Analysis Of Our Time By Wideman

In the essay,” Our Time,” Wideman talks about the discrimination of the African Americans in Homewood because they were seen by the white discourse as unclean and uncivilized groups of people. Wideman proclaims,” The value of black life in America is judged, as life generally in this country is judged, by external, material signs of success.” ( 420). This is quote of Wideman says the African American were often been judged by the white discourse. Wideman even mentions in this statement that the life of the Africans’ success is also judged by the discourse, as well. Furthermore, the white dominant discourse had also made ethnography of the African Americans as they perceived them for being poor, violent, ignorant, and finally not wealthy people. …show more content…
He argues the reason Garth died because he’s receiving lack of medical attention at the hospitable where the white staff had constantly yet deliberately ignored him that they considers him an unimportant patient who’s worth their time. In the outcome, Garth’s death is the starting point and representation of the African Americans who were been racially discriminated the white dominant discourse, as they refer them being socially inferior to them. In addition, Garth’s death has created an impact upon the changes in people’s demeanor. Robby’s mother, for instance, when she used to be a kind, understandable woman, but became pessimistic, where she found the society to be cold and uncaring the way they had treated Garth and Robbie. In the conclusion, Wideman’s goal in “ Our Time,” is to explain how the African Americans were judged by the white dominant discourse and the impact after Garth’s death. And my goal is define the essay is an example of autoethnography and/or …show more content…
Afterwards, the African people absorbed the representations form the discourse to create their own self identity. This is an example of authoenthongraphy in the “ Arts of the Contact Zone.” Pratt states the people have been take in autoethnography who are being marginalized from the dominant discourse where they invent their own sense of self identity. This idea of Pratt supports the fact the Africans were taking the representations from the white discourse to create their sense of human identity. Besides that, the Africans were still outrage the fact Garth had died due to lack of medical treatment while the doctors ignored him and taking care of other white patients. They’ve used Garth’s as a sign the white discourse thinks very little of them and they were oppressed of discrimination. After that, Garth’s death has affected the rational demeanor of other people. Robby’s mother, for instance, is affected in the response of Garth’s death,which caused an impact on her personality and behavior. Robby’s mother used to be kind yet reasonable person that she understand life in Homewood; but she became unforgiving, spiteful and resentful to the white people after they let Garth died of lung cancer and