Autobiography Assignment: A Reflection on Oscar Lee's Life

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Added on  2022/10/10

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Homework Assignment
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This autobiography presents the life of Mr. Oscar Lee, an organic farmer from Alabama, as recounted through an interview by his son. The narrative details his strong connection to the land, his rejection of chemical fertilizers in favor of traditional farming methods, and his pride in his Alabamian identity, contrasting it with the city of Birmingham. It explores the challenges and rewards of his farming choices, the unwavering support of his wife, Dorothy, and his eventual recognition for his commitment to organic practices. The interview highlights his perspectives on the values of the USA and his preference for a natural way of life, emphasizing his love for the soil and the importance of preserving the identity of Alabama. The piece concludes with his succinct and passionate responses during the interview, reflecting his deep-rooted beliefs and illustrating the essence of his character.
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Autobiography
Fade in
It was very difficult for me to convince my father for an interview, that too where he is
required to face a live camera. He is not camera-shy, why should he be? My father, Mr. Oscar
Lee, a man in his late 40’s, tall, fair and an athletic build with well-toned shoulders, he never
went to a Gym, according to him the Jungles of Alabama are the biggest gym in the world.
My mother, Dorothy Lee always supported him blindly whenever he said that” it is not
Birmingham, it is Alabama. Birmingham is only a small pocket of the land of Alabama and
the rest of Alabama is full of natural treasure”. He probably hates the wealth of Bermingham
because most of his childhood friends are now serving as a part of the “service economy” of
Bermingham. They have been given the uniforms of Janitors and waiter and lost their
Alabamian identity completely into the city of tamed, uniformed and civilized livestock.
In the year 1901 when the planners of Alabama were developing Birmingham as the heart of
the state, they were not aware of the fact that by the year 2019, the city of Birmingham will
become the calling card of this great land of Alabama. Bermingham became a big city and
Alabama paid the price by losing its own identity.
In the year 1960 when my grandfather decided to settle in Alabama, everybody was against
it. But my father loved this place. Although the books of history say Alabamian population
suffered from misery and poverty because agriculture was their main occupation, my father
never had any such experience. I am a “son of the soil” he always says, he is ahead of his
times, when rest of the farmers in the area were seeking for chemical fertilizers, my father
decided to stick to the conventional ways of farming. The local club of Jackson County
always found my father in a jovial mood during the evenings. When he refused to entertain
Chemical fertilizers, most of his friends in the Jackson County club tried to convince him.
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Next two years were full of poverty and misery for us, but my mother Dorothy Lee, in her
late 30’s, pretty, calm slightly obese, and cent percent simpleton, never complained about
anything. After the arrival of chemical fertilizers and specialized seeds, the farmers of
Jackson County rejoiced because of the bumper crop that they received with the help of the
joint efforts of Mother Nature and chemical fertilizers. Females in the village purchased
expensive Nylon cloths from the big shops of Birmingham; some of them purchased the
standard model of Ford Fiesta which was the economic most car of that era.
The friend’s of Dorothy often told her that she should put some brain in the head of her
husband so that he can start using Chemical fertilizer. Dorothy always told them that she is
not greedy or ambitious, she is quite happy with what she has. She defended Oscar on all the
occasions, by presenting him as a visionary. The friends of Dorothy, on the other hand, felt
that Oscar is a myopic, “overconfident fool”. Dorothy always ignored those taunting voices.
Twenty-five years ago she got married to Oscar after a brief affair when Oscar helped her
father in setting up a new wood house. Dorothy can still remember, it was “love at first
sight”, his broad shoulders, and his baritone voice and to top that his manly mannerisms,
everything was magical to her.
She was unaware of the fact that it was the same case of “love at first sight” for Oscar as
well. He decided to support Dorothy’s father with an anticipation that this charity will help
him in coming a little closer to each other.
Unlike Birmingham or New York, people in Alabama love to interfere in the matters of the
other, it was the same case with Dorothy’s father. Eighty percent of Alabama’s villagers were
in favor that Oscar and Dorothy should get married. The makers of chemical fertilizers often
take resort in a glamorous advertisement where they deliberately give the message that
additional crops given by the fertilizer will help them in fighting against the evil of poverty
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and migration. But it was a different case for Jackson county and they realized it two years
later.
Two years later, farmers of Jackson County realized that chemical fertilizers are like Opium
for their field. The soil of the fields lost the majority of its fertility. With the passage of time,
while facing poverty, most of them decided to move to Birmingham where they can become a
part of the “service economy” of the city. My father once again told them that within a year
or two the soil will gain back its fertility. However, most of them were hand to mouth and it
was essential for them to earn good bucks in a big city nearby.
Fifteen years down the line, I received this call from my editor that I am required to interview
a certain Mr. Oscar, I asked why he told me that Mr. Oscar has set an example of “ organic
farming” and soon the state government of Alabama wants to felicitate him. The official
news is still in the pipeline before it becomes a public affair, I must interview Mr. Oscar.
After initial hesitation Mr. Jackson agreed to give an interview to me, he said that he is
giving this interview to his son otherwise he hates media and camera. Did I say why? He
said that he doesn’t want to look fake and talk on fake issues on local television. He was quite
right in his view. National media of USA has this great talent of hiding the truth and fact
under the wrapper of false agenda. This time they were trying to introduce a few success
stories that can make the US proud.
This is one thing about this country that I like my most. The USA allows us to celebrate our
ordinariness. My father is a true US citizen by all the possible standards, his love for his
motherland Alabama, his strong bent towards natural and organic ways of living. His sense of
pride in himself, everything denotes US culture. If you ask the same question about my
mother, I will say that mothers are the same everywhere.
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I managed a traditional looking chair as the hot seat and fixed my hut house as the backdrop
for the interview. When I tried to apply some makeup on his face, he bluntly refused by
saying that “please don’t apply this chemical garbage on my face. Jungles of Alabama offer
more beauty product than big cosmetic companies.
Here I realized that he should look like a farmer as it will project a better image of the village
and the vulnerabilities attached to it. Finally, I tucked a lapel Mic in his shirt and started my
interview. At that point of the time, I was not aware of the fact that someday it is going to be
the shortest interview of my career.
I asked the first question, Mr. Oscar, please tell us something about yourself.
He said, My name is Oscar Jackson, I am the son of the soil of Alabama, I am an organic
farmer since last twenty years. Birmingham is not Alabama, visit Jackson County and I will
show you the real Alabama. Period!
Pure, true to heart, unadulterated and full of enthusiasm and pride, besides being the shortest
interview of my journalism career, I also remember this interview as the only organic
interview that I recorded.
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