The Ideal Role Model In The Other Wes Moore

The Other Wes Moore is an autobiography by Wes Moore: who stumbled upon another man with a name that was a carbon copy of his. Curious, Wes Moore decided to research this man’s past only to find out that they had grown in similar neighborhoods and with identical backgrounds (both lacking a father figure). Except, their fates were entirely different and in each story a turning point occurred that ushered greatness for one but desolation for the other.

Wes Moore could’ve easily had the Other Wes Moores life by the littlest changes both of their lives could have been very different in many different ways. “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” This is true because their choices are what led them to where they ended up at in the end, one ended up very successful and the other Wes Moore ended up in prison.

Growing up in Chicago, I attended a neighborhood school from preschool through first grade. Although it was an exceptional school for elementary kids, the education for middle school and high school students was not as adequate. Seeking a better place to raise their children, my parents were faced with a tough choice. When I was in 2nd grade, our family made the decision to move to the suburbs. On July 3rd, we all packed into our Honda minivan and drove 45 minutes to a new home in the town of Winnetka. Within my first year at Crow Island, my new school, I learned so many new things. I started playing the violin and speaking Spanish, neither of which were offered at my old school. I met my best friends that I'm still close with now. Over the

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.

In The Other Wes Moore, both Wes and the author, Moore, faced challenges because of things such as poverty, housing, and education. In terms of Wes, he had it much worse. In the first chapter of the book, when Wes is talking about his father, he says, “By Saturday afternoon we found out that he had died from acute epiglottis, a rare but treatable virus that causes the epiglottis to swell and cover the air passages to the lungs. Untreated because of the earlier misdiagnosis, my father’s body suffocated itself” (Moore 15). This is the first big event that occurred in Wes’s life that definitely influenced the person he turned into.

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 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

Humans have come to  a conclusion that all lives are different, but all go through many hardships and tragedies. The impact from a slight difference can vary to be very huge to very small, such a slight difference however, can change a person’s life as a whole. In the book, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore there is a difference that can be identified between the author’s life and that of the other Wes. This difference though, can be very critical and is ultimately able to lead to a path of triumph or failure for an individual. The lack of involvement a mother has for their child can fundamentally deprive them from succeeding, and parent involvement has the opportunity to play a huge role in college success by giving

The other Wes Moore is also considered to be deviant by his poor decision-making and careless choices. He dropped out of school, sold drugs, participated in a robbery of a jewelry store, and was a convicted murderer with a life sentence. There was many sociological factors that led to the other Wes Moore’s deviant behavior; the absence of his father being an important factor. Although both the author Wes Moore and the other Wes Moore grew up without a father, it affected the other Wes Moore a little more considering the fact that his father chose not to be in his life. Also, Tony had a big impact on the decision he made for himself. Throughout the story, Wes would remember what Tony told him about demanding respect. “Send a message,” And Wes would do as Tony said. The problem with the other Wes Moore was that he lacked positive influences in his life and he had no motivation to live a better life until it was too late.

This true story is based on two African American males who grew up with many similarities but landed a completely different outcome in life. One of the main similarities is their name, Wes Moore. Both Wes Moore’s grew up in a fatherless home, born in the same neighborhood of Baltimore during the 1970’s, and both were handcuffed before age 11. The same question remains. How did one end up as a scholar, veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader and the other one end up serving a life sentence for a robbery that ended in the murder of a police officer? The book reflects how developmental psychology is implemented by focusing on the physical, social, and cultural environments influence developments that occur over time.

“The other Wes Moore”, written by Wes Moore portrays the life of two different characters; who coincidently have the same name. The two characters both were African Americans struggling in poverty without the support of a competent father. Despite having the same name and a similar background, the two different people live two very different lives due to the decisions they have made in their lifetime. These two different narratives were told to depict the struggles of the African Americans with different environments, opportunities and role models, and how these aspects affect their development.

The Other Wes Moore focuses on two men both named Wes Moore. They have both lead lives that were similar to each other as they grew up in fatherless homes in the inner cities of Baltimore and the Bronx. However, the two ended up taking very different paths and through the book you see a shift for the good in the author Wes’s life path, while the other Wes’s path takes a turn for the worst. Both of the two grew up on the street, dealing drugs, skipping school, and making poor choices. While both Wess’ had figures in their lives that tried to keep them on the right path, such as author Wes’s mom, Joy, or other Wes’s brother ,Tony, they continued down dark paths. These things lead to the author Wes being sent to military school by his mom, who throughout the book is constantly trying to get Wes the best education that she can. The other Wes never got this change and stayed on the street and is now in jail for life for being involved with a robbery gone wrong where a cop ended up getting shot. After attending military school at Valley Forge Military Academy, author Wes improved his grades, became a decorated solider, and a Rhodes Scholar. The two paths split dramatically in the book but the choices and roles easily could have been reversed had the either of the two made a few different choices while they were growing up. Author Wes was able to give up dealing drugs, while the other Wes was never able to afford giving it up, even though he tried several times,

In “The Other Wes Moore” there was many people that helped him along the way and had an impact on the other Wes Moore's life. Some of those people were Wes dad Westly, Joy his mother, Grandparents, and Colonel Bratt. Even though Wes may not have known some of these people for a long time, or they may not have been the greatest role model for him at times, every single one of them had a part in making him who he is today. To me the person that impacted him the most would be Joy Wes’s mother.