Wes Early Life Research Paper

The first environment that readers can analyze between the two Wes Moore’s is the lack of a father influence. Author Wes Moore grew up in Baltimore, Maryland with a family who seemed to have everything in place. Wes looked up to his father in many ways even as a young child. “I tried to copy his walk, his expressions. I was his main man. He was my protector” (Moore 11). Wes tells readers in the story that

Once babies are grown in test tubes, there would be no need for parents and therefore vanish the incredible bond between the mother, father, and child. The childhood of a child that was grown in a test tube would be completely unconventional, since that child would not have loving parents to teach them anything. Adults raised this way would grow up to be unusual as a result of not knowing what love is since people first know about love because of the love between them and their parents. The adults grown from test tubes would most likely be independent and isolated from the rest of the world because they would not have created a bond with anyone or even interacted with anyone as a child.

The author reveals that he hung out with the wrong people which afforded him to be arrested by the police due to vandalism. Because of this incident, the author Wes was sent to Valley Forge, a military school in Philadelphia. The author claims that the author Wes had a difficult time at first and had tried to escape the school several times; but when he discovered that his mother and his grandparents sacrificed a lot just to send him there, he decided to stay and eventually became a platoon leader. However, Moore states that the other Wes got involved with the use and distribution of drugs, like his brother Tony. The author mentions that the other Wes got his girlfriend pregnant and adds that the news of early fatherhood made him frustrated. Moore states that the other Wes stopped attending school and expanded his drug selling business. The author states that the other Wes was arrested for selling drugs to a police

“The Other Wes Moore” is a story that follows two boys with the exact same name who start off living very similar lives in Baltimore, Maryland. One of the boys live on to be an extremely successful man and the other one is living the rest of his life behind bars. The two men wondered how their strikingly similar path diverged into two completely different fates and then an argument formed. Are people products of their choices or their environment and expectations thrown upon them? The book proves that people are products of their choices. Both Wes Moores were raised by a single mom in the tough streets of Baltimore and they both were rebellious children who got arrested at a young age. Their similarities lessened as their choices and their mom’s choices contrasted. The more fortunate Wes was sent to Military school and he chose to make the most of it and become the best version of himself. His determination and hard work trumped his previous hooligan mindset, therefore his future was bright and fulfilling. The other Wes chose to follow his brother,

During my observation at the preschool here at Harper, I looked around and realized a lot of similarities and differences it has; compared to other daycare and preschool centers. The age of children in the room I observed was ages 3-5 with one lead teacher, and depending on the ratio of how many kids showed up on that day, about three or four helping teachers. The program was set up to a very open, happy and overwhelming setting. Every furniture and object in the room had a sign saying what it was, and then underneath the typed out word was the children’s way of writing what the object was. For example, a book shelf was in the corner of the room; on the book shelf was the word printed out “Book

Wes #1 grew up without his father; his father died near the beginning of the story with a rare disease. Wes #1 did not understand the responsibility that he would have to uphold until he got older because he was only three years old. Wes #1 needed a father figure because he needed a manly structure in his life. Even though Wes already had a loving mother, willing to play both roles as a mother and father, a mother can only do but so much. Young men need fathers/father figures because they help out with the things mothers can not explain. This takes us back to the subject of environment and family, because Wes #1 had a environment that strived off of respect, he had a family that strived off of doing the right thing.

The occasional frustration in being a bigger person and the ability of a person to grow over time are expressed through the literary devices tone and direct characterization to further develop the importance of rising above challenges in The Other Wes Moore. When Wes was a high schooler at Valley Forge, he became such a high ranking cadet that he was granted more freedom than he had years prior. With this freedom Wes walked to town with his friend of similar ranking, Dalio. On a walk to the pizza parlor Dalio and Wes were harassed because of their skin color and were left running back to their camp in dissatisfaction. Wes felt extreme frustration in allowing the white boy to treat him with such disrespect “because after being called a nigger and having [his] tooth broken, [he had] decided to flee back to campus” (Moore 121). The anger that is conveyed through Moore’s tone exemplifies how unhappy he was to

In the book, both boys have a point in their lives where they try to clean up their acts. For the author, this is the military school his mother sends him to; for the other Wes, it is trying to get a job and support his family. The difference here is that, though it was difficult for both boys, the author did not give up. When everything became too much, the other Wes went crawling back to his old life in the drug trade, while the author decided to let the school help him, even after he ran away multiple times. As a result of this, the author got back on track, while the other Wes dug himself deeper into a life of crime. These two men turned out so differently despite coming from the same town, single parent households, and being in trouble with the law repeatedly at very young ages. The author, Wes ended up a very successful man with many accomplishments, and a published book. The other Wes ended up in prison charged with

