The+Other+Wes+Moore

Please write a brief response to the book in which you provide a quote that you consider interesting, puzzling, or provocative, and create a question based on that quote that might provide meaningful discussion. Remember to place the quote in context the way you would in a summer reading journal.

//The Other Wes Moore// was an intense novel that gave me an entirely new perspective on what is happening in the world around us. These boys had very similar childhoods. Both are missing their father, get caught up with drugs, and are named Wes Moore, obviously. Yet, the author goes on to become very successful while the other Wes Moore is sentenced to a life in prison. It's chilling to think about how a few mistakes can determine the rest of your life, and this book is a prime example of that. In the book, Wes Moore said something that really struck me, "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.'"(67) This made me think, is it good to think and act like it's your last chance? Will it change your actions and/or the rest of your life? - Ana Olbrych

//The Other Wes Moore// was an eye-opening novel that showed me how two people with similar backgrounds could end up in different directions. The first Wes Moore was given an opportunity to turn his life around, and he succeeded. Unfortunately the other Wes Moore was not so lucky and ended up continuing down his treacherous path and winded up in jail. The appearance of a good support system seems to be the main difference between the first and second Wes Moore’s. It can be seen how much the narrator’s mother wanted him so desperately to change and how much she really loves him in the quote, “I knew my mother was considering sending me away, but I never thought she’d actually do it” (87). With this quote in mind, what do you think would have happened to the other Wes Moore if he was given a second chance to change his ways? - Victoria Hills

//The Other Wes Moore// is a thought provoking novel that introduces various significant themes concerning the topics of choice, fate, and environmental influence. It demonstrates the defining process of two separate lives constructed by the decisions made by each Wes Moore, emphasizing that however many second chances you are granted, if the decisions you make remain stagnant, the ultimate choice you make determines the outcome of your destiny. Although they attain opposing mindsets, the author provides evidence that both Wes Moores understand the fact that once second chances have been wasted, they lose their meaning. We gather this evidence from the following quote spoken by the Wes in jail directed to Wes the author, “From everything you told me, both of us did some pretty wrong stuff when we were younger. And both of us had second chances. But if the situation or the context where you make the decisions don’t change, then second chances don’t mean too much, huh?” (p.66) This quote raises questions about the chances previously distributed to the Wes in jail, and if he took advantage of them. Would his life have played out differently? Who gave him his second chances and what influence did that person have on him? The author’s prosperous future may have been handed to him the moment he was sent to military school, the moment he made good out of his second chance. The alternate Wes may have destroyed his future by disregarding his second chances. The philosophical theory of existentialism could play a role in this situation, stressing that your choices define who you will become, but it still leaves us questioning who the other Wes Moore may have transformed into and how his future could have evolved differently if he benefited from his second chances. -Elizabeth McGehee

//The Other Wes Moore// was a unique and eye-opening book to read//.// It shows how two men who share the same name and experienced the same struggles throughout their lives, can end up so different from eachother. It was bizarre how they both struggled and faced many obstacles during their childhood, but Wes Moore just had the support of a family who pushed him to be better and go down that right path formed him into becoming someone great. Wes Moore's life changed once he was sent off to military school, and then became a Rhodes Scholar in 2000, retired army veteran, White House fellow, and a business leader. The other Wes Moore had drug problems, not a strong support system, ran into problems often with police, and then ran from the police after a convicted murder. It amazes me though how they both grew up in a town in Maryland, hung out with similar crews in similar places, both were fatherless at a young age, but both had chances to change who they were and wanted to be. "I guess it's hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chances"(67). The other Wes Moore had many chances and opportunities to become something, but ruined all his possibilities of achieving something at such a young age. All of his chances squandered and everything between his second and last chance was ruined, because he didn't take advantage of his second chance leading to failure. Wes Moore took advantage of his first chance to change and get out of trouble by going to military school. //The Other Wes Moore// made me so thankful for the life i live and to grasp any opportunities i am unsure about in life, because you never know what it may lead to. -Catherine Worthy

