Wes Moore The Work Analysis

Improved Essays
Often times when we hear the word ‘service’ we think of doing something for someone other than yourself. In that moment of kindness, you may not think that your small gesture or the work you are doing for someone could have an impact on someone’s life or even the world. Throughout the text, The Work by Wes Moore, the idea of work has a much bigger meaning that states having a life that matters is important. He believes that living a life full of meaning, purpose, and service are the keys that allow you to become part of a bigger picture. The author, Wes Moore, is a man who had many accomplishments throughout his life. Because of his accomplishments he was able to impact and inspire the lives of the many people he encountered. One of many accolades Moore received would include his acceptance of the Rhodes Scholarship. However, there is an irony to this successful situation. The Rhodes Scholarship was left in the legacy of Cecil Rhodes, a racist man who exploited minorities for his success. During Moore’s interview the question of, “how could …show more content…
From these examples one in particular stuck out to me. Esther Benjamin was a woman who devoted her life to the peace corps and making a difference around the world. This not only inspired me but made me think about my involvement in Midnight Run during my National Honors Society (NHS) experience. In high school being apart of the NHS was not only about academics but also required you to abide by the four pillars. One of these pillars included ‘Service’. In trying to fulfill this pillar I took part in Midnight Runs. During this time me and a group of students and teachers collected clothes, toiletries, and food to bring to the city in order to provide for the homeless. These runs allowed us to stop and think about someone other than ourselves. One act of kindness can change someone’s

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The Other Wes Moore Essay

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore was about two boys with the same names, similar backgrounds, who had in similar situations, and grew up in the similar neighborhoods. Wes Moore the author and the other Wes Moore grew up with difficult life situations, but whose lives took two different paths. One becomes successful and goes down the right path and the other Wes Moore is a failure because the actions he decided to do. One of the reasons why Wes Moore is successful was because his mother Joy. Joy was a mother of two girls and one boy.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jean-Luc Salib Ms. Borelli English IV 3/13/16 We all experience adversity in our lives. However, for some the deck seems overwhelmingly stacked against them. They face multiple obstacles like poverty, lack of educational opportunities, and hardships within their families.…

    • 1193 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The novel “The other Wes Moore,” written by Wes Moore, is a story involving two men with the same name, who grow up to live two totally opposite lives. Both boys grew up fatherless, in poverty, and living in bad neighborhoods. For the most part, their upbringings were extremely similar with minor differences, but at a point in their lives they went on to live on opposite sides of the spectrum. Wes, the author, grew up most of his life without a father because he died, but he lived with his mother and older sister. After his father’s passing, Wes’ mother, Joy, decided to move their family to the Bronx with his grandparents.…

    • 1969 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This is all presented to readers by Moore’s strong words against the Bush ‘election’, societal greed and loss of morals, and falling apart of society due to the lack of a central and liberalized government. He does not relent on the political bias, let his readers (or the rest of the world) know that he is a millionaire fifty times over, or give any solutions to the republican problem that society has now become. All in all, Moore is a stupid, white man just as bad as the rest of the one percenters and lacks the ability to truly sympathize with those in need, those who the lack of liberalized government is really…

    • 2239 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Other Wes Moore, along with the Scarlet Letter contain direct characterization to prove the theme of how one decision will decide your fate. The Other Wes Moore has a plethora of characters that all face the same dilemma because of their living situation. In Baltimore many young children are forced to turn to the drug game to generate money and help support their family, all of the community expects for every black teenager to turn to drugs. While Wes Moore did not turn to drugs, the other Wes Moore turned to drugs and it led him down a path where one choice decided his fate.…

    • 1422 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sometimes an education isn’t for everyone. But to be successful, most of the time you need a higher education. In the book “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore, Moore writes about two Wes Moore’s that have a different fate. The author Wes Moore finished his education career and the other Wes Moore dropped out and had his fate turnaround for the worst. Education is a highly important piece of being successful in life.…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Family and peer group mezzo systems are dynamically involved in children’s growth, development, and behavior” (Zastrow, 2013, p. 166). The influences on both Wes Moore’s from their family and peers greatly contributed to their decision-making, critical thinking and outlook of life, which played a part in their outcomes. In the beginning of The Other Wes Moore, Wes (2) told Wes (1) when speaking about their fathers that “You 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 in their absence in different ways” (p. 3). I believe that the lack of having a father was the first factor in these men destinies because other male figures in their families stepped up.…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After reading “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore I can understand what he means when he says “The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine, the tragedy is that my story could have been his”. This is about two men who each had their own struggle growing up but one was able to succeed in life while the other is facing a life sentence behind bars. Wes Moore could have had a similar life as the other Wes Moore if his mother would have just given up on him. Credit should not be given just to his mother and family but also to Wes himself. Even after a rough start at his new life in military school, he was able to stick to it and give it a chance.…

    • 1895 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ralph Ellison, author of On Being the Target of Discrimination, did an excellent job describing the daily life of an African American child during the segregation era. This text has powerful lessons that he went through that shape the story into what it is today. On Being the Target of Discrimination is a narrative essay that relies on pathos to persuade its primary audience of white people in America how racism affects a kid’s childhood. The author had a very clear image of how he wanted to present the sole purpose of this text which was by presenting lessons the main character experienced. There are some things, particularly audience and word choice that overlap together in a way that make you think of the text in another dimension.…

    • 1253 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The difference between the author and the “other” Wes Moore, is the mindset and the decisions they made. They both had a rough childhood, but your expectations, determination, and mindset could completely change the course of your life. Growing up and throughout their lives, the author, and the “other” Wes Moore had figures in their life that they looked up to. Both in a positive…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Analysis Of Wes Moore

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Do you think we’re all just products of our environments?” His smile dissolved into a smirk, with the left side of his face resting at ease. “I think so, or maybe products of our expectations.” “Other’s expectations of us or our expectations for ourselves?” “I mean others’ expectations that you take on as your own.”…

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    We spent a whole day at my school doing simple tasks such as garden cleaning, moving old furniture, covering graffiti, repainting old walls and stairwells. In the end, volunteering had a huge impact not only on me but also the community around me. It enabled me to connect with my community and make my school a better place. I realized that helping out with the simplest and smallest tasks can make a drastic difference in society. If we were to lose physical space, people would surrender their desire to obtain public good.…

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Have you ever chosen to read a book more than once because it was such an abundant book? If not you will once you take the time and read “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore. This book is about two African American men who has the same name, live in the same neighborhood, has the same childhood background, but two different paths of lives. As you read the story, you will be astonished how two little boys had no idea about each other, but are so compatible. In this essay I will explain the comparison and contrast of the two Wes Moore’s.…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imagine the feeling of living in a Jim Crow south after the Civil War. In Richard Wright’s autobiography “Black Boy”, he illustrates his life as he tries to understand the segregated and the white dictated world he lives in. Throughout the story he asks questions to others and himself to attempt at understanding the world. Since the book is an autobiography, it allows the reader to take a front row seat with the story. “Black Boy” is one of the many books that were challenged for a myriad of reasons.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Through much experience, I have learned the significance of partaking in activities such as community service. Evidently, it helps to improve one's balance of life, as it enters all aspects and dimensions of our lives - be it emotionally, intellectually, socially, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Essentially, this enhances an individual's well-being and cultivates our sense of identity. The role that community service maintains primarily serves as one of the many factors that contributes to our personal development.…

    • 563 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays