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“It started to become clear to Wes: the drug game was raw capitalism in overdrive with bullets, a pyramid scheme whose base was dead bodies and ruined lives.”

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coincidentally tied together as in fictional novels; however, a

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3.	After trying to escape from Valley Forge, Wes’s mother states, “Too many people have sacrificed in order for you to be there.” What sacrifice(s) was she speaking of

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“...kids were selling rocks at twelve years old, and their parents encouraged it because the kids were the main breadwinners in the home

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You can see Wes Moore feeling safe and at home at the military school , and feeling protected by his uniform being a “forcefield”. Wes is starting to slowly grow up and go on the right path that the other Wes Moore did not see. But at

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realizes that he has never truly been alone in any of his endeavors, no matter how isolated the situation made him feel.

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Author Wes Moore uses this quote from the other Wes Moore to power his novel, ultimately speaking to the audience on a further level; using the other Wes Moore’s story to speak its volumes across the world.

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Quote: “We make decisions based on what we see in that limited world and follow the only models available.”

Analysis:

Author Wes Moore never truly states what made the difference between his life and the life of the Other Wes Moore. However, in the epilogue he writes, “We make decisions based on what we see in that limited world and follow the only models available.” I believe this is Moore’s way of answering that question. This quote can be applied to the lives of both boys, and obvious differences will arise. The author had lost his father at a very young age, but had other role-models in the Bronx to look up to, including his grandpa and Uncle Howard. When these weren’t enough to keep him out of trouble, Moore’s mother sent him away to military school where he met many more strong role-models. He was never confined to one place, and he had the opportunity to see much more of the world than the Other Wes Moore had. The Other Wes had also grown up fatherless, with only his older brother, Tony, to look up to. With Tony’s involvement in the “drug game”, as it is called, Wes was exposed to the luxurious allure of the money to be made and forgot about the danger. The drug game was all Wes ever knew and was the only way he could support himself. I believe this is the thing that had the biggest impact on the boys’ lives.

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Quote: “Before me I saw a Vertigo-inducing sea of shacks, rolling out as far as the eye could see.”

Analysis:

Throughout The Other Wes Moore, author Wes Moore repeatedly uses figurative language to convey the feelings of characters in their various situations. In one example, Wes says, “Before me I saw a Vertigo-inducing sea of shacks, rolling out as far as the eye could see,” while describing his new surroundings in South Africa. This quote holds within it a few specific alternate meanings. The first of these would be Wes’ amazement toward the complexity and beauty of South African cities. One cannot infer what Wes expected to see, but it is obvious that it was nothing close to the immense amount of culture demonstrated throughout these South African cities. The second alternative meaning portrayed in the quote would be the phrase “Vertigo-inducing sea”. This choice of comparison demonstrates Wes’ state of uncertainty and the fact that he is uncomfortable in his new surroundings. This direct comparison to the sea alludes to adventure in uncharted territories and possibly self-revelation.

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Ch. 8 Dialectical Journal:

Quote: “Our blood-soaked and atrocity-littered past was important but that the future didn’t have to be it’s slave”

The Other Wes Moore usually has very simple diction to try to get across to a more wider audience, but sometimes Wes surprises us with a more complex diction.”Our blood-soaked and atrocity-littered past was important but that the future didn’t have to be it’s slave” Phrases in the following quote like, “blood soaked” and “atrocity littered” seem to pack more of a punch then if the quote used simpler words. The diction of the quote seems to make the message more inspiring and makes us believe that no matter what the circumstances, we can choose the right path. Both of the Wes Moore’s first started down bad paths but only the author was able brake away from the chains of his past and start down a  better path towards his future.

Epilogue Dialectical Journal:

Quote: “When we’re young, it sometimes seems as if the world doesn't exist outside our city, our blocks, our house, our room”

In The Other Wes Moore, the theme is clear, do not take the easy way out and look for more options. “When we’re young, it sometimes seems as if the world doesn't exist outside our city, our blocks, our house, our room” People from small towns or tight knit communities can relate to being influenced by their town, for the good or for the bad. You can either end up like the other Wes Moore by not seeking out different possibilities and sticking with them or you could end up like the author, and become successful through different opportunities. As we become older, we should become the role models so that we can help kids like both of the Wess’ reach their potential.

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Quote: “The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave.” Call to Action, first page.

Analysis:

In life, individuals are forced to make millions of decisions for themselves, especially life-changing ones. For example, seniors in high school are forced to make the biggest decision of their lives: choosing a college and future career for themselves at such a young age. Some people make the right choice while some people make the wrong choice and end up changing their location or major, losing a lot of money. So, the decisions people make can have a positive or negative impact on their lives, which also means that our decisions determine our fate in this world. Wes states, “The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave.” This quote is significant because it seems extremely surreal. Both Wes’s stories accurately exemplify the truancy of this quote. Wes, the author, develop a positive moral character and a spectacular legacy because of military school. He is successful man and has had once in a lifetime experiences, such as giving speeches to opposing groups of individuals in several locations. On the other hand, the other Wes did not wise choices in his youth, so he did not develop an outstanding legacy like the other Wes. Ultimately, our actions and choices define and determine our legacies we establish throughout our lifespan. To conclude, individuals must think twice about every decision they make because one wrong decision can be detrimental to the legacy one might leave.

