THIS STATEMENTJames Baldwin's works were influenced by the times he lived in, as an African American writer he fought for equality and used his pen to work for civil rights through elements of his childhood among other aspects. PURPOSE STATEMENTThrough researching textual evidence it is evident that James Baldwin's life and writing were shaped by the society around him.INTRODUCTIONHistory is defined by my cultural movements and changes. The 21st century American is nothing like the young country that emerged from the oppression of England in 1776. Many men and women have shaped the world we live in today, fighting for their rights and which they believe. The greatest tragedy in the history of this great country was that of slavery. Even after the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in 1865 there was still a great debate about the equality of all men. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men are created equal and enjoy inalienable rights given by God. However, this only applied to the white men of the population. That's why the Civil Rights Movement came into being. This was an effort to continue the story and change the culture of a nation as seen numerous times before around the world. The protestors were mostly African Americans seeking those inalienable rights given to them by their Creator and invoked in the country's original legislature. The men and women who took part in the events of the Civil Rights Movement were led by others who believed that Henry David Thoreau's philosophy of nonviolent protest was key to solidifying their position. Those who opposed them, however, were not so kind and peaceful in their actions. The liter......half of the paper......el. Before Sonny's mother dies, he asks his older brother to watch over him if anything should happen to her. This flashback shows that he didn't do what his mother asked of him, given Sonny's arrest. In the Bible, God questions Cain about Abel's whereabouts after killing him. Cain responds by saying “Am I my brother's keeper?” (Genesis 4.9). This is where the failed brotherhood relationship is seen in both stories. However there are differences between the two works, one of which is a great dissimilarity. “Unlike Genesis' Cain, however, the narrator of 'Sonny's Blues' has the possibility of redemption. To redeem himself, however, the narrator must save his prodigal younger brother (Tackach 115). And so it turns out that the narrator «cannot free himself from responsibility towards his brother. He is his brother's keeper" (Reid 445).