sonny’s dream after seeing Sonny’s show. In similarity, my parents opposed me to be a singer as the same reason as Sonny’s brother. They think that earning money is not all of the life, but it is important. They did not understand me first, so my parents and I argued each day. But, I practiced very hard without any notice to my parents. After they knew that I entered the famous entertainment company, they understood me and accepted my dream. Likewise, I showed that I can do something what I want to do, so my parents admitted me to study abroad. I hope to be admitted to UC Berkeley as one step for reaching my new dream which is being an economist. Even though I changed my dream from being a singer to being an economist, both Sonny and I were successful because we faced to opposition to achieve our dreams via great efforts.

Having dreams is very important and noble because it makes people to be hopeful. Also, having dreams can change people’s lives and encourage them to get over difficulties. It does not a big problem how many difficulties exist because if people have dreams and try to achieve, they can overcome any difficulties. Most people in the world think that achieving dreams is extremely hard, but if they do not fear for fail and try to accomplish one by one, they can finally achieve and reach at their dreams as time goes on.