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Quote:
“I am the master of my fate:/ I am the captain of my soul.” Afterword Pg 183

Analysis:
These two lines from a poem written by Sir William Ernest Henley reflect one of the greatest, if not the greatest, message an author can send to their audience. In this particular book, the message also applies to the characters within the novel. Through saying “I am the master” and “I am the captain”, Wes Moore allows the audience to realize that many of the important decisions in their lives are made by them. In The Other Wes Moore, the author Wes’s decisions to listen, admire, and trust the people that supported him throughout his life (such as his mother, his uncle, his sisters, his military school “teachers”, his brothers and sisters in arms, Mayor Schmoke, and his wife) allowed him to become an educated and successful man. Whereas the other Wes Moore found it difficult to trust people because of how involved in the drug game he was. He rarely listened to people’s reasoning because he lived by the rules of the streets, and he only admired a couple of people throughout his life (such as his mother, Tony, and Levy). Even though the Wes’ lives turned out quite differently from one another and they made different life choices, both of them were “the master” or “the captain” of their decisions. And this control over their lives also caused them to have control over their own “fate”, no matter how different their fates were. Overall, by showing the audience two extremely different ways to “master” or “captain” your own “fate” or “soul”, Moore is reinforcing the message that many of the important decisions in a person’s life are made by that person, whether they have good or bad consequences. So basically, Moore is telling his audience that they have to be careful about the choices they make because their choices could either cause harm or they could bring a lot of good.

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Dialectical Journal #6 (Epilogue)
Pathos

Quote: “In 2002, she (Cheryl) fell down a flight of stairs and was paralyzed.She died soon after from complications of the injuries. She was twenty-four years old.” Page 176 of The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore.

Analysis: In the epilogue of The Other Wes Moore the reader is informed that one character from the novel has died since the writing of this novel. This appears to be an appeal to emotion when this is mentioned because it is but another senseless death in the real world. This character was a mother of two with the other Wes Moore. This is a sad situation for the children because Cheryl had lost custody of them years before and they are now essentially orphans. Now, their mother is dead from an awful accident and their father is locked away in prison for the rest of his life without parole; this translates to them growing up without a other or a father leaving them in a situation worse than either Wes grew up in. This is sad because our environment has a large impact on us as people, therefore the cycle of the other Wes’s life starts over with no lesson to be learned. The results of this could potentially be worse because These children are parentless where as the Wes’ in this story were only fatherless.

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Quote: “But I’ve had the freedom to make those mistakes, and the freedom to seek redemption for them.” Pg. 179

Analysis: Life is just one big journey. And like every journey, you are going to experience moments that make everything seem perfect, and you will experience other moments that may make the journey feel like the worst thing in the world. No matter how perfect events turn out for you, eventually, mistakes will be made. You may do unthinkable things that you will later regret. You may say things that you wish you could take back. You may find ways to disappoint others, which in turn will make you disappointed in yourself. The point of these mistakes is that we make is that we learn important lessons from them. But overall, we should all be thankful that we have the freedom at all to make these types of mistakes and to be able to move past them. This is what Wes the author is saying when he stated, “But I’ve had the freedom to make those mistakes, and the freedom to seek redemption for them.” When he says this, he is comparing his story with the story of the other Wes Moore. The other Wes Moore made the wrong mistakes and too many of them, so by going to jail, his freedom to live his life was forcefully taken away from him at an early age. The author Wes thinks how his story could have been the other Wes’s, and the author Wes could possibly be sitting in jail right now for doing the wrong things in life. When thinking of this, the author does not look at his mistakes as failures that weigh him down; however, he looks at them as important learning experiences and that he is lucky enough to have had the freedom to make the mistakes and to seek redemption for them.

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Epilogue through Call to action

Pg. 173

“His day begins at 5:30 A.M. He works as a carpenter, making desks and tables, and sometimes makes license plates. He gets paid about fifty-three cents a day, which he can use at the prison commissary to buy toothpaste, snacks, stamps, and other miscellaneous items.”

If there is one thing Wes Moore never fails to do, it’s draw comparisons between his and Wes’s life, and often times show the awful consequences of the other Wes’s actions. For example, the author Wes includes “5:30” because it is the same time which he was forced to wake up at in military school. Wes then shows how the other Wes choices have led him with the detail “He works as a carpenter...He gets paid fifty-three cents a day...,”  which obviously isn’t a lot. This demonstrates how Wes has lost control of his life and has so little options left. The detail “..which he can use to buy toothpaste, snacks, stamps…,” also shows just how little choices he can make for himself, given the few examples of simple everyday items, but also conveys how little an impact he can have on anyone's life now. The inclusion of “...stamps...” implies that all he can do now is mail letters, but not be there for his family or friends, which includes his several children. This and other details all serve to exemplify the sad life Wes now has because of how his life played out.

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Alexis K. Dialect Journal #6 Epilogue/ Call to Action

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Alexis K. Dialect Journal #6 Epilogue/ Call to Action

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“Like many boys who grow up without a father in the home, I searched for ways to fill that hole, sometimes in places I shouldn’t have looked….But I’ve had the freedom to make those mistakes, and the freedom to seek redemption for them” (pg. 179).

