Paths Leading to Two Separate Worlds

Every child grows up in a distinct household. The way the child is raised depends on morals, the environment, and most importantly, their socioeconomic status. Today, students living in low-income homes, attending high poverty schools are two years behind students living in similar situations, but are able to attend more prosperous schools. This education gap continues to widen as the years progress and eventually determine the fate of the individual’s future. Wes Moore, the author of The Other Wes Moore, is able to express these grueling truths, by telling the personal stories of his childhood, as well as the stories of the man that goes by his same name. The book begins with background information—introducing both Wes Moores’. It is revealed that one man is in jail for the rest of his life, due to a robbery committed with his brother. A police officer was killed in the process. The author of the book, on the other hand, has a successful life with a vast background of education. The reader discovers most of this information through dialogue between both Wes Moore’s. After the reader learns this information, they are taken back into the past to understand what paths the Moores’ were on that led them to two entirely separate worlds. Confusion is the first reaction the audience has while reading the book. For the first few chapters, the audience has a hard time determining whose story is being told at that moment. This is because the anecdotes of each Wes Moore switch off and are told one after another. The book starts with one Wes Moore’s childhood, then progresses to the other’s childhood and so on. This is never actually specifically stated by the author so in the beginning it is unclear, however as the book progresses, the r... ... middle of paper ... ...g part of the novel. Despite this fact, the novel, The Other Wes Moore is engaging, interesting and is able to draw the reader in and never let them go. Few books can do this—especially those that are nonfiction. Many just present fact after fact, not taking the time to consider whether it’s audience will be engaged or not. In this book, however the reader feels exactly what emotions the author and the ‘other’ Wes Moore feels. The novel is told in monotone, which makes it more relatable. This is because the reader is able to substitute the author’s words and picture themselves in the situations the characters go through. Pictures are provided throughout the book, which makes the stories more personal and alive. Overall, the author, Wes Moore does a phenomenal job of interlocking these two similar stories, in two separate ways that is significant to the audience.