The Paradox of Life
A story of two beings with destinies determined by simple choices, those that seemed insignificant at the time, The Other Wes Moore has been written to portray how foolish ideals can be evermore changing, enough for one to have a life-sentence. The author Wes Moore establishes a distinct contradiction, one in which the Other Wes Moore’s willingness to bring about a change is conceded by his family’s simple inclination to thrive in a world like his own. Using displays of particularly pathos and semantics, Wes communicates this paradox to the reader with an ease that forms binding connections rippling in the wake of this realization.
Throughout the book, the Other Wes Moore constantly struggles to make decisions that, in the end, will leave him and his counterparts satisfied with the outcomes. Rather than this result occurring at almost every
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By using implications, the author provides us with a sense of hypocrisy. Even as the Other Wes walks through his old neighborhood, now as an adult, he seems “amazed as he watched how little the game had changed” (Moore 145). The choices that the Other Wes made are still being made in the same part of town, yet he seems surprised at the idea of such an occurrence. As a result, we are confronted with a dilemma, one in which he realizes that no matter how many years pass by or how many detours he makes down this road, the Other Wes ends up looking through the lenses of his old self. For him, nothing has changed, but the Other Wes has forgotten that he is now the one to bring about this change. His failure to discern this fact reiterates this hypocrisy, which thereby adds to this mere contradiction. The veil of the Job Corps had finally worn off, yet the Other Wes’s realization of such had been too late. This paradox, at this point in time, is merely a realization of his mistakes, of his
In his book, “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” Wes Moore (2011) tells a true story about two men from Baltimore who have identical names but have different outcomes in life. He also illustrates the similarities of their life’s situations when they were younger, the decisions they made in life and their impacts, and the roads they took that ultimately led them to where they are today.
“One name, two fates,” that what the author of the Other Wes Moore stated on the cover of his book. Two boys that were born in the same neighborhood in Baltimore, and had a difficult childhood since they both grew up fatherless. The coincidence was that the two boys were called Wes. They both shared a lot of similarities from living in a poor neighborhood and growing up in Baltimore street corners with their squads. However, their futures were completely different as one achieved the impossible and the other was a convicted murderer serving a life sentence. People may think that how could this happen since they both were living the same circumstances. However, in the book Wes Moore, the boys did not have equal opportunities in terms of parenting, education, and environment.
Throughout “The other Wes Moore”, The Wes’ were faced with surprisingly similar situations that were handled in very different ways. These situations were key turning points in each of their lives and shaped them into who they are. Even though each Wes had hardships in their environment and faced many trials and tribulations, ultimately, their choices during these times are what produced each Wes. Because of their series of different choices that each Wes Moore made during their lifetime and the outcome of their choices, we are not just products of our environments, but also products of the choices we make.
A person’s success or failure can be determined by their environment, education, choices; a number of different things. The autobiography The Other Wes Moore takes a look at two boys with the same name and eerily similar circumstances who end up in very different places in life. Wes Moore spoke at convocation about his book and what he hoped that people would get from it. In the book he says “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” (Moore xi). These two men didn’t share the same fate because they each made a choice about what they wanted their life to become. The book truly demonstrates how the choices you make, make you. One Wes
In conclusion, both Wes Moore’s had critical moments and different standpoints throughout the entirety of their lives. Though they both had individual accountabilities it was the choices that they individually made that ultimately determined there fates. “Wes and I stared at each other for a moment, surrounded by the evidence that some kids were forced to become adults prematurely. These incarnated men, before they’d even reached a point of basic maturity, had flagrantly-and tragically-squandered the few opportunities they’d
In the book, The Other Wes Moore it is difficult to believe the great similarities in the lives of the two Moores, who share a name and other aspects of life. The two were raised fatherless and were born in the late 1970’s in the neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. They also happen to have encountered similar experiences when growing up, but at one point one of them became a criminal and the other a scholar (the author of the book). The author of the book seems to be interested in the similarities of the two boys as opposed to their different experiences. The story is interesting and makes one imagine what would have become of the writer if he did not by any chance come across the people who guided him to become what