This quote from Wes Moore of the Other Wes Moore, with an emphasis on the second sentence, exemplifies a compatibility between both Moores that was previous discussed: that they both had to make decisions early in life and try their bests not to make mistakes. Throughout their ultimate decisions to reach where they are today, they’ve made many mistakes, and both attribute this partially to lack of a father. In order to understand this, we must understand the importance of a father. For boys to become men, they must have guidance. Their father figure is supposed to guide them into the dangerous world of being an adult with independence while using what they have learned from their father and their father before them. Is this guidance always correct? Absolutely not, however we take the advice and use it to our advantage. The boys discussed in the book did not have this figure to hold their hand along the way. They both had to make a decision while going through their life to seek and accept help elsewhere. The main contrast between these boys is that one sought support, while the other did not. The outcome of this decision is represented by their lives’ today where one has everything they could ever want, and one has nearly nothing.

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Dustin Ruffing Chapter 8 Dialectical Journal

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Dustin Ruffing Chapter 8 Dialectical Journal

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Quote:
“At that moment, I realized the journey I took was never mine alone either” Ch 8 Pg 171

Analysis:
This quote unveils what many people refer to as an epiphany. The author Wes, through this “aha” moment, realizes that he has never truly been alone in any of his endeavors, no matter how isolated the situation made him feel. For example, when Wes was sent to the military school he felt completely alone, but he “was never...alone” when you consider that he became friends with many of the other “plebes” that were in his class and that the general of the school watched over him. Plus, he soon earned respect and support from most, if not all, of the people at the school because of how well he excelled in the military school environment. This quote can also show why the other Wes Moore chose to take many of the actions he did. He went to Job Corps because he felt it would get him a job that wouldn’t put his families in constant danger, and he saw what drugs did to one of his girlfriends. The thought of his families being in the back of his mind made this decision an action that wasn’t taken “alone”. Also, his decision to go back to producing and selling drugs was made due to the fact that he needed to make more money to support his families. This again shows that his families “never” let him fully be “alone” in the way he thought and functioned. Through these 3 examples, the audience can see that no one ever truly walks their “journey...alone”. This message is directly pointed towards the audience because it allows people to believe or it reinforces their belief in the fact that not one person walks this life alone.

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Pg. 159

“In the final years of his third term and preparing to retire, he was leaving not because of term limits but because of fatigue.”

Symbolic representations are often important to a novel and can have many meanings. For example, the above quote in The Other Wes Moore is connected to various other events throughout the book. For example, the “fatigue” is representative of the city as a whole, tired from struggles and constant violence. In addition, the fatigue is symbolic of each individual, such as Wes who finally is done with the drug game and tries going to Job Corps. Finally, the phrase “leaving not because of term limits, but because of fatigue.” could be referring to the author Wes in some respects. Wes, like many other characters, is probably tired of the constant violence in the various cities in which he lived. Instead of “retiring,” This may be alluding to the trip to South Africa where he relaxes and learns a great deal about other cultures. Thus, the aforementioned quote demonstrates symbolism on many levels present in the novel.

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Quote: “Maybe it was because he’d never thought long term about his life at all.” Pg. 157

Analysis:
The type of status in society we have ultimately determines how we think about our futures. Wealthy and middle class families, for example, acquire the ability to think ahead into the future and to plan out how they want their lives to be. They can plan out what kind of education that want to pursue, such as getting a job after high school or going to college to earn a degree. They can begin to plan even after college, such as what career they want to go into, where they want to live and work, or even who they want to settle down with for the rest of their lives. However, the percentage of people who live in poverty do not have this unique ability. They are always thinking of what will tomorrow bring, and if the next day will bring them luck or bring them sorrow. They often wonder how much money they could possibly make that day or even if a meal will be available to next day or not. The other Wes has never been able to focus on his future. While in the drug game, he always had to worry about the present, not about the future. Wes always knew that the game always required some time in jail, but he had to idea that he could be in prison for the rest of his life for it. To explain why he did not expect himself to be in jail for the rest of his life, he states, “Maybe it was because he’d never thought long term about his life at all”. For Wes, the short-term plans for his life were always smarter for than the long-term. Now, Wes was finally able to understand the long-term that his life would become; he was finally able to really see what the future held for him.

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Quote:

“Their uncle’s block, where half of the homes sat abandoned and burnt out, represented what the neighborhood had become. Blocks away, where newly built mixed-income homes sat next to picturesque buildings like the gothic Church of the Advocate, built in 1887, was the direction the neighborhood wanted to go.” pg. 153

Analysis:

Most people aspire to live in a perfect utopia where everything appears to be like a breath of fresh air. The other Wes lived in a rundown, poverty-stricken neighborhood. Drugs and crime rapidly spread and took over the streets, one by one. For example, Wes, the author, states, “Their uncle’s block, where half of the homes sat abandoned and burnt out, represented what the neighborhood had become.” This quote is implying that the condition of a neighborhood symbolizes the people living in it. People who lived in coarse neighborhoods tended to be less fortunate, financially, than other people, but they were still courteous individuals. However, when crime, violence, and drugs took over the streets, the people who lived in these neighborhoods were inevitably set-up for failure. Normally, if someone is surrounded by happy people who have a positive outlook on life, then that person will also be happy and have a positive outlook on life; if someone is surrounded by violence and drugs, then that person will eventually become violent and use drugs. Human beings adapt to their surroundings by acting like others they associate with. When people adapt to a lifestyle, they rarely change it because it is the foundation of their existence and people fear change. The other Wes realized his full potential and intelligence, making a positive change in his life, but he eventually resorted back to his old way of life. Thus, the quality of a neighborhood represents and provides insight on the people who are living in it.

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“‘Mama, I am sorry to disturb you, but I am very confused. After all of this pain and heartache, how are you now able to forgive?...’ But her simple and profound answer helped me to understand that ubuntu was not simply a word. It was a way of life.” (pg. 167-168)

The author ,Wes Moore, of the Other Wes Moore has learned a lot over his journey through life. Culturally, he has made conclusions regarding the world as black and white, but when he went to South Africa, he discovered that there’s more to that. Many things in his life has wronged him--his father died right in front of him, he moved from Baltimore to the Bronx, he was forced to attend a military academy--and he kept so much emotion in his heart for it. When he went to a country that was less fortunate than his, he realized that there’s another way. “How are you able to forgive” shows the strength of this women he lived with and the forgiveness he has the potential for. This is a theme that he must learn and has learned throughout the duration of this novel. Just like ubuntu is a way of life, Moore had to learn his way of life through his training and education, and this is the essential concept of this book: finding who you are by the experiences we have the decisions that get us there.

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How can you characterize Wes’ personality/nature based on his answers to the interview questions?  How might this help us gain insight as we read the book?

The main thing one can glean from the interview is that the author Wes Moore is truly a caring person, which several of his answers express. For example, He talks about “the tragic police officer’s death” and he includes the other Wes Moore’s quote about helping others to learn from his story. He doesn’t necessarily have to include these, but the fact that he does implies his focus is on helping people, not selling interesting books. He also discusses concern for his fellow veterans, obviously demonstrating compassion. Finally, Wes states in one of his answers how he hopes his novel will help kids and society. These pieces of information demonstrate what a compassionate person Wes is.

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ch 1-2
Pg 45 “We were all enclosed by the same fence, bumping into one another, fighting celebrating. Showing one another our best and worst…”

Symbols, however obvious or subtle, can probably be found in every novel. In the case of The Other Wes Moore, there are many symbolic representations of the cities Wes lives in, including the above example. This quote, in which Wes is describing the basketball court in his new home in New York, symbolizes the city as a whole. The drugs and violence within the city essentially “encloses” everyone in the city in “the same fence.” The “best and worst” part goes beyond talking about athleticism and skill in basketball, it represents the people within the city. The “best” are the people like the author Wes and his family, who are genuine, good people, and the “worst” are the drug dealers and other criminals. These are just a few examples of symbolism in the novel.

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journal 2
Ch 3-4

Pg. 79

“The streets had become a fixture in my life. Whether it was playing ball at Gun Hill Projects basketball courts…”

In many places throughout The Other Wes Moore, a detail from a section of the chapter is repeated in the other section. For example, both Wes Moores describing the city of Baltimore, or other cities in which they live, in the same chapter. In this case, “Gun Hill Projects” is first mentioned in the convict Wes part of the chapter, but this quote comes from the author’s part of the chapter. The author uses this to help conveys the similarities in both of the boy’s lives. It demonstrates how many people probably share the same story, and how one store could easily become the other, whether it be for better or worse. This is a critical aspect to the novel as a whole. Wes the author attempts conveys that people have to choose the life they want and choose wisely as to end up where they want to be. Thus, detail such as the above quote are in important part of the underlying ideas in the novel.

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Dialectical Journal #5 (Ch. 8)
Dialogue

Quote: ““Are you Wes?” a strongly accented voice shouted toward me. The pronunciation made my name sound like “Wez.”” Pg 163 of The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

Analysis: In this quote, Wes Moore has just gotten off a plane in Jamaica to find some long lost family. When Wes departs from the plane he hears his name, but not quite in the sound that he is used to hearing. Instead of hearing Wes like he normally would as he pronounces it, rather he hears something like “Wez”. This allows the reader and Wes know that he is no longer in the Bronx, and this gives the effect of being on foreign ground that is yet familiar. Wes heard something familiar that sounded like his name, but yet his name was foreign in origin. This tone of the dialect allows the reader to feel the discomfort in the character’s current position. This feeling is reflected later in the car ride to where he will be staying, and this effect resonates throughout the entire book; Characters in this novel are constantly placed in uncomfortable situations.

