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Olivia Williams
Professor Robert Murdock
Intermediate English
January 23, 2015
Geraldine French
John Wideman’s story Our Time is a story based on letters he wrote to his brother Robby.
During his story Wideman describes his brother Robby’s version of his life in Robby’s words
and how Wideman recalls some of the stories from his own perspective. When the story starts
out Robby and Wideman could not be more different, but, as the story continues Wideman starts
to see their similarities. “When Robby talked, the similarity of his Homewood and mine was a
trap. I could believe I knew exactly what he was describing. I could relax into his story”.
(Bartholomae, page 437)
One of the similarities Robby and Wideman share is their mother Geraldine French.
Geraldine grew up in ghetto of Homewood, Pennsylvania. She was of fair complexion, had good
brown French hair like her father, and thick legs. She was the daughter of John French. John
French considered himself a fair man. He treated others respectfully as long as they did not cross
him. John could run someone out of town without even laying a finger on them.
Much of Geraldine’s personality was considered to be the same as her fathers. She was
considered fair and just. She treated most things the same as she would treat a roach or the
weather. However, Geraldine could be pushed to her limits which would cause her to rant and
rave. She was not considered a crazy or country like her father.
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When Geraldine gave birth to her children she lived in a different town called Shadyside,
Pennsylvania. Shadyside was predominately a white town. Wideman’s story does not mention
much about a father for himself or Robby, only that they had one. One could imagine the type of
strife they endured as the only black family in their town. Ultimately, their family moved from
Shadyside back to Geraldine’s hometown Homewood.
Robby’s birthday was in the month of December. December holds a great deal of sorrow for
Geraldine. She lost her father and her husband’s father on the day of Robby’s birth, the day after
her husband’s mother died. Then in January Geraldine’s daughter lost her baby. One day and 15
years after Robby’s birth Geraldine lost her mother. With this much death so close together, and
around the holiday season, she would be depressed and cry a lot, regardless if it was Robby’s
birthday. Which in turn made Robby hate his own birthday. Consequently, this would drive a
wedge between Geraldine and her child.
Despite the wedge dividing her from her child, Geraldine still loved Robby unconditionally.
Geraldine demonstrates this many time in Our Time. By trying to keep her children out of the
ghetto of Homewood is the first example of her love for her children that reader are shown.
Although she tried, Geraldine could not protect her children from the tough streets of
Homewood. She was extremely worried that the streets of the ghetto would call to Robby’s
wildness.
Homewood got a hold of Robby as a teenager. He became obsessed with Garfield Street.
Garfield is where the Robby would see how “real black people” lived. “Garfield was black, and I
finally found what I’d been looking for. That place they’d been trying to hide from me. It was
heaven.” (Barthalomae, page 443) Eventually Robby would end up hanging out with the wrong
crowd. He would begin doing drugs and stealing to feed his habit. Geraldine would be subjected
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to finding syringes hidden under Robby’s bed and to Robby and his friends keeping her up until
all hours of the night. Robby and his friends would come into Geraldine’s house in the middle of
the night, cook a big meal, be loud, and leave it all for Geraldine to clean up.
Inevitably Robby would end up stealing from Geraldine. She would find 20 dollar bills
missing from her purse. Robby even stole from Wideman. Geraldine bought Wideman and his
wife Judy a T.V. for Christmas. Robby stole the T.V. to buy 30 dollars’ worth of drugs. Most of
these things Geraldine hid from Wideman. He lived thousands of miles away in Wyoming. She
did not want to burden him with her and Robby’s problems.
Wideman and his mother did speak about Robby sometimes. It would be in her kitchen, over
a cup of coffee, listening to gospel on the radio. She would express to Wideman how much she
worried about Robby and tried to reach out to him. She compared her attempts of reaching out to
Robby to speaking to a wall. “I don’t know. I just don’t know how to reach him. He won’t listen.
He’s doing wrong and he knows it but nothing I say makes any difference. He’s not like the rest
of youall. You’d misbehave but I could talk to you or smack you if I had to and you’d straighten
up. With Robby it’s like talking to a wall.” (Bartholomae, page 428) Wideman hears the worry in
his mother’s words and in return begins to worry about her.
It is not until Robby commits the crime of burglary and murder that Wideman notices that his
mother has changed. Geraldine used to be a woman who treated everyone fairly and expected the
same in return. This is why she handed Robby over to the police. The death of Robby’s friend
Garth and the incarceration of her child caused Geraldine to become cynical. She begins to
distrust the world, truly the see the negativity, especially toward white people or anyone that is
supposed to be responsible for the wellbeing of black society.
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No one could blame Geraldine for the change in her view of the world. From the life that she
has had to endure in the ghetto of Homewood it is amazing she did not turn more pessimistic
earlier on. Even though Geraldine has changed she still loves her children. She loves Robby
despite the crimes he committed and she will continue to love and confide in Wideman.
Works Cited
David Barthalomae, Anthony Petrosky, Stacy, Walte. Ways of Reading An Anthology For Writers. Boston,
New York: Bedford/Martin's , 2014. 10.
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