The Other Wes Moore: Chapters 7- Epilouge

Hello, if there is still trouble seeing this post I have the google doc linked below.

The last stretch, the closing of the book, comes to surface as it begins to conclude the lives and fates of both Wes Moore’s. One one hand we have the author Wes Moor, taking advantage of opportunities And on the other you have the “other” Wes Moore who also takes advantage of a few last given opportunities to move his life in the benefiting direction. To his already corrupt and troublesome footprint he has left in which reflects himself, his fate seems clear. But what all comes is not what comes to these characters, but to the decisions they chose to make, live or stand by. After retrieving the themes from past blogs, another theme came into curation in regards to the closing of the book. The theme follows, stand for who you are, not based on others expectation, but on your belief of what your purpose is to the world. Although lengthy, the theme specifically bases itself off of self control and discipline. Also the relationship developed and stationed between both the characters mentally and intellectually. An example extracted from chapter seven, emulates this theme. In context the “other '' Wes Moore seems to finally have a clear mindset on becoming ill-involved in the drug game and ill- influenced community. Wes has found methods of self-discipline, straightening his priorities and finding his purpose. However Wes realizes how much of an effort living and providing a clean lifestyle is and refuses to give any more of his commitment in it any more. In the book it reads, “As the baking soda swirled in the rapidly heating pot, Wes held the plastic bag with both hands and poured in nine ounces of cocaine.” (Moore 145). Without failure he trunks back to his old ways, involving himself in the drug game- his easy way out. Wes is aware of his actions and has full control, in his mind his self discipline is dependent on how well he can live off. Not taking into consideration that the drug game is risky business, regardless of how much experience, commitment, reliance, or built reputation he has accumulated with it. In the end his savage ways caught up to him, as the rest of his life was confined in the walls of a prison. What is ironic about this is, Wes is fully aware and almost seems to take pride in it. Wes’s actions were completely voluntary and sensible in his mind, His small world comprised of mischief, wrong-doing, and easy way outs is what eventually built tha door which led to a brick wall- trapped. In the epilogue, a sentence that stood out to me stated, “We make decisions based on what we see in all that limited world and follow the only models available.” (Moore 179) In the author Wes Moore’s case, because he was surrounded by so many friends, family, idols who continuously pushed him through his growing years to excel and do the impossible, it is what mainly fought him to where he was as he wrote this book. The saem goes for the “other'' Wes Moore, with his family,friends, and idols who only knew so much beyond their community and knew the ropes of living precarious and on-edge lifestyles, Wes couldn't find a sustainable way to live and in result began to make irrational decisions. Now living the rest of his life behind prison walls and 24/7 guard watch, he reflects not to blame others but himself- he proclaims how even for him it was well aware that he was aware in multiple points of his life it could have turned out differently. In reality we make decisions that may seem to others selfish, reckless or irrational, but based on one’s knowledge and experiences it may not seem that way. Different levels of this is what makes one to be unique or relative to others whether it is having the same background, childhood, being involved in similar life-changing (or threatening) situations, etc. Other expectations can either make or break your life's decisions, it's up to one's decisions on how to interpret those expectations. In some ways it can be easy to alter them in your life's goals, or in some cases it can gamble with one's life and in this case, destiny.