Babies tend to grow up and act like their parents, and become accustomed to their surroundings both negatively and positively. They only know the world through their parents, friends, and community. What is seen and heard in everyday lives becomes the norm. In the book The Other Wes Moore: One Name Two Fates, written by Wes Moore, the author examines where the Other Wes Moore went wrong and where the Author Wes Moore went right. The outcomes of both men 's lives are greatly affected by their surroundings, choices, and social influences. Both men are examples of products of their environment, and show how where they come from affects where they end up. The Author Wes Moore grew up in an area where drugs and violence were common. It was evident
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It was the Other Wes 's choice to become involved in the drug game at age 11, despite what his older brother Tony advised him to do. "She reached again for the first Nike box and opened it. Inside were pills, marijuana, half an ounce of power cocaine, and half a dozen vials of "ready rocks," or "crack cocaine" (Moore 73). Wes’s mother, Mary Moore, found drugs under Wes ' possession. She know had to face the sad reality that both of her sons were drug dealers. A turning point in the Author Wes’s life was when he decided to study abroad in South Africa. “But this would be my first long-term trip abroad. The fifteen-hour flight would be just the beginning of a much larger journey” (Moore 163). By taking on this journey, Wes was setting himself up to gain so much more than book knowledge. He would experience a whole different culture and it would help open his eyes to see that he can start over and thrive in a clean and safe …show more content…
People tend to look up to those whom they can relate to and potentially become. Tony, Other Wes 's older brother, was the only present male role model in his life. His words contradicted his actions and he did not practice what he preached. “Wes loved his brother, but had learned to ignore his occasional ‘do as I say, not as I do’ tirades. Tony, by contrast, was desperately trying to give his little brother information he thought he needed, the kind of information that Tony never got” (Moore 27). Tony had spent over a decade dealing drugs, but advised Wes not to. When there is no strong parental influence, children and teenagers look to their friends for advice and opinions. What they don 't realize is that friends are just beginning to experience life as well and they don 't always have a great influence. The pressure of fitting in with friends or a certain group influences Author Wes 's opinion on going to a fancy predominantly white school that can lead him into a more successful life. Author Wes is challenged by one of his basketball buddies, “How y’all like it up there at that white school?” (Moore 49). This causes Wes to feel like he no longer fit in with his friends, and that was all he ever wanted to do. Although they are influenced by friends, their main source of influence comes from their family. “...I found myself surrounded by people--starting with my mom,
It was the Other Wes 's choice to become involved in the drug game at age 11, despite what his older brother Tony advised him to do. "She reached again for the first Nike box and opened it. Inside were pills, marijuana, half an ounce of power cocaine, and half a dozen vials of "ready rocks," or "crack cocaine" (Moore 73). Wes’s mother, Mary Moore, found drugs under Wes ' possession. She know had to face the sad reality that both of her sons were drug dealers. A turning point in the Author Wes’s life was when he decided to study abroad in South Africa. “But this would be my first long-term trip abroad. The fifteen-hour flight would be just the beginning of a much larger journey” (Moore 163). By taking on this journey, Wes was setting himself up to gain so much more than book knowledge. He would experience a whole different culture and it would help open his eyes to see that he can start over and thrive in a clean and safe …show more content…
People tend to look up to those whom they can relate to and potentially become. Tony, Other Wes 's older brother, was the only present male role model in his life. His words contradicted his actions and he did not practice what he preached. “Wes loved his brother, but had learned to ignore his occasional ‘do as I say, not as I do’ tirades. Tony, by contrast, was desperately trying to give his little brother information he thought he needed, the kind of information that Tony never got” (Moore 27). Tony had spent over a decade dealing drugs, but advised Wes not to. When there is no strong parental influence, children and teenagers look to their friends for advice and opinions. What they don 't realize is that friends are just beginning to experience life as well and they don 't always have a great influence. The pressure of fitting in with friends or a certain group influences Author Wes 's opinion on going to a fancy predominantly white school that can lead him into a more successful life. Author Wes is challenged by one of his basketball buddies, “How y’all like it up there at that white school?” (Moore 49). This causes Wes to feel like he no longer fit in with his friends, and that was all he ever wanted to do. Although they are influenced by friends, their main source of influence comes from their family. “...I found myself surrounded by people--starting with my mom,