Free will is defined by a person making their own choices without any fear of destiny. This concept usually comes up when someone does something wrong or makes a mistake. Free will is depicted through the lives of both Wes Moores. Some believe that they both had the choice to decide how their lives would turn out. It could be said that the other Wes Moore did not have a choice in how his life played out; that because he was constantly surrounded by drugs and violence, there was no way out for him. The narrator was able to escape through military school and that was his choice to make. But was it really? Wes Moore began to slack in school and his mother shipped him off to military school. He did not want to go and tried to escape multiple times. In a way, his mother forced him to attend and blackmailed him into staying. The other Wes Moore, however, was not pressured into doing anything. Everything he did, whether it was getting involved in the drug system or trying to turn his life around by joining Job Corps, was all his doing. His mother never forced him to go to school nor did she discipline him as much as the narrator's mother did. To most people, it seems as though the other Wes Moore had the power to stop himself from ending up in jail. In a sense, he did because all the events leading up to his arrest were all a result of his own choices. The narrator did not have the choice to go or not to go to military school; that was his mother's decision. If seen closely, the other Wes Moore had more free will and his personality is a depiction of his true, authentic self whereas the narrator's persona is highly influenced by his family and the military.
A theme that Wes Moore seems to indirectly mention throughout his book is fear; fear in homes, families, on the streets. He emphasizes that fear is especially present in a drug-ridden neighborhood. The narrator's mother was terrified when her husband passed away and regarding the break-ins in their neighborhood; so much so that she wouldn't sleep in her room in order to keep watch. When they moved to their new neighborhood, his mother was afraid of her children getting into crime and drugs.
Fear is also shown through the drug operation on the streets. The necessity or thirst for money attracts people to the game. There is a constant fear of fighting, violence, and getting caught while you're a part of it. But there is also a fear of leaving. There isn't a simple way for someone to quit and that eats at them emotionally. This constant fear prevents people from living normal lives.
Wes Moore, the author of "The Other Wes Moore" tackles many themes in his book such as loss, violence, drug abuse, alcoholism, and maturity. However, the theme that resonated most with me was the role of parents in children's lives. Both Wes Moores had absent fathers; one died due to premature death and the other wasn't around because of his alcohol addiction. Regardless of this, both men had very hard-working mothers who struggled financially and with the horrid circumstances around them. Not only did they have to provide for their families by working long hours, but they also had to protect their children from the violence and drug world that surrounded them.
I am thankful to have had both my parents with me since I was born. Therefore, reading about children who grow up with abusive or absent parents breaks my heart because I begin to realize how much they have missed out on. Having both parents is crucial to a child's upbringing; a child needs both a mother and a father to develop a strong personality. Unfortunately, many children in low-income and drug-ridden neighborhoods end up losing one.
Wes Moore speaks highly of the women in his and the other Wes Moore's life because he wanted to acknowledge the work they have done to raise both of them. They suffered a lot, and most of it by themselves, to make sure their kids went to school and had food on the table. But no matter what they did, they could never fill the shoes of the men missing from their children's lives. Having both parents around affects a person emotionally and physically. For one Wes Moore, it had a positive effect as it made him stronger as a man. However, for the other Wes Moore, it made him a bad father as he did not realize his role as a parent.
The above video shows one of the ways parents affect their children. The narrator's father had a lasting impact on him in regards to education; in his life, he stressed education and proved his dedication to education with his steady job. However, the only aspects the other Wes Moore remembered of his father were negative. This further proves that parents have a major effect on their children and that's why it is important for both parents to play active roles in their children's lives.
Free will is defined by a person making their own choices without any fear of destiny. This concept usually comes up when someone does something wrong or makes a mistake. Free will is depicted through the lives of both Wes Moores. Some believe that they both had the choice to decide how their lives would turn out. It could be said that the other Wes Moore did not have a choice in how his life played out; that because he was constantly surrounded by drugs and violence, there was no way out for him. The narrator was able to escape through military school and that was his choice to make. But was it really?
To most people, it seems as though the other Wes Moore had the power to stop himself from ending up in jail. In a sense, he did because all the events leading up to his arrest were all a result of his own choices. The narrator did not have the choice to go or not to go to military school; that was his mother's decision. If seen closely, the other Wes Moore had more free will and his personality is a depiction of his true, authentic self whereas the narrator's persona is highly influenced by his family and the military.
