Object
Sonny Clemonds's Acoustic Guitar
A full‑sized six‑string acoustic guitar belonging to L. Q. "Sonny" Clemonds: warm varnished wooden body, visible soundhole, six taut strings, and a glossy but scuffed fretboard with small dings and a slightly frayed shoulder strap. Fits comfortably in Sonny’s lap; he fingers chords with practiced ease, producing familiar, mellow tones. Narratively the instrument functions as a tactile focus and social cue — Sonny calls it "this baby," uses its music to diffuse tension and assert identity, and it appears in scenes where its form and provenance (original heirloom vs replicated substitute) are discussed or demonstrated (notably in exchanges with Wesley and an android).
4 appearances
Purpose
To produce acoustic music for personal entertainment and accompaniment; to serve as a portable instrument Sonny uses to set mood, prompt social interaction, and accompany informal singing or storytelling.
Significance
The guitar anchors Sonny's humanizing moments and cultural adaptation. It catalyzes proposals for a low‑key party, functions as Sonny's chosen method of coping and connection, and turns casual music into a vehicle for revealing his attitude toward resurrection and reinvention. Its presence (or absence) marks shifts from intimacy to duty and underscores tensions between levity and the looming Neutral Zone crisis.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used