Preview

Wes Moore Defining Factors

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
146 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Wes Moore Defining Factors
Defining Factors in Life
It has been said that the biggest obstacle you’ll ever have to overcome is your mind and if you can overcome that you can overcome anything. This statement rings true in the novel The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore himself. The novel tells the stories of two individuals named Wes Moore who share somewhat similar backgrounds and adversity growing up, but who end up with two very different fates--one a life full of success and the other a life in prison. It is evident that the defining factors within their lives were the author Wes Moore’s mother’s strong presence and guidance, and it is his growth mindset that encourages him to improve; whereas, the other Wes Moore views his brother as his only role model, his father is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the novel A Bridge to Wisemans Cove by James Moloney. Many characters have dealt with life changing situations. The most central character in the novel, Carl Matt, a fifteen year old boy who has experienced tragic situations, experienced the most change. When Carls destiny took him on a journey towards Wisemans Cove he met new people that changed his self esteem. One of the people that Carl met in Wisemans Cove was Skip Duncan. Skip was an aggressive man who experienced life altering changes after allowing Carl and Harley into his life. Harley on the other hand was a boy that was always in trouble, but through experiencing the tender love of a motherly figure he changes for the better. The novel introduces the way people change in their life and that are able to handle tough situations.…

    • 1089 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    About 23.5 million Americans are addicted to alcohol and drugs. That's approximately one in every 10 Americans over the age of 12. In the book "The Other Wes Moore" by Wes Moore, Wes Moore writes about this life growing up without a father and moving around. Wes Moore also talks about how there was another person that has the exact same name as him and how scary it would of been if they ended up getting each others lives. In the book, The "Other Wes Moore" by Wes Moore, the author explores the ideas of family guilt and education to develop the theme The people one surround himself/herself with will have an effect on his/her…

    • 116 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Other Wes Moore two boys shared the same name, lived in single parent homes, lost their fathers and only lived a few blocks away from each other in Baltimore. Despite these similarities, they made very different choices, which impacted their life outcomes. The choices made by Wes 1 and Wes 2in the book The Other Wes Moore impacted their life outcomes. Wes 1 and Wes 2 made many similar choices such as selling drugs, slacking in school and being involved in criminal activity. The major difference between them was the time of their turning point. Wes 1 realized much later, but it wasn’t until after one of his choices resulted in a life sentencing in prison. Wes 2 realized when his mother sent him to a military school to try and get him in the right direction. This was very hard for Wes 2 he did all he could to leave until he made the decision to stay in which benefited him in the long run.…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many issues that have led to the outcome in your life, from an absent father, instability in your living situations, your brother being influential, yet participating in negative activity, and your mother’s lack of involvement. When you sum all of these issues up the main issue that stands out is the lack of support and mentoring that is needed to foster a child’s development positively in a social environment.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel The Other Wes Moore One Name Two Fates written by Wes Moore, each Wes led similar lives but due to seemingly minor decisions in their lives their outcomes drastically differ. There are choices that will come up in life and as seemingly irrelevant or innocent those choices seem can come back and affect the outcome of one's life. The level of commitment that one puts into their work or studies no matter if they want to do it or not, will matter down the road. As trivial as it may seem the support that family and friends offer play a major outcome in an individual's success. The way one's life pans out is not solely dictated in the large moments and in the obvious factors, but the little moments and the seemingly irrelevant factors…

    • 1111 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    As Anne Frank once said, “Parents can only give good advice or direct you on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands”. Growth is an arduous reality for many people as the are forced to go through the conflicts and struggles it accompanies. In John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, it is lucidly understood through Gene’s dynamic character that independence is a substantial part of growing up. As Gene transforms from having envious feelings, to growing inner emotions of guilt, and finally becoming a humble and remorseful person, he grows in his realization of his own dark psychology.…

    • 1577 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Tom Brennan

    • 1982 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Moving into society is a transitional phase, marked by new challenges, opportunities and relationships. Transitions in life can change an individual’s perception of the world and obstacles may arise which test individual’s strength. This is shown through analysis of the novel ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ by J.C. Burke (2005) and the memoir “At least it’s not contagious’ by Samantha Miles (1995). Hindered by emotional turmoil and an uncontrollable situation in Mumbilli, the protagonist Tom Brennan relieves his devastated life in the new realm of Coghill through forming new relationships and accepting new avenues for personal development. Likewise, “At least its not contagious” reflects on the uncontrollable situations life can throw at individuals and shows the responder that determination and acceptance is the only way to overcome these obstacles. These two texts both show how the attitudes and actions of people can be altered when faced with life changing situations.…

    • 1982 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Other Wes Moore essay