//The Other Wes Moore// has one of the most interesting plots of any book I have ever read. Just the concept of pulling himself up by his boot-straps to become a Rhodes Scholar and a retired army vet and writing about his struggles he pushed through on his way there would make for a best seller on its own, but the insane twist of having another kid just like Westley with the same background become a convicted murderer makes this book unlike anything else you can find in a library or on Amazon Kindle today. On top of that this other kid, who is a year older than Westley, is also from the same town inMaryland and has the same name. While reading this book a question occurred to me regarding the succesful Westley. I wondered how his path to success would have been effected if he met the “Other Wes” early on in his life instead of just hearing about him after his successes. Maybe Westley would have steered his counter part away from the mistakes he made and kept him from serving a life sentence in prison or maybe even the “Other Wes” might have steered our protagonist away from his successful path and into the gutter like himself. We may never know what really would have happened if these two met when they were essentially doppelgangers as kids and that is the beauty of this book. As poet Robert Frost would say, the successfulWest Moore took “the road less travelled” through choosing to buckle down and start really studying and caring about school in his mid teens. How is it a road less travelled you might ask? It is because very few people can say that they beat the odds of poverty and fully made a name for themselves let alone become a Rhode’s Scholar, write a New York Times best seller, and a talk-show host before he turned forty. --Alex Dahlstrom

// The Other Wes Moore // was a very intriguing book to read. It left me thoughtful about my own life and what it would be like to have someone who shared your name and acted almost as a doppelganger throughout your life. It's hard to imagine how someone who shares your name and background can end up so differently than you. This book really made me realize how important a support system is. Wes Moore was able to succeed because he had people who never gave up on him and continued to push him. He got out of the bad environment that he grew up in and became a Rhodes scholar and veteran. The other Wes Moore never strayed from his background and continued on the rocky path. "From everything you told me, both of us did some pretty wrong stuff when we were younger. And both of us had second chances. But if the situation or the context where you make decisions don’t change then second chances don't mean too much..."(pg. 66). Wes Moore was given a second chance at a bright future because he left his bad situation and began to make good decisions. The other Wes Moore continued on his path to destruction, ending with him in jail. This quote left me wondering is it all about the environment that you grow up in that shapes you to be who you are? If the other Wes Moore had removed himself from that environment would things have been different for him? -Nina Maddux

The other Wes Moore was a very personal and interesting reading. The book caused me to consider people with the same opportunities and their possible outcomes and people with completely different opportunities and their outcomes. People who could be exactly like myself could end up in a completely opposite situation while others who are completely different could end up exactly like me." The truth is that his story could have been mine and the tragedy that is my story could have been his". This quote makes me realize that any small thing or occurence can completely change mine and another persons life. That any decision that I make could possibly cause me to have the same fate as someone else or a completely different fate than the one I was on the path to have. The Other Wes Moore is a compelling reading that will not only cause someone to think of his or her own fate but the fate of others.

Scott Lynch

//The Other Wes Moore//; a narrative of two young African-American boys with incredibly similar backgrounds. Each grew up struggling with education, living in a deprived area of New York (the Bronx), and interestingly, even shared the same name; Wes Moore. While our narrator Wes Moore initially grew up traveling down the wrong path, his supporting family members send him to military school where he changed his life around and became a respectable young man. Unfortunately, the other Wes Moore did not share the same type of support. His mother, Mary, struggled to keep him in line and failed to stop him from drug dealing. The Other Wes Moore finally found himself running from the police after a murder. He was captured and was sentenced to life-imprisonment along with his older brother Tony and two accomplices. Changing gears, I found in very interesting how the narrator Wes Moore was still able to turn his life around after he was caught in a situation where he felt rejected and alone, "I was becoming too "rich" for the kids from the nieghborhood and too "poor" for the kids at school. I had forgotten how to act naturally, thinking way too much in each situation and getting tangled in the contradictions between my two worlds." (pg. 53-54). Fortunately for Wes, these two groups of people were not the only thing there for him. His mother grew tired of his failures in school and lack of proper behavior. She decided it would be best to send Wes to military school. At first, Wes was reluctant about military school but then grew to love it. It changed his life from a misbehaving school deliqeunt to a highly influential, respectable, Rhodes scholar. //The Other Wes Moore// really makes you think about embracing all oportunities given to you, because you never know, that opportunity may be a life changing one. Michael Byrd

__The Other Wes Moore__ was mind challenging to read. It arose many questions that made you use your imagination and think critically while reading. It put many things into perspective and it made me realize how difficult peoples lives can get. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would react if I woke up one day and realized somebody else had the same name, and how they had tarnished their reputation when you spent so much time building it up. The two characters have some similarities, but are different other than the fact that they grew up in the same place in Baltimore. The question that came to my mind was; **how would you feel if you were in the “good” Wes Moore’s shoes? Would you be afraid to meet the person you could of become?** It’s scary to think how one path you take could change the rest of your life forever. Throughout the book, I realized how brave one must be to go and see yourself in a whole new perspective. Although both “Wes Moore’s” have similar backgrounds, it is easy to see how one applied himself while the other ran right into a life of disgrace and horror. A quote that really stood out to me was how important school was to Wes Moore’s mother and how she didn’t want him going to a public school. “Most of my neighborhood friends were attending public schools in the area; a few were attending Catholic school…It would take as long as an hour and a half some days, depending on traffic, stalled trains, weather, and other factors, but we would make it there. And on time. At least initially.” (pg. 49) This book was very inspiring and it brought up many revelations that were represented throughout my life. I would encourage anybody to pick up this book and read it, but with an open mind and a full heart for two characters.

- Aimee McShane

The other Wes Moore was a remarkable read because it pulls the reader out of the norms of their own life to experience someone else’s everyday life and in the case of the two Weses, the struggle of their lives. This book also provides the reader with another POV on the world, one probably much different than their own. In this book the two Weses are trapped within the constant struggle to prove themselves or reach the coveted milestone of manhood. Wes Moore, the author, realized that he had not yet reached this point in his life in the latter part of the book stating, “His bright eyes and straight back demanded attention. The confidence in his stride was something that Zinzi did not yet have, something that Simo did not have. Something that I did not yet have” (170). This quote causes the reader and Wes to come to the realization that even though his life and the other Wes’s have been tried by loss, temptation, and the challenge to essentially be “top dog”, the accomplishment of becoming a man had not yet been reached. Question: Though the two Weses are now leading drastically differing lives did their similar backgrounds ultimately decide their fates? -Chelsea McKelvey

In __The Other Wes Moore__, the author of the book is interviewing an inmate who has the same name as him, Wes Moore. Both grew up in the slums of Baltimore, yet one became a Rhodes’ Scholar with military experience, while the other is in jail for life due to armed robbery and attempted murder. The paths of these two men were so similar, yet so very different because of one or two defining moments in their lives. Both of these men had records for drug deals or taking part in drugs. Both were smart and had athletic ability. Yet the successful Wes Moore was sent to military school by his mother, which set him on the right path and gave him a point in life. As the free Wes Moore interviews the incarcerated one, Wes replies to a question with this response: “‘We will do what others expect of us,’ Wes said. ‘If they expect us to graduate, we will graduate. If they expect us to get a job, we will get a job. If they expect us to go to jail, then that’s where we will end up too. At some point you lose control’” (p. 126). The interviewer is stunned by Wes’ ability to shed responsibility. He blames it on what is expected of him by society. He clearly believes that you are not the product of your environment, but the product of the expectations of others within that society. Yet this statement raises some speculation. **Do we accomplish some of our goals because we are expected to?** To each their own opinion, yet I believe that we can be directed by our peers and family. They open the doors, but we have to walk through. So while there is guidance and expectations, there still is a personal choice.

-A.J. Sessions

This book and the story behind it is truly eye-opening in the sense that it allows the reader to see just how closely two particular journeys can be, and yet they each led to very different destinations. The similarities between the lives of both Wes Moore's are clearly evident as are the similarities in the personalities of each man. Although the author attempted to stay away from this; it is hard not to wonder what difference between the two men made the ultimate difference. There is no clear answer to that inquiry although I believe that the sacrifices of other characters made a tremendous difference in the paths that these two men have taken. The mother of Wes Moore (the author) told her son while he was struggling at Valley Forge, "too many people have sacrificed in order for you to be there." I believe the sacrifices made by others are what allows one to sacrifice for themselves. The sacrifices made by the author's mother and grandparents allowed him the opportunity to be successful, and he made the sacrifices necessary to make the most of his opportunity. Whereas the other Wes Moore was never given an opportunity to be successful because the people that had the best chance to influence Wes did indeed influence him; but in a negative way. His mother, father, and brother did not make the sacrifices that would allow Wes to be successful. This brings me to the ultimate question. Are we simply products of our environment? The author was brought up knowing he had someone who would sacrifice anything for him while the other Wes Moore lacked this important faith in the people around him. I personally do not believe in fate, but I do believe in a little luck. Everyone needs it and everyone gets it at some point in their lives. Whether or not the make the most of it determines the path that one will take.

