Wideman
Jamilyn Smith
Lisa Dawson
English 101, Section 20
Wideman Paper
Final Paper
The Cause and Effect of Life
Over the years of life, we as individuals grow, learn, and adapt to numerous things and those are the effects of certain causes. If we were to look at where we are in life and deeply evaluated our current status, we could ultimately find the causes to how and who we are. John Edgar Wideman wrote a paper called “Our Time”, which shows the true relationship between cause and effects not with just one person but with multiple people and how one cause effected them all greatly and changed their lives.
In John Wideman 's paper, we learn of a man named Garth. Garth is an african american male, who knew everyone and everyone knew him, especially the Wideman family. Garth was an average man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He was an easy-go-lucky kind of man and was well respected within the community, but there was one thing off. Garth was ill and was treated at the hospital multiple times but every time, he was released early. Then that one day came where Garth would no longer smile or even awake. Garth 's death was the cause to everyone 's slow destruction and self realization. His death effected many but none more so then Robby Wideman. Robby was John 's younger brother and a man that was great friends with Garth. Garth 's death was the cause that effected Robby the worse. Robby ended up joining a gang and ultimately in the end, ended up in jail with another 's death on his conscience and a robbery on his record.
Wideman 's story is much like Mary Pratt 's speech of “The Contact Zone” and one specific topic is that of John Wideman 's paper is an autoethonography. To properly describe what an autoethonography is, we must first define what a contact zone is. A contact zone is “social space where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other” (487). Mary Pratt later goes on to describe what autoethonography is and according to her,
Lisa Dawson
English 101, Section 20
Wideman Paper
Final Paper
The Cause and Effect of Life
Over the years of life, we as individuals grow, learn, and adapt to numerous things and those are the effects of certain causes. If we were to look at where we are in life and deeply evaluated our current status, we could ultimately find the causes to how and who we are. John Edgar Wideman wrote a paper called “Our Time”, which shows the true relationship between cause and effects not with just one person but with multiple people and how one cause effected them all greatly and changed their lives.
In John Wideman 's paper, we learn of a man named Garth. Garth is an african american male, who knew everyone and everyone knew him, especially the Wideman family. Garth was an average man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He was an easy-go-lucky kind of man and was well respected within the community, but there was one thing off. Garth was ill and was treated at the hospital multiple times but every time, he was released early. Then that one day came where Garth would no longer smile or even awake. Garth 's death was the cause to everyone 's slow destruction and self realization. His death effected many but none more so then Robby Wideman. Robby was John 's younger brother and a man that was great friends with Garth. Garth 's death was the cause that effected Robby the worse. Robby ended up joining a gang and ultimately in the end, ended up in jail with another 's death on his conscience and a robbery on his record.
Wideman 's story is much like Mary Pratt 's speech of “The Contact Zone” and one specific topic is that of John Wideman 's paper is an autoethonography. To properly describe what an autoethonography is, we must first define what a contact zone is. A contact zone is “social space where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other” (487). Mary Pratt later goes on to describe what autoethonography is and according to her,
Cited: Bartholomae, David, and Tony Petrosky. Ways of Reading: an Anthology for Writers. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. Print.