The Other Wes Analysis

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There are many ways in which both Wes’s have taken steps down the right and wrong paths. They may have lived and grown up in the same cities, but they had different support systems and different events that made their destinies contrast. Perhaps if the Other Wes had a better support system, he could have gone down a much different path. From the very beginning, neither Wes had a father figure. Author Wes’s father dying from acute epiglottitis (which Wes witnessed) , and the Other Wes’s father leaving the picture. There is an occurrence where the Other Wes does come across his father, and neither of them know who each other are.”The strong smell of whiskey wafted from his clothes and pores. Wes and the man returned each other’s quizzical looks.”(25)

They briefly discuss this question and even Author Wes is set back by his own question. Bringing up the thought of second chances, Author Wes has a great point. “I guess it’s hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chances.”(67) Sometimes we take our chances for granted, thinking we get as many as we’d like, as Other Wes probably did in his troubled times. This point also relates to what the Other Wes brings up. “But if the situation or the context where you make the decisions don’t change, then second chances don’t mean too much, huh?”(66) He’s absolutely right and I’m guessing he wishes he could go back and change a few things, so does Author Wes. The Other Wes even brings up his own situation, indirectly speaking about what got him into prison, and how it made him grow up in certain ways. “Providing for others isn’t easy. And the mistakes you make trying are pretty unforgiving.”(66) Here he is talking about him trying to get his life back on track, and then remembering the easier ways he could be supporting his family. Both of these men became men in their own ways and in their own circumstances. Providing is difficult and the Other would have done anything for his family at this point, even stealing, but he unknowingly used his last

Based off of what you see in the novel you can tell which one can give leadership and support versus the other. Mary Moore, Other Wes’s mother, cared a lot in the beginning about Wes, she was going to school, had a job and was a supporter. Then her grant was shut down and she shut down with it. “Mary realized the letter effectively closed the door on her college aspirations.”(17) When she falls through on her own dreams of being successful, she falls through with Wes. She also wasn’t a good example of how to treat a woman. “She was only 27 years and despite having two sons... she was still young enough to enjoy partying, dancing, and being noticed by men-and noticing them back.”(19) She is not a respectable woman based off of this and Wes now grows up thinking this is a good way to view woman. This later leads to Wes getting a girl pregnant and not knowing how to be a father. Even how Mary reacts to her son having a child is ridiculous. In fact, her actual response was “So who wants cake?”(101) Joy Moore, author Wes’s mother, was very supportive and had faith in her son. She knew when he needed the extra push, she ultimately turned Wes’s life around at one point. After trying to desperately run away from military school, he calls his mom and her response is quite honest. “I love you, and I am proud of you. And, Wes, it’s time to stop running.”(96)She took on the responsibility to do whatever it took to