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.