The Other Wes Moore Growing up and trying to figure out the person you want to become is a treacherous journey. In the novel, The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore, we see two detailed coming of age stories about two unique individuals who grew up only a couple of blocks from each other with the same name. The men’s lives and stories, however, went drastically different even as they were faced with some of the same challenges. Everyone has their regrets, and wishes they could go back in time and change the outcome of their decisions, but we are unable to and can choose to either grow from those events, or let them drag us down. Very similarly to the other Wes Moore, I have let societal pressures consume me in ways I was not very fond of, but seeing how both men were …show more content…
I have become very vulnerable to the pressures of society, and very often let my emotions get the best of me. Like the other Wes, I have to feel in control of my surroundings and myself. Once in an argument with a close friend, I let my emotions take over and began going off on her, trying to get my message across that I was hurt and upset, but not knowing how to express it any better. Early in the novel, the other Wes is outside playing football outside with the neighborhood kids and the game begins to quickly escalate, eventually leading to Wes getting punched in the face. Wes’s brother, Tony, wanted him to be able to defend himself, giving him this piece of advice, “Rule number one: If someone disrespects you, you send them a message so fierce that they won’t have the chance to do it again” (Moore 33). This piece of advice later leads Wes to being blind-sided by rage and carrying out a weapon in order to “send his message”. While my actions may not have been as violent, I can see us both being pulled and controlled not only by our emotions but by how our community may