Wes Moore

Comparing and Contrasting

The Other Wes Moore is a very moving and interesting book written By Wes
Moore. This book is a great story and a great life lesson. “The Road Not Taken” is a
strong poem also teaching a great life lesson. This poem truly makes you think about
what you are reading. Author Wes and Other Wes are two similar characters in this book
The Other Wes Moore. As much as they are similar, they are also very different. There is
a lot of things to compare and contrast between these two characters.
The Other Wes Moore is mainly about two kids that grew up in the same city
with the same name. Both of them made very similar decisions at a young age. Some of
their decisions were not the best to make at that age, but nothing was really stopping them
since both of them grew up fatherless. As they grew older their fates began to change.
Author Wes’ mom sent him to military school, which really turned his life around. Mili- The Other Wes Moore by Wes
tary school taught him discipline and respect at a younger age. Other Wes made the deci-
sion to go into the drug and crime business, which he was also in at a young age. Author
Moore
Wes went on with his life to live a good happy life, as for Other Wes he would spend his
life behind bars.
“The Road Not Taken” is a great poem to read. It is written about having two
decisions in life and choosing your own path. The average Joe path or becoming some-
thing more that makes you different. A path that Finds you a different claim, a path that
breaks you away from being like everyone else. Choosing the right path makes all the
difference.
Comparing and contrasting Author and Other Wes is interesting to do due to
their stories. Both grew up in Baltimore, which isn’t the best city to be raised in due to all
the drugs and crime. Both Author and Other Wes grew seeing drugs and crime on a day
to day bases, which they eventually got caught up in. Drugs became a friend to both of
them when they were young, more Other Wes than Author Wes. A big difference be-
tween the two are Author Wes went to military school and began making the right choic-
es in his life, which made him grow up to be a successful man. Other Wes stayed in the
drug and crime business. He made wrong decisions up throughout this time, which in the
end put him where he was foreshadowed to end up, in prison.
Through all those similarities and differences one of the biggest similarity and
difference between the two has to be their fathers. Both Author and Other Wes grew up
fatherless. They both had fathers at one time, but one had a father that chose not to be
there and one had a father that could not be there. Author Wes’ father died when he was
young. Other Wes’ father left him and his mom alone. This effected these two in a big
way, they grew up having no role model, no one to look up to, no one to show them what
is right and wrong. Their moms were obviously there but between everything they had on “The Road Not Taken” by
their plates and double shifting at work they really never had time for the two. This made Robert Frost
it hard for them, but even do to the situation Author Wes chose his path and worked hard
to be where he is, Other Wes chose not to put in the work and take the easy path putting
him where he is.
 REVIEWING THE BOOK
Wes Moore an author, show host, to break away from all of that and
a US Army Officer. Wes Moore is attend military school. As for Oth-
best known for his New York er Wes he stayed in this environ-
Times-bestselling books The Oth- ment and began to make the right
er Wes Moore and The Work. He choices. Their adult lives turned
hosted the OWN series “Beyond out differently in the future. Their
Belief” and the PBS series adult lives went in complete dif-
“Coming Back with Wes Moore”. ferent directions. Author Wes
“He attended Valley Forge Mili- ended up going into the military
tary Academy, a junior college in and turned his whole life around
Pennsylvania, as well as Johns for the good. Other Wes stayed in
Hopkins University,” (Famous the drug business and never chose
Birthdays). He began a career in to try to break away from that en-
finance but opted to become a par- vironment and never became any-
atrooper for the 82nd Airborne Di- thing more than he was destined
vision of the U.S. army in Af- to be.
ghanistan in 2005. This book was actually a
In The Other Wes Moore very interesting read. It teaches a
Author Wes and Other Wes share story and life lesson. That touches
similar circumstances in their ear- on making the right decision in
ly childhoods. Both were born in life. Shows going against the envi-
the late 70s and grew up in inner ronment and becoming something
city Baltimore. Author and Other more than just being average. This
Wes grew up with lost fathers, book was written pretty good it
one who chose not to be there and
tells the story very well. It really
one who could not there. Other
lets the reader know what hap-
Wes father abandoned him and his
pened and how it happened in de-
mom when he was born and Au-
tail. I would definitely suggest this
thor Wes’ father died when Wes
book to someone else. It actually
was a kid. They both grew up with
their single mothers and their taught me something, and I think
friends. Both got into drugs at a it could teach someone else some-
young age but Author Wes chose thing to.

Works Cited
Moore, Wes. The other Wes Moore: one name, two fates. Spiegel & Grau Trade
Paperbacks, 2011.
“Rhodes House - Home of The Rhodes Scholarships.” Rhodes House - Home of
The Rhodes Scholarships, www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/.

2
The Rhodes Scholarship

Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly
achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the
common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains
their careers may lead. The Rhodes Trust, a British charity established to
honor the will and of Cecil J. Rhodes, provides full financial support for
Rhodes Scholars to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford
in the United Kingdom in partnership with the Second Century Founder,
John McCall MacBain and other generous benefactors. The first U.S.
Rhodes Scholars entered Oxford in 1904. Some notable recipients are
known as Myron Rolle a professional football player, Bill Clinton a former
president, and Kris Kristofferson a country song writer. There are many
other Notable Scholarship Programs and a few are the Marshall Scholar-
ships, up to 40 Americans are selected to study for two years in any gradu-
ate program in the United Kingdom. A minimum 3.75 GPA is required for
this program. Another program is the Winston Churchill Scholarships.
American recipients can study mathematics, science, and engineering at
Churchill College, applicants must have been nominated by their grade
schools, (Rhodes Trust).