Long Story Short

  Coming of age (Bildungsroman )  The other Wes Moore is a story about the power of expectations; the type of expectations other human beings have on us and the expectations we have ourselves. However, this story is also about the loss of innocence of two kids. Although at one point or another we must all transition from childhood to adulthood, some people’s transitions are harsher or come sooner than the rest. In this portion of the text, the author exemplifies some ways and where he lost his innocence in an unconventional way. There are some connections that can be made between this novel and J.D Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.  There is a part in a text in which Wes candidly discusses how he came to learn about the world. He states, “I learned about girls getting their periods not from biology class but from my friend Paris. I learned the realities of gang violence not from after-school specials but when my boy Mark got jumped and beaten down for wearing the wrong color jacke

  Expectations  “Expectation is the root of all heartache”- William Shakespeare When giving the introduction to his famous book, The Other Wes Moore , Wes More highlights that the reason why the other Wes Moore and him ended up in different paths was not because one looked up to their expectations and the other did not but because they both did. One recognized his humble upbringing but wanted to prosper and improve his lifestyle. The other recognized his humble upbringing but embraced it to the point where he settled and almost welcomed it.  Wes Moore There are many things that could have completely changed the way Wes’ life turned out. One of the biggest things that had a big impact in his life was having a father figure. Wes remembers a time his father explained to him the importance of treating women with respect. Wes explains, “That is one of only two memories I have of my father. The other was when I watched him die”(p.11). Wes witnessed how his father died as he suffocated to d