“I sat back, allowing Wes's words to sink in. Then I responded, "I guess it's hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chances"(Page 67). In "The Other Wes Moore" the environment of both Wes Moore's were completely different from each other. They both made some stupid decisions over time but who is perfect? It is expected of everyone to make some mistakes, in my opinion the main influence on their choices came from their environment. In their environment they had peers that would influence them to do things that they did not necessarily want to do. This caused them to get into trouble, but at the same token, their environment also gave them some opportunities to make it through some rough times. For Example: Wes #2
Wes Moore, the author of “The Other Wes Moore” had many accomplishments in his life. He however gained notoriety with this book it was a New York Times best seller. In Chapter 7, the main idea is that two people living in the same environment had different outcomes in their lives by making entirely different decisions on how to deal with the adversities they faced in their lives. These decisions led to the lives that they ultimately lived. The tone was intense and high energy to begin with but then seemed to turn neutral in both men’s stories. The purpose is to inform the reader how the same environment can take two people and based on their decisions lead to very different out comes in life. The author takes each man’s thoughts and show how
The theme that every decision made leads one down an irreversible path can be seen several times in the novel The Other Wes Moore. Wes, when caught attempting to escape military school, is brought back and allowed a brief phone call with his mother. He uses this chance to plead to his mother to let him return home, to which Mary replies, "too many people [had] sacrificed in order for [him] to be there" (Moore 95). This quote references the theme by indicating that all decisions have unchangeable consequences. By Mary’s order, Wes stays in military school, which ultimately turns him around as a person completely. Mary’s strong decision causes Wes to become a better person. Later on in the book, the theme is once again illustrated when Wes is caught tagging. After Wes and Shea are put into the back of a police cruiser, Wes has a large revelation about life
Being that the scholar Wes Moore was bound to be on the better path than the other Wes Moore was a given. The scholar Wes Moore had components in his early life that influenced him to be on the right path. He was able to be see both sides of things and have a sense of direction and create a role model for himself. He was also able to recognize the efforts both his family and his mother has made in the past to help him in the future. There were times where he could have took the wrong path but with his ability to be a loyal and responsible person, he chose to stay on track.
“This is a story of two boys living in Baltimore with similar histories and an identical name: Wes Moore. One of us is free… The other will spend every day until his death behind bars...” (Moore, XI) In The Other Wes Moore, the author, Wes Moore, and the other Wes Moore both grew up in similar, yet different, circumstances and had completely different outcomes. This captivating narrative demonstrates how the choices you make, make you. In the introduction, the author Wes Moore validates this statement by saying, “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” (Moore XI) The author, Wes Moore, shows the readers that a person’s environment, circumstances, education (or lack
How do two boys with the same name who live within the same community end up with lives on two completely different paths? The author, Wes Moore, begins life in a tough Baltimore neighborhood and ends up a Rhodes Scholar, Wall Streeter, White House Fellow, etc. The other Wes Moore starts in the same place in Baltimore but ends up in prison FOR LIFE.
Life is an interesting journey full of many paths with twist and turns and unknown fates. People can create a path all of their own or follow in someone else’s footsteps, but fate will lead the way, take control and direct them to where they should be. In the book ‘The Other Wes Moore.’ two men leading separate lives almost met the same fate. They grew up blocks away from each other with similar circumstances. Both grew up fatherless and participating in the same activities, one Wes Moore went on to become a Rhodes Scholar while the other Wes Moore met his fate, leading him to a jail cell. How can two people go from living nearly identical lives to now walking in different shoes and on separate paths? Throughout the book Wes Moore discusses
This story can be the best example of how one thing can be approached by two different dimensions. Theuth was the one who was considering only the
This is a clear parallel to the role of the “enlightened one” mentioned in the lecture. Again, instead of blatantly informing the viewers of the social identity crisis, the director used metaphor and analogy to subtly express the same