Sonny Character Analysis

Sonny is Larry’s baby brother, whose birth marks a major change in Larry’s household. Because he demands his mother’s full attention, Sonny widens the gap between Larry and his mother. He has the same effect on the relationship between his mother and father: in order to support this addition to the family, Larry’s father must now spend more time away from the house working, and he finds that his wife now has less time for him. Sonny behaves like a typical baby, and does not have the same sleep schedule as his family members. This frustrates both Larry, who pinches him awake on several occasions, and his father, who eventually seeks refuge in Larry’s bed in order to avoid Sonny’s cries. Because he has become the new focus of his mother’s attention, Sonny makes room for Larry and his father to develop a closer relationship with each other.