Question

In chapter 8 we can see how the course of both Weses' lives have gone in completely different directions. Author Wes is accepted at a prestigious university and receives a scholarship. Other Wes sentenced to life in prison. What do you think was Author Wes Moore's purpose in writing this book? What evidence do you have from the book to back up your answer?

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary. Also, since I do not have the book, you might have to add content from it if necessary.

(Answer) At the Aspen Ideas Festival, Wes Moore talks about how he and his namesake from the similar community, age group and background grew up to be very different people. Wes talks about how the other Wes was in incarcerated at the time that he was going on to get his scholarship.

Even though they both had difficult childhoods, the major difference in both of them despite similar “natures” is the factor of “nurture.” This means that even though they had almost similar natures, they were nurtured very differently. Wes talks about how he had people in his life that were unwilling to give up on him, unlike the Wes that was in prison.

Furthermore, Wes analysed how he learned to recognise the value of opportunities that went to nurture him into the valued citizen he is today. The other Wes claims to have wasted every opportunity that was given to him and eventually was a criminal.

In his book “The Other Wes,” Wes Moore talks about how these social, psychological and emotional disparities went way beyond other factors in making a valued member of society and a criminal. Wes talks about the value of a strong supportive home, a valuable and consistent education and the importance of a higher education. He talks about how the parents are the first and most important teachers that a child has. He talks about how expectations placed on an individual should be disregarded in order to truly achieve one’s potential.

The purpose of writing this book is to reflect on the value of the “nurture” factor which is also the environmental factor. These are not the qualities one is born with but, rather the qualities that are inculcated through thoughtful nurturing. The prisoner Wes did not have the dedicated loved ones who coerced the graduate Wes to change the focus in his life and shift directions. Wes began to recognise, value and undertake the opportunities because he began to feel grateful for the loving people in his life. Therefore, a child’s nurturing is proved to be essential through this book.