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Quote: “Life’s impermanence, I realized, is what makes it so important that not a single moment be wasted.” (pg 133)

Analysis: Often times people blindly and numbly navigate their way through life. They go with the flow, make decisions both good and bad, and decide that wherever they end up must be their ultimate fate that can’t be altered. The other Wes Moore, one of the main characters in The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, has fallen victim to being this kind of person. Not only does the other Wes Moore make bad decisions that put him behind bars for the rest of his life, but he also develops the regrets that come from these repercussions. The other Wes Moore explains, “Life’s impermanence, I realized, is what makes it so important that not a single moment be wasted” (pg 133). While spending all of his time in prison, life’s realizations come crashing down on him. By having this word for word fragment of Wes’ perspective on life, the audience is not only able to better understand the other Wes Moore, but to also get a glimpse on life’s true meaning, and the novel’s overall message, or motif. Life is what you make of it in today’s harsh society and with the novel, the characters live out the shocking reality of this message.

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“‘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.’” (pg. 125)

Despite him having made terrible decisions in his life, the other Wes in The Other Wes Moore made this highly intelligent observation about life and society. He used repetition when he said “If they expect” to emphasize and exaggerate the expectations of people versus the reality. It coincides with the phrase, “If you think you can do it, then you will,” and I can personally see Moore’s point when he says this. If someone tells you that you can’t do something, then eventually you will start to believe that as well. On the contrary, I’m a firm believer in accomplishing things out of spite of something or someone else. Many Olympic athletes accomplish this when they have a debilitating injury and they make the comeback of a lifetime. They were most likely told by others, and themselves, that they couldn’t do something, but they did out of spite of their misfortune. To sum, I both agree and disagree with Moore’s statement, but life is what you make it, and making excuses isn’t a way to accept your life.

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Quote: “My equipment was functional, my training was sound, my faith confirmed. I cut through the sky, the wind whipping against my face as I kept my eyes high, staring intently at the horizon.”
Analysis:

In his novel, The Other Wes Moore, author Wes Moore makes it very evident that his own story will be told in a bildungsroman style. At this point in the novel, Wes has attended and excelled at military school, and is on his was to being a high ranking military authority; this is much more than The Other Wes Moore can say for himself. In writing about his first paratrooping experience, Moore writes, “ My equipment was functional, my training was sound, my faith confirmed. I cut through the sky, the wind whipping against my face as I kept my eyes high, staring intently at the horizon.” This quote not only shows his enjoyment of the life he’s living, but also the way his military school experience has shaped him into the person he became. In writing, “My equipment was functional, my training was sound, my faith confirmed,” Moore is discussing the life skills he has learned as a military school student and how well they have prepared him for the situations he will encounter. The second part of the quote, however, shows a much deeper meaning. “I cut through the sky, the wind whipping against my face as I kept my eyes high, staring intently at the horizon,” obviously shows the phenomenal feeling of jumping out of an airplane, while also hinting to readers that Wes knows just how much military school has shaped him. Wes is gliding through life much easier than some of his friends left back in the Bronx, and although he also faces hardships, he is able to conquer and continue moving forward.

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Quote:

“The notion that life is transient, that it can come and go quickly, unexpectedly, had been with me since I had seen my own father die.” Chapter 7, pg. 133

Analysis:

Individuals just try to get by in life instead of valuing the true meaning of life itself. They do not understand the true value of life until it is too late. Wes, the author, expresses these thoughts when he stated, “The notion that life is transient, that it can come and go quickly, unexpectedly, had been with me since I had seen my own father die.” Wes is saying that human beings are narrow-minded; they focus on the negative aspects in their lives instead of worshiping the positive aspects. Wes uses a wide assortment of devices in this statement; he is indicating a theme, is using pathos, and is providing sophisticated diction. He uses words like “notion” and “transient” to give way to a positive connotation about life. The words make this statement so much more powerful and complex rather than using simplistic words, demonstrating the complexities and beauty of life. The last part of his remark,  “since I had seen my own father die,” is an appeal to emotion because the word “death” has a negative connotation attached to it. Everyone witnesses some sort of death in their lifetime, which tends to be hard to cope with. Wes’s elevated vocabulary and usage of pathos, ultimately, assists him in providing a universal message, or theme, for readers. Wes uses successful techniques to inform the reader of his personal experiences so that he/she can make a difference in the world. Therefore, life is short, you only get to live your life once, so individuals must make the most out of it because it is gone in the blink of an eye.

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Journal 4 ch. 7
Pg. 144

“A year after completing the Job Corps training, Wes realized the only consistently of his employment was inconsistency. That, and the fact that none of these jobs paid over nine dollars an hour.”

Many a times in the novel, Wes is very blunt and to the point. In the example of this instance quote, he begins with a somewhat paradoxical statement, and puts the message in much plainer English. This is done for two effects, pathos and allusions to future events. Starting with pathos, the quote makes you feel bad for the other Wes. He finally tries “going straight” and doing the right things, but sadly it didn’t get him where he wanted. As for allusions, he realizes “...none of these jobs paid over 9 dollars an hour,” which of course is not a good thing. This alludes to the fact that later in the chapter he feels he has no other options but to return to drugs. Not only this, but the quote also probably alludes to the fact that worse thing are still yet to come for Wes, as we already know he will turn out to be a convicted murderer. All in all, The above quote demonstrates the pathos and allusions Wes embeds in his novel.

