How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Paragraph)
Quote #4
You mean – they'll let him out. And then he'll just start working his way back in again. You mean he'll never kick the habit. Is that what you mean? (36)
The narrator wrestles with the idea that Sonny may never kick his drug addiction. If Sonny never gets off drugs, the narrator will never get his brother back.
Quote #5
Sometime I think I'm going to flip and never get outside and sometime I think I'll come straight back. I tell you one thing, though, I'd rather blow my brains out than go through this again. (51)
Drug addiction is a vicious monster. Sonny would rather die than have to face being in prison and getting himself off drugs again. This is where he starts to let us know how truly horrible things have been for him.
Quote #6
"When she was singing before," said Sonny, abruptly, "her voice reminded me for a minute of what heroin feels like sometimes – when it's in your veins. It makes you feel sort of warm and cool at the same time." (195)
Sonny is trying so hard to explain to the narrator what it feels like to be high on heroin. It makes sense that he would compare shooting up to music, the language he knows best.