The Other Wes Moore Analysis

“The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore is about two boys who grow up in the same neighborhood and around the same social groups. One boy has a brother who is in the drug game and encourages him not to get involved. He has a mother who works multiple jobs to take care both him and his brother. This Wes Moore ultimately ended up on the wrong side of things. He gets involved with drugs and is constantly in and out of jail. One fateful day he commits a crime that determines his fate for the rest of his life. The other Wes Moore also has a mother who constantly works for him and his siblings to have a good life. This Wes Moore’s mother takes another step and sends him to military school. This helps Wes Moore became what his mother wants him to grow …show more content…
I think so, or maybe products of our expectations. Others’ expectations of us or our expectations. I mean others’ expectations that you take on as your own. I realize how difficult it is to separate the two. The expectations that others place on us help us form our expectations of ourselves.” Is a significant quote in the story of both Wes Moores. For the author wes Moore his mother expected him to go to school, get good grades, graduate from high school, not get involved with drugs, and go to college to lead a good life. His environment expected him to become involved with drugs. At school because he started slacking off, they expected him to get nowhere in …show more content…
His mother wanted him to grow up to have a good life just like the author’s mother. This Wes Moore had different expectations than the author. The other Wes Moore’s mother also wanted him to stay away from drugs and complete school. He had another factor which determined his own expectations. He had a brother, Tony, who was the leader of his gang when it came to selling drugs. His brother often told him that he needed to “take this shit seriously” (27) when it came to school. Tony also taught Moore the ways of the street by saying “if someone disrespects you, you send a message so fierce that they won’t have the chance to do it again” (33). Wes Moore followed his brother’s expectations to a T, so much to the point where he was about to stab a child for punching him. His mother Mary decides to move Moore to a better neighborhood which was no better than the last. This time Wes Moore ends up getting into the drug game. This creates a whole new expectation for Wes Moore especially once he begins to build a reputation for himself and becomes a leader like his brother. Everyone expects him to act a certain way which he does. When Moore is older, his new environment prompts him to change for the better for his significant other and children. He goes through job corps and finally starts to lead a better life, which is expected when someone goes through this training.

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