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Quote:
“The land that God forgot” Ch 7 Pg 135

Analysis:
This quote is extremely symbolic for this book as a whole. For starters, it helps to show the audience exactly what kind of experiences both Wes’ had as they were growing up. “The land that God forgot” is symbolizing the dire effects the drug game had on the other Wes Moore, and how “godless” the game was. The drug game was and is an unforgiving sport that has no morals or boundaries. It was as dangerous as it was economically supportive, and the only rule in this deathly activity was that you couldn’t quit once you started playing. These devastating consequences and the lawlessness of the drug game caused many to believe that “God forgot” about the areas involved in the drug game. This quote can also symbolize the rough times that the author Wes Moore experienced in his lifetime. He lost his father when he was merely 3 years old, he lived in a dangerous, drug-run Bronx through most of his childhood, and he felt as if his mother had abandoned him at the military school. All of these experiences caused Wes to feel as if God had turned his back on Wes, and it caused his life to look like it was something “God forgot”. In another sense, the quote also symbolizes the way that Fort Benning made the cadets that trained there to feel. It was a desolate camp with gruelling training, that often led many of the men to believe that this fort literally was “the land that God forgot”. In an overall effect from the novel, this quote causes the audience to question how heavily they can rely on their religion to get them through tough situations. Wes Moore simply does this in order to teach the readers an imperative lesson; when you’re feeling down and alone like no one is watching over you, just pick yourself up, shake off the dirt, and push yourself to the finish (no matter how ugly the finish may be).

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Chapter 7
Quote: “Where was God when people didn’t make enough money to feed their families? Where was God when kids were selling rocks at twelve years old, and their parents encouraged it because the kids were the main breadwinners in the home? Where was God when a young boy came home from school that was as uninterested in him as he was in it? Where was God when a kid had a question and looked to his friends in the streets for an answer because his father was locked up and his mother strung out?” Pg. 140

Analysis: “Where was God when people didn’t make enough money to feed their families? Where was God when kids were selling rocks at twelve years old, and their parents encouraged it because the kids were the main breadwinners in the home? Where was God when a young boy came home from school that was as uninterested in him as he was in it? Where was God when a kid had a question and looked to his friends in the streets for an answer because his father was locked up and his mother strung out?” This section of the novel questions why people tend to pray to God to help them with their difficulties, even though when looking at the real world, it seems as if he is not doing anything to help. People pray to God so that they can create a sliver of reassurance for their personal lives. When they experience moments in life where things get rough, they tend to not want to do anything about it, the events then drag their character down as a whole until they feel as if they cannot function anymore. No one wants to take action to undo the wrongs they endure, so they blame a higher deity on not making the world a better place. The repitition of the phrase, “Where was God when…” is a call to action for all the people who live in “the hood” of Baltimore or any other city to allow them to see that God is not going to come to the rescue, so they have to help themselves by putting actually effort into developing a better self. The other Wes has been through it all. Through getting arrested for attempted manslaughter. Through selling drugs in the dangerous, gang overrun streets. Through having to care for four children whose mothers are drug addicts or financially unstable. Through even having to make cocaine in order to sell it to support his family. Wes realizes that praying and begging to God will not help out his own situation. He realizes that God is not going to do anything for him as long as he sits around and continues on the path that he is currently on. So, Wes must put in hard work and commitment to develop a better character for himself, which in turn will benefit his mother and his kids. Thus, repitition of this phrase holds a powerful message for people to stop sitting around and waiting for something good to happen and to go out of their comfort zones to find success in their own lives.

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Quote: “When the streets is watching, blocks keep clocking. Waiting for you to break, make your first mistake”

This quote from the Jay Z. song Wes was listening to while he was in the kitchen explains his problems so plainly. The other Wes tries to be like the author by choosing the right path, but the other Wes Moore ends up giving up. Instead of continuing on the right path he has chosen to live a better life, he goes back to the evil that is dealing drugs and making them. Wes finally “breaks” and “makes his first mistake” by getting back into the drug game after he has worked so hard to get on the right path. The author showed pathos before this quote by explaining how stressful Wes’s situation is and how even though he is trying so hard, it still is not enough. Although the Other Wes Moore is tried his best to better himself like the author, he quit as soon as it became hard, and truly “made his first mistake”.

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Dialectical Journal #4 (Ch 7)
Appeal to Pathos

Quote: “Tears welled in Wes’s eyes but never fell. He’d realized a long time ago that crying does no good.” Thoughts of the other Wes Moore in The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore on page 145

Analysis: In this quote, the other Wes Moore is broken hearted after watching the mother of two of his children drug out on heroin. Wes had just received his GED and began to work honestly to survive and provide for his kids rather than deal drugs, but he learned that he was not earning enough money by working honestly to support his family. In this quote, Wes realized that he would have to go back to selling drugs and a life of violence he thought he left behind just to provide for his family. This realization brings him to near tears forcing the reader to feel for Wes even after all of the terrible things that he had done. This was the point that broke the readers heart too because it is finally brought to light that it is not Wes’s choice to be a drug dealer; he has to be a drug dealer to survive and provide for his family. When the author writes that Wes realized a long time ago crying does nothing to solve the issue we realize how hopeless this whole scenario is for Wes. This appeal to emotion helps bring the reader to a closer understanding of the hardships Wes must face and how difficult these things are for him.

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Quote: “I've wasted every opportunity in my life and I’m going to die in here, and if you could do something that can help people better understand the ramifications of their decisions and also understand the neighborhoods these decisions are being made in, then I think you should do it.” -the other Wes Moore pg 245

Analysis: The world we live in is a crazy, uninhibited place, full of people who make daily decisions both good and bad. In The Other Wes Moore, two main characters go through their similar yet so different lives, living out each day, but not always with the best intentions. The other Wes Moore, made a terrible decision, ultimately landing him in prison for life, and author Wes Moore delivers this message spoken by the other Wes Moore in this nonfiction novel, “I've wasted every opportunity in my life and I’m going to die in here, and if you could do something that can help people better understand the ramifications of their decisions and also understand the neighborhoods these decisions are being made in, then I think you should do it” (pg. 245). Author Wes Moore uses this quote from the other Wes Moore to power his novel, ultimately speaking to the audience on a further level; using the other Wes Moore’s story to speak its volumes across the world.

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Dialectical Journal #3 (Ch 5&6)
Characterization

Quote: “You need to either get a job or go to school, one of the two, but neither is not an option.” Said by Nicey to the other Wes Moore on page 110 of The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

Analysis: This quote about the other Wes Moore’s situation in 1994 described what he needed to do to earn his keep in Nicey’s house. This quote characterizes Nicey as strict and the boss of the house. This statement comes across as demanding and short tempered to the reader; what this means is that Wes will finally have some much needed support added to his life.  However, even with this support Wes abused Nicey’s trust and used her house as a drug cache, and he continued to deal drugs. He would avoid Nicey, and if she ever asked him about his job he would say that he was looking. This simple diversion characterizes Nicey as trusting as well as strict, and even though she is the boss of the house she can not tell when she is being undermined by Wes. This is because she is trusting, and this situation also shows that Wes is deceitful, street smart, and violent as we later see when he shoots the boy. We can also see this aspect of violence in his character when he tried to stab the young kid that punched him in the face early in the novel.

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Chapters 5 and 6
Quote: “From the moment I woke up to them moment I went to bed, my day was consumed with thinking about my platoon, taking care of them, making sure they were doing well in class, making sure things were fine at home, making sure the building was clean, and on and on, an exhausting litany.” Chapter 6, pg. 118

Analysis:

In The Other Wes Moore, the symbol of mothers and their significance is vital to the plot line of the novel. Wes (author) says, “taking care of them”, “making sure the building was clean”, and “making sure they are doing well in class”. Wes’s role in military school represents the role of a motherly figure. Mothers work all hours of the day, trying to provide their families with the necessities; the women role is not easy. Everyday, Wes is taking care of and working to provide for his platoon, setting a good role model for them. So, essentially, Wes is taking on the role of a motherly figure for the members in his platoon. Each of Wes’s mother have heavily impacted their lives. They have made rational decisions, worked hard for their education, moved to several good neighborhoods, guided them in the right direction, and gave them a safe place that they can call home. Their mother’s lives revolved around their children, trying to give them the best life that they could possibly have, which is Wes and the other Wes both have a great amount of respect for their mothers. Wes (author) is trying to teach, train, and care for the young men like his mother did for him. Thus, the symbolism of mothers or motherly figures are compelling because they are ultimately our caretakers and role models in life; they preserve our lives from the dangers in the world.

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“Too many people have sacrificed in order for you to be there.” (pg. 95) And the surrounding part where Wes talks to his mom.

There are many ways in which to compare and contrast the lives of both Wes Moores in The Other Wes Moore; particularly in his moment, one is apparent. Wes realized the love that other people had for him, despite his rage against them. Over the course of time, he realized that he had a real problem and needed to change. Where the other Wes’s mother chose to deny that Wes had any problem, the author’s mother decided to sacrifice so much from herself and her friends and family to get her son the help he needed. This is one outstanding contrast that I saw, and one that was monumental for their individual futures.

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Quote: "This uniform had become a force field that kept the craziness of the world outside from getting too close to me, but I wondered if it was just an illusion.” pg. 118

Analysis:
Have you ever looked back at your own life and questioned what could have gone wrong or what could have happened otherwise that could have changed the outcome of where you are today? Personally, I think about these kind of things all the time. I ask myself where I would be if I did not keep up with my grades or my type of work-ethic in order to complete tasks everyday. Or where would I be if I did not have the type of people in my life that have motivated me to be where I am today. Wes the author is beginning to encounter the same type of thinking while attending the military academy. From where Wes has come from, he has been exposed to both sides of life’s spectrums; experiencing the underworld of drugs and crime and experiencing the powerful aroma of pride, duty, and leadership that military schools give off. These two memories and feelings Wes has often come in conflict with each other. Wes is trying his hardest to look past and to step away from his past life, but while also remaining in contact with his family and friends from the neighborhoods. This creates an internal conflict within Wes that tears at his emotions as he attends the military school. Wes uniquely describes his uniform as a shield from the outside world, saying, “This uniform had become a force field that kept the craziness of the world outside from getting too close to me, but I wondered if it was just an illusion.” (pg. 118). The uniform has grown to symbolize something that guards Wes from all his thoughts from his past life about shootings, drug deals, and friends going to jail for doing something indescribable. However, Wes has doubts about the overall protectiveness of the uniform from evil thoughts because he keeps getting into conflict with his past and present life. This quote displays to the readers the process of Wes’s transformation from his past to his new self that further leads him to become a success in life.

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Quote:
“Welcome to military school.” Ch 5 Pg 89

Analysis:
Throughout chapter 5, Wes Moore uses the term military school regularly and the way he uses this term brings about multiple effects. “Military school” is a place where, according to public opinion, boys or girls are sent because they are some kind of trouble maker. This gives us the reasoning that Wes, even before he explained it in his flashback, did something or many things that pushed his mother past her limits since he was at a military school. Another thing readers can deduce from Wes being in a military school, is that this is the experience in Wes’s life that sent him down the path that he’s on now. The military school most likely set Wes straight, and shaped him into a person who understood that education and discipline are more important in this world than he had previously thought. One last effect that using the term military school repeatedly had was that it helped create a sense of structure in this chapter. By continuing to point out where he was, why he was in there, and what it was doing to him, Wes showed the audience how military school was changing who he was and how he acted. And through this continuous “pointing out” of the main part of this chapter (military school), Wes makes sure that his readers understand that military school is what helped define him as a man. In the end, by repeating the words “military school”, Wes ensures that even the lowest levelled readers can follow the fact that this was a huge turning point in his life.

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Quote: “The uniform had became a force field that kept the craziness of the world outside from getting too close to me, but I wondered if it was just an illusion” pg. 118

Wes Moore uses the metaphor of the uniform he wears for military school being a force field to keep him safe from the following quote: “The uniform had became a force field that kept the craziness of the world outside from getting too close to me, but I wondered if it was just an illusion” You can see Wes Moore feeling safe and at home at the military school , and feeling protected by his uniform being a “forcefield”. Wes is starting to slowly grow up and go on the right path that the other Wes Moore did not see. But at the end of the quote when Wes explains the protection he is feeling may be an illusion, we can foreshadow that something bad was going to happen to Wes and was going to test him, to see what path he would truly walk down.

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Quote: “To see my mother.” pg. 91

Analysis:

People tend to be all talk.They say things they don’t mean to think and think about doing things that they shouldn't do. They tend to let their emotions fire up, and they are blinded by a fit of rage, until it passes and their true feelings bubble up to the surface of their conscience. Wes Moore, main protagonist of the novel feels the rage when he is sent to military school by his mother; the one who was supposed to be there for him: his protector. After his pain subsides, and even through all of the hate he feels, Wes confesses, “To see my mother” (pg 91). Not only does he want to escape, but he also wants to see his mother, the one who sent him away in the first place. “To see my mother” is a powerful, short, sentence that speaks volumes to the reader. It’s simple, needing, connotation provides a deeper understanding in the aspects of Wes’ desire to be united with his mother again. Like many of us can relate, the simplicity of some things is taken into more consideration when it is delivered in a short dose, as the above quote states. Overall, these four words may seem small, but they are colossal when it comes to their message, especially coming from Wes.

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Ch.5-6

Pg. 114

“Getting arrested was starting to feel routine. Wes wasn’t shocked or afraid anymore, just annoyed. Why him? Why now? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He had enough to worry about.”

Wes Moore the author uses several rhetorical devices to convey the overarching theme of his novel. In the case of the above quote, Moore uses characterization not only to describe the other Wes, but also he expresses a message within his description. To elaborate, the other Wes has become unaffected by his own failures, as shown with “Wes wasn’t shocked or afraid anymore.” He has become accustomed to setting himself up to fail and live a life of crime, which is a large part of the problem. Thinking “Why him?” “Why now?” characterizes him as immature and unable to comprehend the responsibility he should have for his actions versus blaming others. With this, the author Wes attempts to demonstrate the idea that, no matter the difficult circumstances, there are always choices. You can try our hardest to overcome obstacles and succeed in life, or simply give in to the negative influences as the other Wes does.

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Quote: “It started to become clear to Wes: the drug game was raw capitalism in overdrive with bullets, a pyramid scheme whose base was dead bodies and ruined lives.”

Analysis:

It is often difficult to integrate symbolism into true stories, as real life is not nearly as coincidentally tied together as in fictional novels; however, a good writer will find a way. Moore seamlessly weaves in symbolism in this section regarding Wes’ involvement in the drug world around Baltimore. Moore writes, “It started to become clear to Wes: the drug game was raw capitalism in overdrive with bullets, a pyramid scheme whose base was dead bodies and ruined lives.” In this statement, there is an obvious symbolic metaphor relating the “drug game” to capitalism, but there is more to it than merely that. Moore writes “capitalism in overdrive with bullets” to symbolize the organized, yet fast-paced business going on in these drug rings, as well as the dangers involved. He also calls it “a pyramid scheme whose base was dead bodies and ruined lives”. In saying this, Moore is alluding not only to the destruction that the “drug game” is literally founded upon, but also to Wes’ eventual demise, which readers can reasonably infer will be due to his involvement in drug distribution.