- Brendan Ward

__The Other Wes Moore__ is is an eye opening book that shows you how different to seemingly similar people's lives can be. In the book the reader learns about just how much the impact a couple of decisions can make on the lives of two different people. In reading about Wes's life there are a few key moments that almost seal his fate, one of these omments is when Wes gets a headset to help the dealers stay away form the cops, this moment is Wes's begining with helping with crime. As Wes moves on in his career he begins to grow tired of the sadness that drugs bring to addicts and people in general. "Where was God when kids were selling rocks at twelve years old, and their parents encouraged it because they were the main breadwinners in the home?" For a portion of the book it looked as if Wes had reformed his life, he achieved his diploma, recieved job training, and started to try and make an honest living. The only down side is that his past came back to bite him in the way that nobody wants to hire a person with a record. After trying to make an honest living Wes reverts back to his old ways and once again get back into crime and the drug game. On the path of the other Wes, his life could have easily ended up the same as the felon Wes. One of the defining moments when his life took a turn for the right path is when his mother sent him to military school. This new path had structure and dicipline that helped him to not turn to the path that consumed convicted Wes. " In spite of myself, I was impressed. I had never seen anything like that before. I had never seen a man, a peer, demand that much respect from his people." This point and when Wes is placed in F company are pivotal turning points in his life that show him a new way to go about living. The book the other Wes Moore shows the reader what an impact a few seemingly small decisions can have later on in a persons life.

-Nathaniel Hardy

The novel, "The Other Wes Moore," portrays how two lives can simultaneously similar and different at the same time. I recognize and appreciate the author's tenacity and his drive to find out who the other Wes Moore was. Getting to know this man became a necessity to his agenda, for he wanted to know if this man with the same name in the same city had any other connections than the obvious. After Wes makes several visits to see the incarcerate Wes Moore, he finds out that the attended the same highschool and that neither of their fathers were able to be an active role model in their lives. For the author, his father wasn't involved in his son's life because he was a victim of inadequate medical attention for something that could have been prevented. Once his father passed, Wes had become the man of the house, unlike his counterpart, whom still had an older(maybe not a positive figure to look up to) brother to count on. While the author attended military school, Colonel Murphy gave a speech and stated, "When it is time for you to leave this school, leave your job, or even leave this earth, you make sure you have worked hard to make sure it mattered you were ever here" (133). The Colonel is hoping that whenever the cadets are transitioning to a new location, that they leave their mark and to make sure they are remembered. The author made sure of this in being the first black to attend John Hopkins as a Rhodes Scholar; if the other Wes Moore had been exposed to this idea would he have chosen a different path in his life?

-Brock Richardson

"The Other Wes Moore" is a unique and thought-provoking novel that urges the reader to contemplate the significance of both small every-day life decisions as well as the environment one grows up in. In this fashion, the author shows the branching off of 2 distinct life paths and how these different paths came about. In the middle of the novel, the currently incarcerated Wes Moore brings up an interesting point--that our paths are not entirely determined by our environments, as stated before, but also by the expectations that others have for us. Wes said, "Instead, I asked a question: 'Do you think we're all just products of our environments?' His smile dissolved into a smirk, with the left side of his face resting at ease. 'I think so, or maybe products of our expectations.' 'Others' expectations of us or our expectations for ourselves?' 'I mean others' expectations that you take on as your own.' I realized then how difficult it is to separate the two. The expectations that others place on us help us to form our expectations of ourselves" (pg. 126). It is interesting to think about the fact that a major reason Wes was successful in life was because his mother and the rest of his family expected so from him. His mother expected him to do well in the military school that she sacrificed so much for him to go to, and as a result, Wes began to expect the same for himself. On the other hand, the incarcerated Wes Moore did not have the same type of support. His mother was not quite as strong and all the people who were supposed to believe in him lost all hope at a very early time. As a result, Wes did not expect anything of himself and he basically let himself go. If the two Weses switched places as infants, do you think their fates would also be switched? What about if they switched as pre-teens? Teenagers? -Carter Ellis

"The Other Wes Moore" is a great read which portrays how the similarities of growing up in the same environment does not always result in the characters not having a choice on the decisions they make and not being able to change the way they want to live their lives. The author displays his ambition through one of the Wes Moores as he showed that even though both the characters grew up in the same living situations one of them was able to make something of himself all because of a simple everyday decision. Wes said, "What she didn't know was that my problem in school was much more basic than a learning disability. The problem was that I wasn't even showing up half the time. It's tough to do well in school as an eleven-year-old when you're picking and choosing which days to go." (pg.76). The idea that both of the Weses made decisions in the beginning of their lives on not wanting to try hard and not go to school shows that a person's family really does have an impact on how their life will turn out. Because Wes' older sister set a good influence on him, his mother cared about how hard he tried and the decisions he made, and his family sent him to military school to change him into becoming a real man caused him to make something good out of his bad start. The other Wes started out the same with no ambition in school, but because of his older brother Tony's influence on him and his mother never being around, he went down the wrong path and followed in his older brother's footsteps. The Author reveals the difference in how both of the Weses' fathers not being around also may of had an impact from the slight differences on how that came about in which, one of them knowing their father did not want to leave but had an unexpected death, and the other Wes's father having left him and his family when he was a child on his own choice. Overall the slight decision Wes Moore made to stay in military school and make something out of his life, and the decision Wes Moore made to start drug dealing and rob the bank all go back to their families and what they expected of them. Wes's mother, grandparents, and siblings expectations for him were high and they expected him to become successful, would not give up on him and would not let him fail. The other Wes Moore's mother expected him just to turn out just like her ex-husband and older son and gave up on him. As a result, because Wes's family had expectations for him he decided to be ambitious, but because the other Wes Moore's family didn't expect anything of him he gave up on everything. Do our environments always determine how our later life will turn out and do we only accomplish the things we need to because of the expectations our families have for us? -Abbie Farrell

The Other Wes Moore is a moving story about two young men who have grown up with similar backgrounds yet end up completely different. One man successful and confident while the other is serving a life sentence in jail. Both Wes Moores grew up without a father, in run down neighborhoods but their futures seemed to depend upon their influences from their mothers. The Wes Moore who grew up to be successful in military school grew up with support and love from his mother, always seeing her hard work all for his benefit; while the other Wes Moore did not have this sort of encouragement. Wes Moore states that, “his story could have been mine [and] the tragedy is that mine could have been his.” Depending on how they grew up and the environment they learned from either men could have had a different outcome in their lives. Through work from his mother that gave him the courage he needed to receive the Rhodes Scholarship as well as many other accomplishments, he grew up to lead a wonderful life. On the other hand, the other Wes Moore grew up with a mother who did not give him the support and growth he needed as a child and he ended up a criminal. Their lives growing up were so similar while looking at the outside but once one gets involved with the characters and know their home life you see that perhaps if the two men were switched they would have had each other's outcomes. This all leads to the question that is mostly answered by the facts of the book: Does the outcome of our lives depend upon the environment we are raised in? -Hannah Clarke

The story, “The Other Wes Moore” is a captivating read that tells the story of two different men with similar lives, with two very different endings. Throughout the book, the author writes about the similar scenarios that befall both men and how the decisions they choose take them down different paths. Something to notice in the book is that both Wes Moore’s grew up without a father. Not having a father played a big role in both of their lives. It shaped the boys characteristically and emotionally, and also assisted in their decision-making. The Wes Moore who’s father died chose to make the right decisions because his father taught him to be a good man and look out for his family. The other Wes Moore whose dad just wasn’t there for him at all, landed in jail because he looked up to his older brother, Tony, who Wes thought of as his main father figure. Unfortunately, Tony was in deep with gangs, drugs and violence causing Wes to not know a different life that he could have had if he stayed away from the it all. Another thing that played a role in both men’s lives was their mother’s. The Wes Moore who went to military school had a mom who always looked out for him and wanted what was best for him. She worked hard that way she knew she could provide a better life for him. **“’Do you think we’re all products of our environments?’ His smile dissolved into a smirk, with the left side of his face resting at ease. ‘I think so, or maybe products of our expectations.’ ‘Other’s expectations or expectations of ourselves?’ ‘I mean others’ expectations that you take on as your own.’ I realized then how difficult it is to separate the two. The expectations that others place on us help us form our expectations of ourselves.’”(126).** In this quote it shows how much a person’s expectation can mean to another’s. Their expectation shows what you are capable of. Because others expect so much, you take it into consideration that maybe that’s what you expect of yourself as well. The other Wes Moore’s mom worked all the time and told Wes to stay away from the drugs, but never did anything about it because she was working all the time and never stayed home. If Wes had a mother who was there for him like the military Wes, perhaps his story could have been changed. It all comes down to the decisions that the men made and potentially what decisions their families made. Both of the Wes Moore’s had the choice to lead better lives, and sadly, only one of them made the right choice. -Claire Hughes

