The Other Wes Moore Analysis

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.

“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

“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

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.

Which Wes Moore is which? The other Wes Moore is a real life story that took place in Baltimore, Maryland around the 2000’s. This book captivates its audience through the emotional appealing of both stories that were so similar but yet so different from each other. The other Wes Moore has been on both, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling lists as well as having a big impact in African-American culture.

“The other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore, is a book that follows the surreal and vindicating lives of two young men that lived in Baltimore; both by the same name, Wes Moore. The author presents that while him and the ‘other Wes Moore,’ may have been in very similar circumstances both being black males with no father figure, growing up in New York, playing sports, the outcome of their lives has been drastically different. While he has come to be a successful author, White House Fellow, business leader and influential public figure, the ‘other Wes Moore’ was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, in June of 2001, for the murder of a Baltimore County Police Sergeant. The author forms a relationship with this ‘other Wes Moore’, leading

Independent Reading Essay Charlie Acquart 10/19/16 Mrs. Jakubka Period 3 The Other Wes Moore The book "The Other Wes Moore" is about two young men that experienced childhood difficulties that were similar however wound up driving themselves into altogether different lives. The creator Wes Moore has turned into an exceptional businessman, and has been perceived as a Rhodes Scholar, White House Fellow, and respectable veteran.

The book The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, is a story of loss, regret and childhood innocence. These ideas are reinforced by the iconic lines, “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” This idea of how temperamental and volatile life is, is shown through the slow blurring of good and bad within the wes’. This book shows that a person’s entire outlook and trajectory in life can be changed with a few small decisions.

In The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore is a story about Wes Moore, the author and Wes, who became a drug dealer. They both grew up in the same environment and similar neighborhoods. From the books slogan “One Name, Two Fates” is referring to how both could have same or different fates. Author Wes and Other Wes could have easily had different outcomes of their lives if they had made different choices. The factors that led author Wes Moore to success and the other Wes Moore to jail is, strong and weak support from parents, good and bad mentors, and vision, how far did they think about their future.

As readers know, both Wes Moore’s do not come from ideal circumstances. Sadly, both of their fathers were not present for the majority of their lives. One father dead and the other fled. On top of the unfortunate lack of a father figure, the boys grew up in rough neighborhoods with drugs, theft, murder and lies surrounding them daily. The circumstances were far from perfection. Therefore fate and circumstances dictate our life…right? Wrong. Look at the different places the men ended up. One man sits in a jail cell, while the other man travels the world speaking and leading. Choice actually has a major role.

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make as ultimately our own responsibility” (Eleanor Roosevelt). Two boys with almost identical childhoods have made decisions in their lives that have changed them forever. Both named Wes Moore, the men lead polar opposite lives now because of the choices made as teens. While the mothers of the two, Joy and Mary, struggled to support their family and make the right decisions, the Wes Moores had extremely contrasting educations, and their family life and support was somewhat similar, but had many stark differences.

Although the two Wes Moores had similar backgrounds, there are many reasons as to why their lives took very different paths. One of the key reasons they had different lives is that the author Wes Moore had a hard working mother and sisters which made him respect women. The other Wes had a very lazy mother and no sisters, therefore, he did not respect women very well. The author Wes’ father died when he was little and the other Wes’ father left him when he was young. Author Wes’ mother forcefully sent him to military school to get him on the right track and the other Wes followed his older brother Tony into drug dealing.

In the first chapter of “The Other Wes Moore” the author Moore talks about both his and the other Wes Moore’s childhood; including what each of their parents had to go through at the time. Moore discusses how similar their childhood was in that they both grew up with the absence of their fathers, and how both their mothers wanted to give them the life they never had.

Spartanburg High School introduced author and Goodreads Choice Awards Best Memoir & Autobiography nominee, Wes Moore. Not only is he an author, he’s also a social entrepreneur, producer, political analyst, and decorated US Army officer. He has appeared on numerous national broadcasts, wether it was from: Oprah, CBS Sunday Morning, The View, Syndicated Solutions, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Ebony Magazine, USA Today, People, Essence, and many more. He’s not only known from the broadcasts he has been featured on, but from one of his New York Times Bestsellers book, The Other Wes Moore. During his lecture he gives us a brief summary about his childhood. He tells how he saw his father killed in front of him and how he and his sisters grew up in

“Our roots help to determine our routes” - (Dr. Cornel West, 185). Growing up fatherless in a rough neighborhood filled with drugs and violence, coming home to a family that is broken by domestic violence and poverty, not really having anyone to look up to. Living a life with as many troubles as all of these, can really make a person feel like there is no good in this world, and therefore that there is nothing to look forward to about the future. The other Wes Moore needed help but there was no one that could save him from the upcoming troubles he had to face.