63 pages • 2 hours read
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
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Key Figures
Wes Moore (Author)
Wes Moore set out on a quest to research this other young man named Wes Moore after seeing articles about each other in The Baltimore Sun. Much of the resulting story contrasts his opportunities, like his success as a Rhodes Scholar, with those that were afford to the other Wes Moore, who was convicted of armed robbery. How could two young black men with the same name, growing up in the same city and neighborhood, have such different lives? Moore tells both stories with a compassionate yet a distanced honesty. He tries to balance all of the factors that influenced both of their lives with immense gratitude and deep pride. Although he identifies some factors that can change the course of a young person’s life, like choice, mindset, and mentorship, he concludes that many of these things come down to privilege, and that the distribution of privilege in life is often arbitrary, a matter of luck.
Joy Moore
Without the support and love from his mother Joy, Moore’s life may have ended up much like that of the other Wes Moore. After the sudden and tragic death of Moore’s father, Joy summoned all her strength to move to New York City, opting to live with her parents to give her children the chance at a normal life. Her parents were proud, hardworking people, and the Moore family took care of each other, even when that meant instituting tough boundaries and making great sacrifices. Joy is one of several strong mentors who comprised the author’s support system growing up. Her dedication to her son, demonstrated by her decision to move to the Bronx and her insistence he get a good, structured education, no matter the cost, proves the impact that strong mentor figures can have on young lives.
The Other Wes Moore
Like the author, this Wes Moore had a difficult early childhood marked by frequent moves due to his mother’s efforts to keep her children safe. Wes’s only real role model was his older brother Tony, but he gave into the pressures of the street, dealing drugs at the young age of 10. Wes never really had a strong sense of purpose or ambition, and so he never took control of his life. He became a father very young, dropped out of high school, and had recorded prison time even before his life sentence. While Wes was open with Moore about his story, the author notes that Wes never takes full responsibility for how his life turned out, considering himself more a victim of circumstance than a man in control of his fate.
Tony
Tony is the older brother of the other Wes Moore. In the book he serves to demonstrate the consequences of inadequate and misguided mentorship. Tony meant well and tried to steer Wes away from the hard life he led himself, but there is only so much convincing a person can do when they don’t lead by example. Tony was a pseudo-father figure for Wes, but he was so wrapped up in the street industry that he could never be a proper mentor. He encouraged Wes to react to situations with violence, and he never really provided any specific advice of how to stay away from the streets.
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