//The Other Wes Moore// by Wes Moore was an eye-opening novel that forced me to reconsider where I would be as a person if I was placed in a different environment filled with different surroundings. I now look at friends and family and wonder what life without them would be like. Moore uses powerful writing to convey his thoughts and life story. The fact that this novel is a true story adds to the level of interest of the reader. Both Wes Moores of the story faced extremely similar childhoods: same location, same friends, etc. One has to ask: how did their lives turn out so different? Wes Moore goes on to be granted a Rhodes Scholarship; the other Wes Moore is sentenced to a life behind bars without a chance of ever being free again. The author writes in the introduction, "The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his." (xi). This quote stated from the very beginning of the novel that fate is influenced by many different factors. Two completely separate human beings with the same name diverge as time goes on. Each decison they made affected themselves in some way. Had the successful Wes Moore not had the loving support and perseverance of his mother, he too might have ended up in jail. This whole novel inspires many questions to the decisions I make everyday. I can reflect my life on both Moores in the novel. However, one question keeps popping up in my head: Would our fates be totally different depending on the family around us and where we live?

- Robert Cochrane

// The Other Wes Moore // is an intriguing story about how two boys with very similar childhood atmospheres grew up to have two polar opposite futures. Wes and Wes both grew up in poor neighborhoods and were exposed at an early age to the tragedies of the drug dealing business and violence. Wes Moore, the author of the book, changed his life from the stereotypical life of drug dealing when his mom put him in private school. From there, his mother was still not pleased with what Wes was doing on the street, so he was put in military school, attended college, and then became a Rhodes scholar. Unlike the author, the other Wes Moore continued to take after his older brother by selling drugs, getting girls pregnant, and setting no goals in his life. The final straw was when he chased after a boy and shot him. So, Wes ended up a successful Rhodes scholar, and Wes ended up in jail. In between chapters, parts of present day life were added into the story when the author was visiting Wes in jail. “’We will do what others expect of us,’ Wes said. ‘If they expect us to graduate, we will graduate. If they expect us to get a job, we will get a job. If they expect us to go to jail, then that’s where we will end up too. At some point you lose control.’” (p. 126) This quote is strange because in many cases, it isn’t true. Why is Wes tempted to use this as his excuse when there is a living example against this sitting right in front of him? Why are people today inclined to say thi? There are plenty of people who are born into a condition that might prevent them from fulfilling their dream, but instead of accepting the inevitable, they persevere and push until their dream becomes a reality; Wes is an example of this. The main difference between the futures of the two Wes Moores is that successful Wes had a family that wouldn’t settle for a dull life for their boy, whereas the other Wes had parents that didn’t care.

- Courtney Linkous

//The Other Wes Moore // is a dramatic story of two boys who grew up in a poverty-stricken single-parent home. Both boys were exposed to the sin and corruption of the ghetto at a very young age. Almost from the beginning, they were getting into trouble, whether it be with the law or their parents. This book made me realize that the seemingly simple and innocuous decisions that we make could drastically change our lives. As Wes Moore said, "The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave." When Wes's mother saw that he was getting into trouble, she immediately sent him to military school where he would learn to behave himself and eventually he became a Rhodes Scholar. However, the other Wes Moore would continued on a destructive path because his mother chose not intervene and even ecouraged some of his bad behavior, leading to a life of crime. Ironically, this is where their paths diverged. Leads me to question whether having a parent control certain aspects of your life and stop dangerous behavior before it can flourish is a necessary component to a meaningful and successful life? I found this quote about choices interesting because it now makes me question many of the decisions I make and how will it affect me? Why do people, when given the path to success or failure choose failure? Why do somw choose to take the easy way out and risk their jail or even their lives? How do I want to be remembered? How do you want to be remembered? The Other Wes Moore is an example of two boys that made a decision, leaving two completely different legacies. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, taking the easy way out may make the rest of your life more difficult. -Brent Demarest

//The Other Wes Moore// was a fascinating novel that showed how important life decisons can be. I was in awe of Wes and his determination. The book showed me how every decision you make is important and can shape your life. The protagonist, Wes, made a small, positive decision that led to more good decisions until eventually he was a Rhodes Scholar and on his way to success. The other Wes was from the same background with the same opportunities yet he became a murderer. The protagonist, Wes, showed us that hard work and determination will take you far in life. Wes' will and drive to sucede was truely inspiring. When Wes said, "We are products of our expections" he truely believed it. He showed that our expections, not our evnviroment should shape our life. However, the protagonist did have an advantage over the other Wes in the form of a caring mother who saw that her child was getting into trouble and cared enough to take action for him. By sending her son to military school, Wes' mother put him on the path to success. Her paretning is the reason that he was able to turn himself around. It begs you to wonder if the other Wes would've become a murderer if hed had the same parental help. Overall, the novel was intriging and a wonderful story to inspire others to make every choice define the way they want to live their lives. -McLean Coen

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//The Other Wes Moore//, by Wes Moore, is a chilling novel exploring the idea of fate. Two seemingly similar people growing up in nearly identical (fatherless) households somehow turn out to have very different lives. One Wes Moore became a decorated veteran, a Rhodes Scholar, a White House Fellow, and a business leader; however, the other became convicted of murder and would serve his life behind bars. How did two boys who were born blocks apart in Baltimore neighborhoods lead completely separate lives? How did one become so successful, while the other would live his life in jail? The novel provides an opportunity for reflection on the actions you make everyday. The novel points out numerous similarities between the two boys, and for a while, they seemed to be going down the same path. Where, then, did their two paths diverge? Moore explains in his introduction, "The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his" [xi]. This quote is significant because it shows the reader just how lucky the successful Wes Moore was. His fate was decided. He would go to college and become a successful businessman, veteran, and Rhodes Scholar. The other Wes Moore, would commit an armed robbery and murder a security guard. These two boys grew up in shockingly similar households, but where did they diverge. I believe the moment was when Wes' mother sent him to military school. At first, Wes argued and fought and even tried to escape, but eventually, he enjoyed military school and changed his way of life. He started succeeding in class and life. He became an officer in the military and a decorated veteran. By sending her son to military school, she sealed his fate and changed his life. Otherwise, he could have ended up serving a life sentence just like the other Wes Moore. ======

-Travis Barnett //The Other Wes Moore// is an interesting novel. It showed me how all of your decisions, even the seemingly small ones, can shape your life. //The Other Wes Moore// also showed me how important it is to have people who care about you. The author was able to improve his life and become a Rhodes Scholar because his mother pushed him to succeed and turn his life around. If his mother had not cared enough to push him, the author might not have become so successful. The other Wes Moore's family did not have very many expectations for him and never pushed him to do his best. While the author was able to change his situation and begin to make better decisions, the other Wes Moore was never able to accomplish this task. During one of their conversations, the incarcerated Wes said," From everything you told me, both of us did some pretty wrong stuff when we were younger. And both of us had second chances. But if the situation or the context where you make the decisions don't change, then second chances don't mean too much, huh?" (66). If the other Wes Moore could have changed his circumstances, would he have had a different fate? Frannie McKenzie //The Other Wes Moore// is an intriguing novel about two boys, and certain decisions in the lives that made all the difference in how they would turn out as men. In one of the meetings that the Wes Moores have the subject of manhood comes into play. They both think about when they officially became a man. Wes (not in jail) thinks he became a man when he,"First felt accountable to people other than myself. When I first cared that my action mattered to people other than just me"(64). The same Wes later explains that he had, "No official ceremony that brought my childhood to an end. Instead, crisis or other circumstances presented me with adult-sized responsibilities and obligations that i had to meet one way or another. For some boys, this happens later--in their late teens or even twenties--allowing them to grow organically into adulthood. But some of us, the promotion to adulthood, or at least its challenges, is so jarring, so sudden, that we enter into it unprepared and might be undone by it"(64). This quote is important because it says that a boy enters adulthood once he is presented with adult-like problems and must face them alone. WIth each situation the problems or challenges change. The environment that a boy grows up in can greatly effect how that boy comes out as a man. He must make tough decisions on his whether they are good or bad decisions they will effect him for the rest of his life. These are the problems that bring boys into adulthood. -Reid Gilchrist // The Other Wes Moore // is an interesting and inspiring novel about how two men who grew up in the same environment and even share the same name can end up living completely different lives. It taught me how important your decisions can be in life, and showed me that you can control your destiny through the choices that you make everyday. The book also helped me realize the importance of having people around you for support. One Wes Moore had that team of support behind him that helped him escape the bad environment and move on in life to become a veteran and Rhodes scholar, and the other Wes Moore wasn't as fortunate when it came to having a support group. That Wes Moore unfortunately suffered from lack of a support group and poor decision-making. This novel really helped me develop a new appreciation for my family, friends, and teachers who are there to help me through the rough times and to encourage me to push on through the struggles in life. I was inspired by Wes Moore's determination and ambition, and through this book he taught me to never give up and to believe that you can achieve the impossible if you set your mind to it. -Tanner Renken