Moore uses indirect characterization to show readers the influence that “The Other Wes’” mother had on him, “She was only twenty seven years old, and despite having two sons, . . . she was still young enough to enjoy partying, dancing, and being noticed by men. . . much to the chagrin of her family and friends who ended up watching the boys so many nights” (Moore 19), because of her actions, she is characterized as neglectful and irresponsible. The woman’s “activities” not only serve as a negative example for her son, but they have significant psychological effects on him as well. This combined with the absence of his father inspired actions which lead to him being incarcerated for the rest of his life. Wes, on the other hand, despite having a similar background, had very different role models. Wes’ mother had done everything to keep him out of trouble. She even forced him to attend a military school hundreds of miles away after he got into trouble with the police and slacking off in school. Wes had his grandparents, his mother, and leaders at military school to guide him on the right path. He despised his school at first, but eventually we can see that the environment and the people played a key role in making him successful. Moore illustrates this change through imagery, “ My back stood straight, and my sentences now ended with "sir" or "ma 'am." My military garrison cap was intentionally a size too big, forcing me to keep my head up, walking taller

The author Wes had and accomplished goals. Specific achievements he’s made include, military school, getting acknowledged for his basketball talent, and receiving the Rhodes Scholarship. It all started when his mom decided to put him in military school. It took time for Wes to accept the military ways. Later the acceptance would cause him to actually “enjoy the school”(130). He’d work his way up from plebe to “paratrooper”(130). Wes was “one of the youngest officers in the entire United States Military”(134). It was a huge, story worthy experience for Wes. His high school sports career was astonishing too, enough for “The New York Times to run a two-page article”(130) about it. Eventually, the publication of his well-doing, “attracted colleges”(130) and gave him a chance to play with “NBA members, like Kobe Bryant”(130).

    One central difference to think about when looking at the two individuals is the fact that Wes has a more supporting mother than Wes (2), in a person’s life a mother is so important and can be looked as a blessing. A mother is the one that supposed to be the person that takes great care of you and guides you,  and to teach what’s right from wrong. The author’s mother was much more supportive for her son, Wes acknowledges, “Every time I looked  around at the buildings and the trees and the view of the river, I was reminded of the sacrifices my mother was making to keep me there.” (Moore 52). Due to this quote, we can conclude that Wes’s mother, although struggling at the time, found a way to put her child in the best possible route in education. Wes presents it as kind of an understatement, however, from his mother doing this, it affects his life so much. By being put in a excellent school, it offers many more opportunities than that of the other Wes and he can gather a lot more help/exposure to guide him toward a bright future. On the other hand, we have Wes (2) that is lost and seems as if he just can’t find his way, “Young boys are more likely to believe in themselves if they know that there’s someone, somewhere, who shares that belief. To carry the

One’s childhood has a lasting impact on their entire life. Moore’s upbringing and the loving family he was born into, no matter how trivial it may seem, greatly contributed to his success. Wes seemingly grew up the same as any other kid in the Bronx – in a single-parent household, surrounded by bad influences… what separated him from the crowd? His support system: his family, and their ultimate support and sacrifices made all the difference. As a teenager, Wes seemed to be going down the wrong path. He constantly skipped school, his academic failures were overwhelming, and he was even arrested for vandalism. In the case of the other Wes, his family simply let these actions slide, and decision after decision ultimately landed him with a life sentence in prison. The author Wes’s mother, however, refused to allow this behavior to continue. As a method of intervention, she forced Moore to attend Valley Forge, and in doing so, probably saved his career. The extent of his family’s sacrifice was evident on page 95 when Wes realized that “my grandparents took the money they had in the home in the Bronx, decades of savings and mortgage payments, and gave it to my mother

The novel, “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates”, by Westley Moore, is about the lives of two men with similar names, neighborhoods, and growing up in the wrong direction. Westley struggle with academics and behavior; so he was sent to Valley Forge Military School. He ends up as an army officer, a graduate of John Hopkins University, and a White House fellow. Wes struggle financially, which led him to sell drugs, a thief, and a convicted killer. The choice that they make determines the encounters that they deal with. The important factors that caused Westley to become successful in life while Wes ended up in prison for life are support of the mother, military school, and opportunities. Readers should care about this topic because,

In order for the Wes’s to get respect, they need to show they are worthy. While the author was in private school he tried to gain respect by beating up other students and he tried to link up with the children in the “cool” crowd. This did not work very well for Wes, he was considered to be in a decent family. His mother was strict and tried everything to get him to stop with his attitude. Along with that Wes had a strict curfew, he was to be home when the street lights came on and he knew to follow that. Where the other Wes tried to earn credit by fight, smoking marijuana, drinking, and eventually getting involved with the distribution of drugs. His family was more street run, they were disorganized and lacked consideration for other. With his father choosing to not be involved his family is more prone to physical and verbal punishment, which showed Wes that everything can be solved with

He then decides to join the school of military and then be enlisted in the armed forces. At the beginning, it seemed as if he was not cut out for the armed forces, but he found acceptance was with time. After being involved in war, he toughened up (CW, 2010). After he served his time in the war, Wes left the military as a veteran and got into business while pursuing all the opportunities that he could get.