Sometimes as people we need a little push to get us going. When a writer begins to write, there is usually some motivation behind it. Motivation is the act of giving somebody a reason or an incentive to complete a task. This incentive can be as minute as the satisfaction that comes after the completion of a novel, or on the grander scheme, the idea that the book can change the world. The authors Ntozake Shange and John Wideman lived two different lives and told two different stories, but their motivation for writing was the same. Based on the readings from Wideman's Brothers and Keepers and Shange's Betsey Brown, the motivation behind their writing was to educate the reader through the conveyed story.

John Wideman wrote his novel, Brothers and Keepers, to remind his readers to never forget who they are and to never give up hope. The...