Kite Runner Reflection #2

     The seminar influenced my thinking by opening up a wider range of topics for discussion. Being able to hear the opinions of my classmates made it easier for me to understand the text. The discussion truly made me put myself into the shoes of the characters, and try to imagine just what it would have felt like to be them. Much of the discussion focused on the relationship between Baba and Amir, as well as the dramatic changes they endure when they immigrate to the U.S.  A particularly interesting question that I had not thought of in depth before was whether or not refugees should be seen as cowardly for leaving their countries in a time of war. While reading the book, I had not thought much about the this concept of cowardice, and I though it was an interesting question that sparked some very diverse responses.

     The statement that I agreed with the most was that Amir would probably never be able to forgive himself for what he let happen to Hassan. Many of my classmates agreed with this statement, and added on that Amir may constantly try to make up for his actions, but life without regrets is an impossible feat. The statement that I least agree with is that refugees can be considered cowards because they fled their countries in times of war. I personally believe that if a person is placed in a dangerous, life threatening situation, it is only logical and fair that they be allowed to leave. Refugees are often innocent people, who have been caught up violence, which in many cases, seems impossible to stop. I think it is unfair to deny refugees the change to move to other countries and try to make better lives for themselves, and even their families. If there had been more time for discussion, I would have liked to further discuss the life of Hassan, and how it compares to that of Amir. I am still puzzled by Hassan’s unfaltering loyalty, the fact that he would drop anything to help Amir, the fact that he wore black for 40 days in mourning for Baba. I think it would have been very interesting to discuss the idea of loyalty, and see if my classmates valued it, gave it, and to what extent.

     I think that the group did very well at being courteous and allowing those who were speaking to finish their thoughts before sharing their own opinions. This particular seminar group was composed of those who tend to dominate the discussions, which I was the discussion leader for. A great thing about this discussion was the number of different ideas people had. I felt like each individual person had adequately prepared, which made it easy for the discussion to flow and cover a wide range of topics. Because everybody in the group was courteous I felt comfortable speaking and knew that I would not be interrupted by anybody, and took care not to interrupt anybody. The combination of everybody sharing their ideas whenever they could, as well as allowing others to speak created a stimulating discussion, that was able to dig deeper into a lot of the themes of The Kite Runner.

     A particular area that could use improvement would be the amount of time spent on each topic of discussion. I felt that the discussion lingered on some topics and ideas, namely the relationship between Baba and Amir, as well as how they were faring in the U.S. While these topics are complex, and have many areas that can be analyzed, the discussion got to the point where it seemed like people were repeating others, or themselves. Avoiding this would make discussions less redundant and open up other important topics and themes for discussion.

Kite Runner Reflection #1

     The seminar influenced the way I thought about Amir’s relationship with Baba and Hassan.  While completing preparation for the seminar, I realized that Amir’s relationships with Baba and Hassan were almost opposite because while Amir tries hard to please Baba but maintains a distant relationship, he is very close with Hassan but tries not to give him too much credit.  One thing that was said which I hadn’t thought of in depth was how Assef might not actually be a good son of Baba’s despite their friendliness displayed in the book.  This might be true because Assef’s tendency to manipulate others and prove himself superior might clash with Baba’s manliness and duty as leader and protector.

      The statement made by one of my peers that I agree with the most is that Amir is not a very likeable character due to his bullying of Hassan.  I found this statement to be true because in the story, Amir is constantly doing little things to prove himself superior to Hassan, like giving him the wrong definitions of words, or making fun of him.  Although there were small points that I may have disagreed with, I generally agreed with every statement made in the seminar, maybe because the story evoked the same emotional responses from my peers.  If I had the opportunity to add anything to the seminar, I would have mentioned that Amir’s belief that he should be superior to Hassan because Hassan is his servant.

      Surprisingly, some things that worked really well for the seminar were the use of emotional appeals.  On the surface, The Kite Runner is a story of social conflict, political turmoil, and new life in the USA.  However, beneath the surface, there is an entire dimension having to do with the relationships between Amir and Hassan, notably, Amir’s torturous guilt of never confessing the rape.  These emotional relationships in the books made up the majority of the conversation during the seminar, and therefore, the use of emotional appeals was a success for the first time.

      Some things that needed improvement in the seminar were the separation of people for the groups and lack of preparation.  The groups were split up by chance, and therefore, the first group ended up having many more people than the second one.  This was a problem because it changed the amount of speaking time people had in each group.  Another improvement that could be made was the lack of preparation.  Many people were very well prepared, but there were others who had clearly not studied the subject material beforehand.  This made it very difficult to include everyone I the seminar. 

