The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates

Another visit between the two Wes Moores begins with the convicted Wes not admitting to “the armed robbery that had led to his final imprisonment” (125). Both men discussed the possibility that they are “products of [their] environments,” but it is Wes who added that he may also be a product of “expectations” (126). Moore was troubled by this statement because it seemed Wes didn’t quite take full responsibility for his actions. Moore reminded Wes that “it’s easy to lose control when you were never looking for it in the first place” (127).

Chapter 7 begins with Moore in military training and recounts the stress and fear he felt prior to making his first jump as a paratrooper.

During high school, Moore was romanced by several colleges, “but eventually, all of these treats started to feel meaningless” (130). To really solidify his chances at a good postsecondary education, he realized he had to rely on his academic performance to impress schools. His basketball skills were good but not easy or natural. However, his passion for reading blossomed, and his intellectual pursuits were inspired by Colin Powell’s My American Journey. It made him “harmonize [his] understanding of America’s history and [his] aspirations to serve her in uniform” (131).