When given a list of books to choose from, I always look for something that will keep my attention throughout the book. The titles of each book did not grab my attention at all, but after reading little summaries of each book, I was able to choose easily. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore grabbed by attention quickly and without a doubt, I went with this book. I did have some difficulty staying focused, but for the most part, it kept me attached. At the beginning, it was hard for me to understand the topic given to us. Once the class read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, everything clicked. Though I am unable to connect to either piece of literature personally, I do understand it fairly well. The Other Wes Moore: …show more content…
The author Wes Moore was given plenty of opportunities to become successful, but some of his decisions turned him down the wrong path. One day, him and his friend Shea who is a drug runner, went out to go tagging, which is the act of spray painting on public property. Caught in the act, cops pulled up and arrested them immediately. Moore began to realize he did not want to live his life like this. After the cops gave them a talk, they let them go. Moore swore to himself “I would never get caught in a situation like that again” (Moore 84). This decision made him realize he did not want to live that lifestyle and wanted to change his life. He somehow found himself getting into trouble again. The other Wes Moore found a way to help himself get his life back together. He made the decision to join the Job Corps in hopes to rebuild his life and go down the path he dreams of. Wes decided to build a small play house for his daughter to protect her. This house meant more to him than just protecting his daughter. To Wes, the house “was a daily reminder of why he was there” and by entering the Job Corps he “learned skills, gained confidence, and finally felt his life could go in a different direction” (Moore 143-144). Wes had planned to stay successful, but this plan did not last long. He would later on make poor choices leading him away from what he was trying to achieve. The smallest decision will determine the …show more content…
A few years after he got out of military school, the author Wes Moore applied to Johns Hopkins University. He thought that his SAT scores and his attendance at a military school would prevent him from getting in. To a surprise, he was not only accepted, but was given a scholarship to get in. All of this made Moore think about “the way privilege and preference work in the world, and how many kids who didn’t have ‘luck’ like mine in this instance would find themselves forever outside the ring of power and prestige” (Moore 160). Moore came to the conclusion that he did not have to stay in the stereotypical world that was set for him. He went off into the dream he wished to be in. Moore did not let these social issues get to the best of him. This was not the case for the other Wes Moore. Soon after leaving the Job Corps, the other Wes Moore and his brother, along with two other men, robbed a jewelry store and were arrested for the murder of a police officer. Wes denied the event, and was put to trial. Once he was found guilty, the officers put him in hand cuffs and took him away. He knew the risks of the game, but did not think it would come to this. Wes “never thought long term about his life at all. Early losses condition you to believe that short-term plans are always smarter” and now that he thinks about long term “he could see his future” (Moore 157). It only took one