SS#3 Reflection

     The seminar influenced the way I thought about the fictional society of Oceania as a whole. While talking about the three superstates, Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, I developed a better since of the fictional world Winston lives in, and how it came to be. One thing said during the seminar which I hadn’t thought of in depth was a question concerning the possible nonexistence of Eurasia and Eastasia, meaning that Oceania would be the sole world power. I thought that this could be true since there is evidence to support this. For example, In Book Two, Julia says that she thinks the bombs dropped on Oceania are really bombs dropped by the Party to scare the citizens.
     The statement made by one of my peers that I agree with the most is that the world of the Hunger Games would be a better society to live in than Oceania. I agree with this statement because there is no constant surveillance of people in Panem, while in Oceania, the citizens are constantly watched. The statement made by one of my peers that I agree with the least is therefore that the world of Oceania would be a better than Panem because in Panem, you have a chance of dying. I disagree with this statement because although there is a chance of dying in the games, this chance is very slight. If I had the opportunity to add anything to the seminar, I would have pointed out that it is ironic that we are watched and assessed during the seminars just as the citizens of Oceania are supervised by telescreens.
Some things that worked really well for the seminar were the use of emotional and logical appeals. When talking about the love between Winston and Julia, there was a strong emotional feeling in the room, especially during a debate concerning the legitimacy of their love. As always, logical appeals were also frequently used because they are by far the easiest of the three rhetorical devices.
     Some things that needed improvement were ethical appeals and participation. Unfortunately, my prediction that ethical appeals would be more frequent did not come true. Very few ethical appeals were made and in my opinion, these rhetorical appeals are not harder than emotional appeals. Another issue in the seminar was participation. Although most people participated, a select few clearly dominated the conversation while other were not left much time to contribute meaningfully.

SS #2 Reflection

     As per usual, the second Socratic seminar on 1984 helped me see the different perspectives that my classmates had about the book. It was incredibly interesting to see that although we all read the same section of the book, different people interpreted it in very different ways and took different things away from it than I had. For example, I had never anticipated the conversation about marijuana that took place in the seminar because when I first read the chapters, I had focused on the government's restrictions of privacy instead of their restriction of consumer goods. Hearing what my classmates had to say about what had taken place, especially the conversation about legalizing marijuana and other illicit substances compared to legalizing chocolate in the world of 1984, was illuminating.
     I agreed most with Victoria's statement that the government of Oceania used language to control the relationships between its citizens. I had also written about this in my preparation sheet, and had concluded that Big Brother wanted the Party members to be loyal to him above all others, even their spouses. For this reason they must call each other comrades, while Big Brother alone is given a familial, kindly name. During this Socratic seminar, I did not find any statements that I disagreed with as it seemed as though everyone was in agreement with each other, and most of the discussion was spent using historical examples and evidence from the text to back up the popularly held opinion. In fact, I think that something we should work on is ensuring that there are more "controversial" topics brought up during the seminar in order to provoke meaningful discussion where we can learn from each other, instead of reiterating the same information and points of view that everyone already agrees on. For example, I was hoping that some people would have differing opinions on my question about whether the government should be able to restrict privacy under certain circumstances, because I know that some people believe that in situations such as the war on terror it is a necessary evil to increase surveillance and government interference in the lives of their citizens, while others agree that there is no rational reason to restrict a person's freedom of privacy, no matter what. One thing that I think could have been discussed more during the seminar was the relationship between the government surveillance portrayed in the novel and the current scandals with the NSA and wiretapping going on today. The fact that this book is so relevant to the modern world, particularly the United States, in terms of the current measures of security being used definitely deserves a more detailed discussion so that we can relate Orwell's ideas of the future to the future that we are currently experiencing.
     I think that everyone always brings very interesting ideas to the table, but I was especially impressed by the depth and amount of thought-provoking questions that were discussed in the seminar. I thought that the questions that my classmates asked led to some very interesting conversation. For example, I thought that Laura's question about why the government of Big Brother promoted consorting with prostitutes but not Party members led to a very interesting discussion about the importance of interpersonal relationships in the novel. 
     One of the things that most needed improvement during the discussion was the fact that everyone agreed on most points. I really liked Lina's idea about having one person be a designated devil's advocate, so that the discussion is more than just everyone agreeing with each other. However, I think that the person who was chosen to disagree on some points would have to use appropriate, well-thought-out responses as opposed to just blurting out contradictions in order to move along the conversation. I also think that it is important that the person remains anonymous and is as subtle as possible, and that their overall goal is to create more interesting conversation and not just to make everyone else in the class laugh by throwing out absurd ideas about every topic.

SS Reflection

     The socratic seminar influenced my thinking about the book 1984 by George Orwell by showing different sides of the narration. One thought from the seminar that I had not thought about before in so much depth was a comment made by one of my peers. They said that when Winston was writing in his diary he was taking a risk of losing his life or losing his mind. I thought that this was an interesting concept because the more I thought about it the more it made sense. If Winston had or hadn't started writing in his diary eventually he would loose his life anyway because he would loose his mind from not being able to express his feelings.   

     During the Socratic Seminar, a statement said by Ryan brought up a lot of emotional appeals. She talked about todays sensitivity to violence versus the people in 1984. We were all able to build off of that and we had a nice discussion on that. I didn't find a statement I disagreed with, which could be a possible readjustment to the socratic seminar. 

     One thing that worked well during the seminar was utilizing a discussion leader.  I was the discussion leader for my group and I think that it really worked. I tried to make sure that people were able to talk and make appeals and I tried to keep the discussion on track. Another part that worked efficiently was having a half time. Although my partner was rarely there, the half time break seemed to be beneficial to the other students in the seminar.

A way in which the seminar needs improvement is the amount of questions that each person gets to ask.  I felt as if some people got to ask two or three of their questions while some people did not get to ask any.  Some of the people I talked to had really good questions that I think they would have liked to share but they were not given the time to share those questions because other people took up time by asking more than one of their questions.

Othello Dramatic Reading Found At https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNlG-3gwP9s&feature=youtu.be

I chose to perform Desdemona's monologue from Othello. Othello is angry because he thinks she is being unfaithful. is getting prepared to kill his wife, Desdemona. This particular monologue is filled with emotion and conflicting feelings which helped me to determine where tone, emphasis, and pauses, should be. During this scene, Othello is very angry with Desdemona because he was tricked into thinking she was unfaithful to him, but he is also overcome admiration of her beauty and the love that they shared. In her monologue, I decided to put an emphasis on phrases such as, "I know not how I lost him," and, "Here I kneel" because I felt she said them to convince herself that she feels she is responsible for his anger. I felt a sense of urgency in these lines where she wanted Iago to go to him. After saying, "What shall I do to win my lord again?," I paused before reciting, "Good friend, go to him," in order to put an emphasis on her sense of urgency. When delivering the line, "For by this light of heaven, I know not how I lost him," I used a gentle, sweet, and loving tone to portray how Othello still adored Desdemona and her sorrow that she knows hes mad at her. After "becoming" Desdemona for two minutes, I learned how hurt he was by the idea that Desdemona had cheated on him and how he suffered from the conflicting feelings of love, anger, and jealousy all at once. Before I had prepared for this dramatic reading, I solely thought of Othello as an overpowering man who made rash decisions based on questionable information, and put myself in her shoes. While part of that is true, I have now recognized Othello's true love for Desdemona and the grief and rage that he felt after being tricked into thinking she cheated on him. After finishing the dramatic reading, I realized how dangerous and detrimental jealousy can be. I also found that people really need to analyze important pieces of information judiciously before making a decision. This particular soliloquy really defined Desdemona's emotions and it defined her as a character. This scene was not the climax or the resolution, but the audience gets a better understanding of Desdemona's struggle and her confusion, all laced with her overwhelming love.

Title Justification Essay Chapters 7-8

    In the book, The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore the author's purpose is to examine the lives of two men who come from similar, difficult backgrounds and how they make different decisions that change the outcome of their lives.  The collection of chapters called, Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled, develops many issues related to the authors' purpose.  These chapters describe how each Wes Moore took a different path in his life, the factors that effected each man's life and how each man lived up to the expectations of those around him.

     In the series of chapters Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled the author examines the influences that have had an impact on each man's path in his life and how peoples' expectations effect the direction each man took.  For the author Wes Moore his life could have led to a path of destruction but it didn't because his mother removed him from a drug infested neighborhood that was effecting his life negatively.  Once his mother placed him in the military academy the direction of his life changed because he had many role models who had high expectations for his future.  Wes became influenced by these role models and began to realize his life could be different than he first expected.  The other Wes Moore had great difficulty in changing his life's direction.  He continued to deal drugs and did not envision a better future for himself.  At one point he tried to change his path but he wasn't successful. The expectations for a person like Wes in his neighborhood were very low, with most young men becoming drug dealers or ending up in jail.  After a while, even his mother's expectations for him became very limited.

     The author's purpose is to demonstrate how two men from similar backgrounds can end up with such different lives.  This connects to the collection of chapters Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled because each man ended up taking a different direction in his life.  Furthermore this influenced each man's expectations and his family and friends' expectations for what he could accomplish.  The book demonstrates how difficult it is for a person to change his direction if life and break free from the difficulties he faces growing up.

Chapter 8 The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking

Theme Tracking

Crimes

"They barked orders over the screams of their victims" (Pg 147)

This quote shows how Wes's life has evolved from his beginnings of crime as a drug dealer. This was undoubtedly going to be his last mission on the streets. I suppose that Wes's motto was go hard or go home. The irony of it all was that he would be working alongside his brother, the one who had got him into this mess.

"He'd left his wife and five children, to work his second job as a security guard at the jewelers" (Pg 147)

The man that the robbery crew had killed that day was not only a police officer, but a man with a family that he cared about. Wes never once seemed to think about his or anyone else's family when he got involved in crimes, he never thought about the future consequences of anything. This is a contrast from when he seemed to show an interest in being a father for his daughters earlier in the book.

"This would be much easier on you if you would just say where those two are" (Pg 152)

This quote ties into the last one, Wes never considered his family members when he chose a life of crime. He never once thought about how hard on them it would be if he were to die or eventually be sentenced to a life of prison. It hurt his mother Mary the most, her boys had turned out as failures, and it was out of her control.

Prison

"The hands of the state would stay on him for the rest of his life" (Pg 157)

Wes's entire life seemed to lead up to this moment, when he finally went to far, and suffered the consequences. Unlike his previous offenses, there was no way around this one, no parole, no time to commit other crimes, it was over, Wes's free life was over.

"Finally, he could see his future" (Pg 157)

This quote is a very important one to the reader, because they finally see that there really wasn't any hope for Wes afterall, sadly, all along he knew his fate, and had come to accept it. He had never had a father that had been there for him, he never recieved the guidance he needed from his mother, and at this point the reader realizes that his entire life felt like a waste, he was just waiting for the moment that he was to be locked up in a penitentiary. 

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 7

Theme: Life choices

1. "Wes's attendance became sporadic, and once his first child was born, he just stopped going."

Wes 2's decision to drop out of school was a huge life choice that he made. His decision to drop out of school will most likely have a negative affect on his life. With a criminal record and lack of a high school diploma, it is hard for Wes to find a job, which steers him deeper into the drug business, as it is his only way to make money. By choosing not to finish attending school, Wes will have very few job opportunities and will turn to criminal activity in order to earn money, which will most likely only get him into trouble and ruin his life.

2. "All that mattered was that he was here. He had accomplished his mission of completing high school." 

Unlike Wes 2, his good friend Woody, had decided to push through high school and graduate.This decision to earn his high school diploma, may turn out to prove very useful for Woody in the future. Unlike Wes, Woody will have a lot more job opportunities having earned his high school diploma and might even go to college to pursue a high-paying job. Above all, Woody's decision to complete high school will most likely help him steer away from entering the drug business and getting himself into trouble. In the short term, Wes is earning more money than Woody by selling drugs, however Woody's decision to finish school will most likely lead him win in the long run by living a life without being involved in the violence of the drug game or being locked up in prison.

3. "They made it clear that they cared if I succeeded, and eventually so did I."

At Valley Forge, Wes 1 begins to care more about his education and takes it more seriously. Because he is surrounded by people who support him and want him to succeed, he himself is motivated to succeed in school. In the past, most of Wes's teachers discouraged him and did not seem to be very supportive in his success. In fact, earlier in the book one of the teachers told him not to come to school because he was a disruption to the classroom. Wes had never been exposed to a learning environment where the teachers were so supportive of him and truly wanted to see him do well in school. Because Wes 1 is at a school like Valley Forge, where the staff is encourages him to succeed, he begins to take his education more seriously and works hard to reach his full potential.

4. "I thought about my mother and how she would feel if this escalated any further... I told Dalio we had to get back to campus by a different route..."

Although Wes 1 is angry after being embarrassed by the group of boys who called him a n****r and threw a glass bottle at him, he overcomes this anger and makes a wise decision. Instead of trying to fight back against his attackers, he wisely chooses to go back to school. This must have taken a lot of strength for Wes to suck up his pride and not retaliate. Evidently this was an obstacle that Wes successfully overcame because he managed to stay level-headed and make the wise decision not to let a bad situation get worse.

5. "Wes cursed himself. He knew he had been turning a blind eye to telltale signs that things were moving in this direction." 

For Wes Moore 2, seeing addicts is just an everyday thing. Wes Moore 2 is disgusted at them, but he is far away from them. But he's shellshocked when he sees Cheryl shoot heroin. Wouldn't you be? He's seen enough of the other addicts. He has a family of four children at a young age. So far, Wes' life choices have been terrible. From when he started in the drug trade, to when he decided to try and murder his girlfriends side boyfriend. Nothing is going right for him, and now its ten times harder to reverse the damage he's done to himself.

Title Justification Essay #2 Choices and Second Chances

The Other Wes Moore is organized into three sections, each of which contains 3 or more chapters. The second section is entitled "Choices and Second Chances." I believe that this section compares Wes Moore (author)'s and Wes Moore 2's choices and the opportunities they take. The title chosen for this fits well because it shows both how some take choices that lead to second chances, while other take choices that close doors and opportunities.

In the fourth chapter, we already see how much Wes Moore 2 has been affected by the drug trade. Mary Moore eventually finds his stash and realizes how far gone her sons are. She has tried to raise them well, but as the only authority figure in the house, you can see how little power she has had over the boys. This is also similar to Wes Moore (author)'s mother. As we see in the fourth chapter, his mother feels helpless. She has paid for an upperclass education in New York for her children, and she sees Wes Moore (author) fooling around and not taking advantage of his opportunities. Not knowing what to do, or how to respond, she realizes how little power she has over her son. Her only opportunity is to send him to military school. This is where Wes Moore (author)'s choices differ from Wes Moore 2's choices. Even though he feels as if he despises the military school, and even tries to run away, Wes Moore (author) recognizes the sacrifices his mother has made in order for him to be in that school, and takes full advantage of the opportunity that now faces him. On the other hand, Wes Moore 2 reverts to his drug trading after given the opportunity to go back to school. His second chance came when he got out of the juvenile facility. Instead of taking full advantage of the opportunity to go back to school, he decides to go and sell drugs instead, affecting his mother, his girlfriend, and many others in the process. 

Overall, the title "Choices and Second Chances" is used for the second section of The Other Wes Moore because this section shows how the two Wes Moore's lives start to differ not only because of fate, but because of their choices and free will. The way fate affected them was uncontrollable: where they lived, whether their fathers had an effect on their lives, etc. However, the choices they make are controllable: whether or not to go to school, whether or not to do drugs, who they hung out with and where, and ultimately who to look up to. All three chapters in this section show how while their fate sets them slightly apart, what will ultimately lead to the rest of their lives would be their choices and the way they take advantage of opportunities.

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 6

Theme: Drugs

Quote 1

"Wes had his entire operation organized with the precision of a military unit or a division of a Fortune 500 company. The drug game had its own rules, its own structure...At their peak, his team brought in over four thousand dollars a day."

Quote 2

"There were over 100,000 known addicts in Baltimore, and the real number was arguably higher. Given that the city had a population of just under 700,000, there was an obvious glut of addicts. With a demand like that, and an ample supply, it was hard not to make money."

Quote 3

"He couldn't stop thinking about how much money he could make off that sale--almost enough to take care of this date."

Quote 4

"Getting arrested was starting to feel routine. Wes wasn't shocked or afraid anymore, just annoyed. Why him? Why now? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He had enough to worry about."

Quote 5

"Possession with intent to distribute was a charge of a completely different magnitude--with serious mandatory sentences. Justin hadn't seen seen Shea around the neighborhood in a while and, from the sound of it, was not sure when he would again."

Wes Moore 2 has grown up quite a bit since the last time we've seen him. He is in charge of a highly organized drug gang, and has made quite a bit of money. The drug trade has severely affected his life and the lives of over 100,000 people. The fact that he gets arrested doesn't even faze him anymore. And possession with intent to distribute entails a very severe sentance, yet Wes Moore 2 couldn't be bothered. He just wants to make his money. He hasn't been to school in a very long time, reducing any chance of getting a respectable job in order to provide for his now expanding family. 

The drug charge develops in this chapter by showing how all lives can be ruined by the drug trade, no matter what role one may play in it. 

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 5

Theme: Single Mother

Quote 1

"I knew my mother was considering sending me away, but I never thought she'd actually do it."

Quote 2

"Her almond shaped eyes were overflowing with anger, disappointment, and confusion, and maybe even a little fear. I would never have hit my mother. But in my room, at that moment, she was not so sure. She looked at me as if for the first time."

Quote 3

"She turned and walked out of the room. She was devastated. She was losing her son, and she was not sure how to turn the tide. We didn't know it at the time, but once alone, we both started to cry."

Quote 4

"The problem was that military school wasn't cheap. It's not even cheap. The price tag for Valley Forge was even steeper than that for Riverdale. My mother had written to family and friends, asking them to help her however they could...Weeks later, she was still thousands of dollars short."

Quote 5

"'I love you, and I am proud of you. And, Wes, it's time to stop running,' my mother said as I hung up."

Wes Moore (author) was already doing poorly in school. His mother had been fed up to the point where she shoved brochures in Wes' face depicting military school life. Wes obviously took this as an empty threat. He saw himself as the man of the house. That's why he couldn't imagine her ever sending him away. Also, that's why he couldn't imagine her hitting him. His mother was so against abuse, considering her past marriage, and she instilled those beliefs in him. Wes was her baby boy, but suddenly, after she struck him, she almost didn't recognize the boy in front of her. She loved him, and he loved her. She loved him so much, and she wanted him to do well in school, life, etc. She had such high hopes for him and she tried so hard to be a good mother to him. At the time, she felt like a failure. So, her only hope was military school for the rest of his education. Unfortunately, as a single mother, you're the only breadwinner in the family. Wes' mother was already paying for an upperclass education in New York for both of her daughters, and on top of that she had a low paying job. She desperately wanted what was best for her children, so she went to their relatives and asked for some. Still, she was short. In order to properly put him through the first year, Wes' grandparents gave his mother their retirement funds.

The theme for single mother develops in this chapter as it shows how single mothers try their hardest to mold their children into good citizens and students, but it's hard if you're the only authority figure in your household. In order to fix things, sacrifices must be made, and it takes a true parent to make that decision, also showing how single mothers carry the burden of two parents by themselves.

Characterization Sonnets

Characterization Sonnets

Wes Moore (2)

He who hath the identical name

But yet a different fate

Both Wes Moore's seemed the same

One they loved and one they hate

Being alone and trying to please 

Looking for help from his brother

With a smile that put all around at ease

He only had comfort from his mother

He forced himself into a world of pain

Running drugs that tore him apart

With very little to no gain

Instead it broke everyones soul and heart

What once was a happy and lively child 

Replaced by a man who no longer smiled

Wes Moore (author)

He who hath the identical name

But yet a different fate

Both Wes Moore's seemed the same

One they loved and one they hate
His life had started out happily
The father of his dreams was with him
At three years old he faced tragedy
And his life now seemed grim
He became a terrible student at school
Wanting advice and a new start
Did whatever he could to seem "cool"
He was struggling to follow his heart
He tried so hard to be who his family expected
But he had trouble in a city so infected

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 4

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking

Theme: Drugs

Quote 1:
"Tony had now spent over a decade dealing drugs and knew how much could be made in the game."

Tony walks in to Wes Moore 2's house to meet Wes Moore 2's large quantity of expensive shoes. The drug theme develops in this chapter by showing how they surround the youth of urban cultures.

Quote 2:
"Drugs had brought fear to both sides of the equation. You could see it in the people in the neighborhood, intimidated by the drug dealers and gangs, harassed by the petty crime of the crackheads and frightened by the sometimes arbitrary and aggressive behavior of the cops themselves. On the other end of the relationship, the policemen, almost overnight, had gotten significantly tougher. The tide of drugs was matched by a tide of guns."

Drugs (such as crack cocaine) slowly but surely make their way into Baltimore and other major cities, but hold everyone hostage once they stake their place. This affects Mary Moore, Wes Moore 2, Wes Moore (author), and pretty much everyone in some way. The drug theme develops in this chapter by enveloping all who are slightly connected to drugs and destroying them in some way. This is also the reason that people say when someone does drugs, they affect at least 20 people in some way.

Theme: Role Model

Quote 1:
"Wes was so confused. He loved and respected his brother. Tony was the closest thing Wes had to a role model. But the more he tried to be like his brother, the more his brother rejected him. The more he copied him, the more Tony pushed back. Wes wanted to be just like Tony. Tony wanted Wes to be nothing like him."

Wes Moore 2's brother Tony was working the streets from a young age, back before he turned 14. Tony, as we see in chapter 2, exercises the "Do as I say, not as I do" mantra, and Tony now sees that it hasn't been enough to sway Wes Moore 2 away from drug dealing, developing the Role Model theme to show that role models sometimes aren't enough.

Theme: Single Mother

Quote 1:
"She reached again for the first Nike box and opened it. Inside were pills, marijuana, half an ounce of powdered cocaine, and half a dozen vials of 'ready rock,' or crack cocaine. She felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. She sat down on the bed, unsure of what to think. She didn't even bother looking in the second box; she already knew all she needed to know. Both her sons were drug dealers."

Mary Moore (Wes Moore 2's mother) finds drugs in Wes Moore 2's room and her heart falls. He had convinced her that he was DJing and he was making lots of money, explaining why there are hundreds of Nikes in his room, and she finds out that the money actually came from the drug running he was doing. This theme of single mothers shows that in trying to provide for her family, she didn't have time to raise her son right in order to steer him away from drugs.

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 3

 The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking

Theme: Importance of Education

Quote 1:

"When we finally got to the train station, Justin asked me a question.

'Did you study yet for the English test for Wednesday?'

'Nope,' I replied.

'You know they are going to put you on probation if you don't start doing better, man.'"

Wes (author) doesn't realize the importance of education in this chapter, further developing the theme to show that some people take education for granted, like Wes (author), rather than Mary Moore who is devastated that her future turned out like this.

Quote 2:

"Tony was now full-time in the streets, splitting time between his father's and girlfriend's apartments in the Murphy Homes Projects. He was a veteran of the drug game at eighteen. He'd graduated from foot soldier and now had other people working for him. School was a distant memory; Tony hadn't seen the inside of a classroom on a regular basis since eighth grade."

Tony's devotion to being "King of the Streets", per say, pulls him away from a school setting. The theme of Importance of Education develops in this chapter because of the stark contrast of characters. Wes Moore (author) goes to school but doesn't feel like doing the work. Wes Moore 2 goes to school sometimes, often skipping, and feels like he's too smart to do the work. Tony doesn't respect the idea of an education. All of this is painfully contrasted to Mary Moore, who breaks down when she has her education ripped from her and no chance of a successful future. 

Theme: Drugs

Quote 1:

"Crack was different from the drugs that preceded it. I was crazily accessible and insanely potent-and addictive. My friends and I would regularly trade the most remarkable stories we'd overheard or witnessed: A father who left his family and robbed his parents for money to buy rock. A pregnant mother who sold her body to get another hit. Someones grandmother who blew her monthly Social Security check on crack." 

Wes (author) is now growing up in the Bronx. The theme in this chapter is mainly about drugs and how close they are to the children and adolescents that live there. 

Quote 2:

"The other difference between crack and other drugs was its method of distribution. There was so much money to be made that drug gangs rapidly expanded their ranks, sucking in some of our best friends, and turf wars became deadly, aided by the influx of sophisticated firearms. The mayhem spread form the gangs to the rest of the neighborhood. Everyone felt threatened."

Again, this shows how the theme of Drugs affects everyone around it, slowly but surely incorporating them into Drugs' little world, especially teens who are pulled into the ranks of violent gangs and children who are recruited as runners for the gang.

Quote 3:

"As he lay in bed, he realized how time seemed to stop when he was high, how the drug-smoking it, feeling its effects, recovering from it-made him forget everything else. And he understood, faintly, how addictive that feeling could be, and how easy it would be to make some money off selling that feeling to people who needed it."

This quote can also relate back to the Role Model theme in Chapter 2 where Tony is trying to make sure that Wes 2 won't go into the drug and street game, like him. Here, we see its too late for Wes 2. He's been sucked in and now he sees the promise of money, developing the Drug theme to show that people can be part of the drug trade not for the getting high aspect, but rather for the money.

Title Justification Essay

The Other Wes Moore: Fathers and Angels

     The title of this collection of chapters is Fathers and Angels. This title is appropriate for these chapters because it shows how both fathers affected both Wes Moores lives.

Fathers and Angels is appropriate for this first group of chapters because they show how the fathers themselves affect both Wes Moores lives. In the text, Wes Moore (author) argues with the other Wes Moore, saying “Come on man…You don't think about how things would've been different if he’d been there?” Wes Moore (author) seems confused because his father affected him so deeply and he missed him so much, and he can’t believe that someone else doesn’t feel that way about their own father. Wes Moore 2 has his own answer, much to Wes Moore (author)’s surprise: “Your father wasn’t there because he couldn’t be, my father wasn't there because he chose not to be. We’re going to mourn their absences in different ways.”

     Wes Moore (author) tells the story about his father’s passing. “While I knew something bad had happened, I still wasn't sure what it meant.” Wes Moore (author) was very young at the time, but he loved his father very much. Losing his father took a large toll on Wes Moore (author), in two ways. Not only did he lose a parent, he lost a role model of his. In the book, he writes “With each tiny step I took with him, my whole hand wrapped tighter around his middle finger. I tried to copy his walk, his expressions. I was his main man. He was my protector.” In saying this, we can see that Wes Moore (author)’s attachment to his father was both as a familiar and admirer. 

     Wes Moore 2’s father was absent until he turned six years old. Wes Moore 2 finally meets his father at his grandmother’s house. “He was running through the living room when he saw someone he had never seen before.” It was his father, coming down from a hangover. Wes looked at Mary Moore (his mother) “hoping she could explain who this man was.” His mother didn't know what to do, really. “Mary looked down at her son and uttered the words she had never said before and never thought she would have to say.

‘Wes, meet your father.’ ”
     Both Wes Moores' are portrayed in the first three chapters as fatherless children who face the everyday struggles without someone to talk to about them. This also shows how they’re similar in many ways, not just by their name, as Wes Moore (author) says in an interview with Stephen Colbert. The title is appropriate for these three chapters in showing that while some fathers can be angels, others are destructive and terrible, leading some to attempt to find their own angels, however messed up they may be.

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 2

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking

Theme: Single Mother
Quote 1:
"Their mom was usually out of the house by 8:30 and didn't come back until well in the evening."
Wes 2's mother Mary Moore was already shown as a hard-worker in Chapter 1. The single mother theme develops in the beginning of Chapter 2 in showing that throughout Wes 2's childhood, Mary was absent and working in order to put food on the table.

Quote 2:
"Her mother had let her know that there would always be an open door for her in the Bronx if she needed it. But my mother had been determined to stick it out in the home she'd bought with her husband. Until now.
'Mom, if it's still all right, I think we need to move up there. I can't do this alone anymore.' "
The Single Mother theme develops by showing that its important to a single-parent household's success that the parent's family is supportive. It also shows that single mothers will sacrifice everything to make their children's future stable and successful.

Theme: Role Model
Quote 1:
"His brother, six years older, was the closest thing Wes had to a caretaker during the daylight hours and was fiercely protective of the little brother who idolized him."
Tony, Wes 2's older brother, is a 14 year old when we first see him. He lives with his father most of the time in the projects, and is rarely home at Mary Moore and Wes 2's house. In Chapter 2, the Role Model theme develops while showing that even when Tony's away and Mary's at work, Tony tries hard to raise Wes 2 to be a better person.

Quote 2:
"Wes sighed into the phone. He had heard it before. He loved his brother but had learned to ignore his occasional 'do as I say, not as I do' tirades."
Tony tries to mold Wes 2 into the person that he himself wants to be. Unfortunately, the theme of Role Model develops more in Chapter 2 to show that sometimes just having a role model that tells you to do something doesn't instill the need to do it.

Quote 3:
"But no matter how tough he was, or how many corners he controlled, what Tony really wanted was to go back in time, to before he'd gotten himself so deep into the game, and do it all over. He wanted to be like Wes."
Tony is trying to be a role model for Wes 2, and in doing so, the theme of Role Model develops by portraying Tony as living vicariously through Wes 2 in order to relieve himself of his own guilt.

The Other Wes Moore Theme Tracking Chapter 1

Theme: Single Mother
Quote 1:

"Mary realized the letter effectively closed the door on her college aspirations. She had already completed sixteen hours of college credits and would get no closer to graduation."

Mary Moore is the single mother of Wes Moore 2, aka not the author. She was given a Pell Grant (an education grant to people without the financial ability to pay for college) and was able to attend Johns Hopkins University. In this quote, Mary received a letter in the mail explaining why the Pell Grants were being terminated by the Ronald Reagan administration. She can no longer go to school, and has to settle for her part-time job at a hospital. This theme develops in this chapter by making you, the reader, be brought into her struggle as a single mom taking care of Wes and Tony, and she doesn't know what to do.

Quote 2:

"...Wes quickly volunteered to get a job and help out. Mary laughed. 'You can work later and make money. Right now I just need you to go get your bag so I can drop you off.'" 

Mary Moore somehow manages to put away her pain and comfort her children. The theme develops in this quote by showing both sides of the pain that single mothers face. They're solely in charge of making the money to provide for their family, they still have to raise their children, and there's no time to follow any aspirations.

Theme: Overcoming Obstacles

Quote 1:

"He stood over her with a contemptuous scowl on his face. It could've been that look. Or it could've been the escalating abuse and the accumulated frustration at the chaotic life he was creating for her and her daughter. But something gave Joy the strength to pull herself up from the floor."

Joy Moore, the author's mother, was married once before Wes' father. She had a daughter Nikki with her previous husband named Bill. He was abusive and repugnant. Joy thought she could change him, but as this theme developed, she overcame the obstacle that was Bill and moved on to a better life that she and Nikki deserved. 

Quote 2:
"This city wasn't their home. But after completing her community college requirements, Mary attempted the short but improbable journey from neighborhood to the campus. Her heart jumped when she received her acceptance letter."
Mary Moore, Wes Moore 2's mother, was a single, teen mother of two boys. Determined to get an education after her mother's passing, Mary fought her way into community college and worked, worked, worked all day to fulfill the requirements needed in order to get her Pell Grant and acceptance to Johns Hopkins. Although she eventually loses the grant, the theme develops and Mary works hard to keep up her academic progress during her setbacks.

Theme: Role Models
Quote 1:
"With each tiny step I took with him, my whole hand wrapped tighter around his middle finger. I tried to copy his walk, his expressions. I was his main man. He was my protector."
Wes Moore 1, the author, lost his father when he was three in 1982. Moore looked up to his father. He wanted to be like him, successful, nice, and loving. The theme develops through the chapter by showing the connection Moore had with his father, all up until his father dies.