    • 1321 Words
    • 4 Pages

    While the environments that both boys grew up in were similar, there are key differences that influenced each Wes Moore into making different decisions later in their lives. The book begins with a discussion of their fathers; the author Wes Moore, although for a short time in his life, had a loving father who was involved and active. The other Wes Moore, however, had an alcoholic father who was absent his entire life, not bothering to get involved with his son. The second Wes Moore, unlike the author of this novel, never had a father figure and the only male role model he had was his elder brother who eventually dropped out of school to sell drugs. Both boys were also raised by their mothers but were raised in entirely different matters. Joy was a hardworking, strong and independent woman who had an education and grew up in a disciplined and structured environment. Joy was determined to provide the same for her three children, going as far as moving in with her parents and working multiple jobs to allow her children to go to private school instead of the failing public schools of the Bronx. Joy and Wes’ grandparents were strict and provided a stable household with high expectations and respect for rules and severe punishments for breaking those rules. For example, when Wes started to fail in school and did not improve his grades or his behavior his mother sent him to military school. Joy was a strict disciplinarian. Mary, the mother of the other Wes Moore, was not a strict disciplinarian and did not grow up in a stable environment. Mary’s mother died when she…

    • 1321 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    When faced with adversity, some people prevail while others fold. This is evident in the novel The Other Wes Moore with the contrast of the two Wes’s. The author Wes deals with adversity far better than the other Wes. Factors like the people around the person and a person’s support system can be the largest factor of how a person deals with adversity.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    My Brother Sam Is Dead

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages

    As you go through the journey of life you begin to realize the many obstacles you have to over come but what charts your growth is home you over come them. This quote resembles the story of My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. Brothers Christopher and James have been writing historical fiction for young people since the early 1970s and have been known as masters of the genre. This book was named a Newbery Honor Book in 1975 and recently received a Phoenix Award. It has also taught an entertaining glimpse into a teenager 's life in colonial times. Using real dates, people, and historical events it has a almost reality based story to grow and progress as a character of the American Revolution.…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Glass Castle

    • 2757 Words
    • 12 Pages

    A. Jeannette Walls, in her memoir The Glass Castle, demonstrates Erikson’s eight stages of development. Through the carefully recounted stories of her childhood and adolescence, we are able to trace her development from one stage to the next. While Walls struggles through some of the early developmental stages, she inevitably succeeds and has positive outcomes through adulthood. The memoir itself is not only the proof that she is successful and productive in middle adulthood, but the memoir may also have been part of her healing process. Writing is often a release and in writing her memoir and remembering her history, she may have been able to come to terms with her sad past. The memoir embodies both the proof that she has successfully graduated through Erickson’s stages of development while also being the reason that she is able to do so.…

    • 2757 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lara Ferrari, the author of “Suitcases and Snow Globes” uses the narrator’s sad past to shape the plot of the story, like when it’s a “memory that finally guilts [the narrator] into action” (Ferrari 2). Guilt can be found in every individual, especially when someone thinks back into the past about something they regret. Readers learn to become better people by making actions that don’t make them feel bad inside, afterward. The narrator in the short story feels guilty about not sponsoring a child in need of her help but finally makes the decision to accomplish her goals, which influences readers to do anything they dream of doing. In “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”, by Walter Dean Myers, the protagonist, Greg, meets Lemon Brown, who has lost his son in the military “‘ I’ll be watching from the window so you’ll be all right’”(. Lemon Brown’s past allows him to treat Greg like a son, helping Greg to accept that his father just wants the best for him. Therefore, readers learn that a father’s greatest treasure is his child. They also learn that trying to understand something from another person’s viewpoint will, in the long run, benefit them more than having a narrow mind. As a final point, life lessons can be learned through human nature that is revealed in fictional…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Out of all types of conflict, those that exist between a person and himself can prove to be the toughest to overcome. This is because one can only rely on himself to solve the problem. In “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor, the major conflicts resides within Mr. Shiftlet. This man vs. self conflict involves the struggle in which Mr. Shiftlet tries to overcome his evil ways, but continues to fail in the shadows of his own selfishness. He attempts to undertake good deeds to help others, such as the Craters with their housework and the wandering boy with advice, but continues to fall short even by the end of the story. Mr. Shiftlet’s affirmation that, “The world is almost rotten.” proves that he will forever struggle to break his habitual, evil ways.…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mother To Son

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Jim Carrey is now a wealthy man because of his career as a comedian. Furthermore, before he had obstacles which started with his father losing his job as a musician which led to his family living in a van. Instead, Jim Carrey was optimistic towards how when his father lost his job, and he never lost hope of what was laying up ahead. Therefore, in Langston Hughes, “ Mother to Son” the mother explains to her son that he should be optimistic, which leads to the major theme of, no matter how hard the obstacles, keep on going.…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kear In The Long Run

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages

    This book was overall very interesting, moving, and inspiring. It shows readers the struggles that others have in their lives, it shows what it means to truly live their life and it shows life from a different point of view, a life that most people wouldn’t even think about or take into consideration. Readers learn that life is short, difficult, and sometimes has more challenges than one would think, but in the long run, it’s all worth it.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays