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Our Time

In:

Submitted By Eruan
Words 1559
Pages 7
Name: Eruan Amamie.
Instructor: Professor Brent Griffin
Course: College Writing.
Project Title: The Influence Homewood Had on Robby.
Date: 06/29/14.
Paper: Final
John Edgar Wideman’s ‘‘Our Time’’ talks mostly about his brother Robby’s challenges growing up in a Black neighborhood. This neighbourhood, was also associated with racial discrimination. This attribute of the society had a great effect on Robby. His color and its people were seen as the ‘‘forbidden fruit.’’ This made him anxious of what was wrong with Black Colored skin. Another feature of this community was corrupt governance. The implementers of the laws, were also the criminals against the law. As a young boy, Robby couldn’t care less about what was against the law because everything seemed right; like there were no rules that you go against. ‘‘How you gon feel sorry when society’s so corrupt, when everybody got their hand out or got their hand in somebody else’s pocket and ain’t no rules nobody listens to if they can get away with breaking them?’’(447). Robby initially could not feel the implications of the actions he took against society; until he is in prison, now tries to tell his story reflecting back on the things he did, and what caused him to do them. He did not feel any remorse even when he knew he was going against the laws. In this society, that Robby found himself, what he did was mainstream, so it never felt wrong to do what everybody did. It seemed like there were no rules, no consequences. Robby sees the consequences of his actions only in prison. We only see the nature of Homewood as a result of Robby’s imprisonment. He tells us how Homewood was one of the remote causes of his actions. Homewood as it was, was very wild nature. It was a rough place that rebelled against governance. Homewood would; rather, do things on its own than rely on the world outside. Crimes were being

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