The Other Wes Moore was a very interesting, different, and fascinating book for me to read this summer. It is the story of how two men with one name led very conflicting lives. The interesting comparisons between these two "Wes Moores" is that their early life shared many of the same characteristics. They both grew up in a rough neighborhood in Baltimore, had single mothers raising them, and had run ins with the police at young ages. It was intriguing to see how two men from the same background grew up to lead such different lives. Wes moore went into the military, was a Rhodes Scholar, and then went on to be a business man. The other Wes Moore commited a murder and was forced to continue his life behind bars. It is captivating to read about how two boys who shared similar backgrounds made different decisions and then grew up to live opposite lives of each other. Not saying that one Wes Moore is "better" than the other, but one is more accepted and praised by society. I think that growing up where they lived in Maryland provided two different approaches at life for them."Crime in Baltimore and its suburbs had spiraled out of control, particularly in the city proper. Baltimore City was now averaging over 300 murders a year, making it one of the per capita deadliest cities in America." (148) Do you think that if both Wes Moores grew up in a safer neighborhood or city would they have made the same decisions that they made. Especially towards the other Wes Moore, do you think if his family was more supportive that he would have led a safer and stronger life. Do you think that where you grew up and the decisions you made there can define who you are later in life? -Caroline Kalinsky The Other Wes Moore was an amazing book that was vivid, deep, and made the reader contemplate much about their own lives. In The Other Wes Moore, two very similar boys take extremely different paths in their lives. Moore, an investment banker, Rhodes scholar, and former aide to Condoleezza Rice, was confused yet interested when he came to find that their was another Wes Moore, his age and from the same ghetto of Greater Baltimore. Although, the other Wes Moore was wanted for killing a cop. This coincidence intrigued Wes too an extent that he sought to learn more about this “other” Wes Moore. Later in the book, Wes meets his strikingly similar other and realizes they have even more in common than just their names and hometowns. After delving into the life of the Other Wes Moore, Wes finds that they were both raised in fatherless families, both turned to drugs in order to gain money and status to somehow escape the poor lives that they were both living. Wes says, “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” This quotation shows how fate, decisions, and influences could've shaped their lives to be the complete reverse. It instills a sort of chill in people in general when they think about people around the world or that they know who aren't necessarily like them but have the same dreams and pursuits as they do. And while some fail others succeed just as Wes did. You begin to ask yourself am I making the right decisions in my life to bring about a better future? Will I be the truth or the tragedy? The meaning of this quote can be implemented throughout the entire book and its meaning is apparent when you compare the distinctly different lives the two boys led in the end. Unlike the Other Wes Moore, Wes (the author) was able to escape from the criminal underworld which he got involved in before it pulled him to far under and he was able to find a better future for himself. While the other Wes drifted further and further into the dark fast paced dangerous lifestyle of drugs and promiscuity. Wes writes about the plight of ghetto youth from both an internal and external perspective. Wes is able to show how the poverty, lack of prospects, and the need to respond to violence with greater violence alongside with the Other Wes’ impulses were what propelled the other Wes to his doom. The result is a moving exploration of roads not taken. - Tahirih Nesmith

//The Other Wes Moore// was a compelling book that really made you think about how much life can differ between two similar people, with two similar backgrounds. It was a good book to really get you to think about how your life could be different if one situation hadn't happened, or just had a different outcome. Early on in the book, you are thrown into the background of both of the boys named Wes Moore. When it gets to the part of the story where it introduces the "criminal" or less-privaledged Wes, we learn about his father, and brother early on. The narrator (the privileged Wes) introduces his brother saying, "People who lived in Murphy Homes felt like prisoners, kept in check by roving bands of gun-strapped kids and a nightmare army of drug fiends. This was where Tony chose to spend his days," (27). This quote really depressed me when I read it because on the page before, it says, "His brother, six years older, was the closest thing Wes had to a caretaker during the daylight hours and was fiercely protective of the little brother who idolized him," (26). This shows that Wes may have been destined to follow in his brothers foot steps, he idolized him and maybe would end up in a bad place such as the Murphy Homes. This brings up the question, if his brother had been a better role model, and stuck around to be with his brother instead of with their father in a drug house, could Wes' life had turned out differently? -Brett Cranny