In Auster's essay, "Portrait of an Invisible Man" and Wideman's "Our Time," both authors wrote about a specific family member in order to know and understand that person. In gathering information, both then reflected on their own lives, and roles they had played in the other person's life. In Austers' case, he set out to learn about his dead father, who was very isolated and distant throughout his lifetime. Wideman on the other hand, wanted …showed first 75 words of 758 total…

…showed last 75 words of 758 total…through their writing. Both wanting to heal a lost relationship and feel a sense of knowledge in regards to that important man in their lives. Both authors accomplished this goal and gained more about themselves than they had anticipated. Although the essays "Portrait of an Invisible Man" and "Our Time" were written about different relationships and in different circumstances, they both had one goal, to know and understand that other person for the first time.