The Other Wes Moore (Blog Post Three) up to page 137 (by Sunday, 1/10/2021 @8:00 p.m.)
Please respond to each of the questions below. Responses should be AT LEAST ONE PARAGRAPH EACH. Number your responses so that it is clear which question you are answering. Remember this should be HONORS quality work.
1. Military school obviously benefited author Wes Moore. What did author Wes Moore go on to do after exiting military school? Do you think there were any other paths that could have set him on the straight and narrow?
2. Prisoner Wes Moore continued to proclaim innocence, saying he wasn’t there for the robbery. Do you think the author believed him? Did you believe him? Do you think he should have been sentenced to life in prison?
3. At one point, author Wes Moore asks prisoner Wes Moore, "Do you think we are all products of our environments?" How would you answer this question?
4. Prisoner Wes Moore says that we are either products of our environments or products of our expectations. Which is it? What about you? (Are you more a product of your environment or more a product of your expectations for yourself?)
5. What does education have to do with the path that each Wes Moore landed on (then continued on)?
Prompt #1:
ReplyDeleteAfter author Wes Moore’s time in military school, he went on to do some amazing things. First of all, he went to college at John Hopkins University where he got not only one but two highly ranked academic awards. After going to John Hopkin he went to Wolfson college where he got a master’s degree in international relations. Then he moved to London and started a career in finance. But in 2005 he left it all and went to join the U.S. Army in their fight in Afghanistan, where he led a team of paratroopers and special operators. These are some great accomplishments especially for someone who was heading in the wrong direction. There are probably a lot of other ways his mother could have helped him on to the right path but I think she chose this path because it was almost certain to work and it was probably the most accessible option to them.
Prompt #2
I am not sure that author Wes Moore does believe that prisoner Wes Moore is innocent. I get this feeling of Wes Moore believing him guilty when he writes “I looked at Wes, speechless. He still didn’t admit to the armed robbery that had led to his final imprisonment” and later when he says “did he think that through repetition it would come true?” This last question he thinks to himself here leads me to think that he does not buy Wes’s story. For that matter, I’m not sure if I believe him either. Part of me believes that the evidence points to him and he does not have any proof that it was not him. On the other hand, he has life imprisonment anyway what would he have to lose by admitting that he had been a part of this robbery. The only reason I can think is that he truly believes that he is innocent and if he is innocent he has hope. I think that if he is guilty he should be in prison for life however if he is innocent then he should obviously not be. And if he is guilty for being part of an armed robbery but not guilty for the murder he should be imprisoned for a time and maybe aloud out after being reformed and good behavior or something of that nature. I think this is one of those cases that could go either way because he and the people that were a part of the robbery are the only people who truly know what his crimes are.
Prompt #3
DeleteYes, I very much do believe that we are products of our environments. There are many ways that I could explain why I believe this but this is one of the most basic reasons. It is as simple as being traumatized. When I was very little my aunt had a cat that was mean, so whenever you tried to pat it, it would scratch you and because of this I do not particularly like cats. Another example would be that I love baseball because I have grown up always playing and watching baseball. Because I grew up in these environments it molds who I am and what I believe in. While I believe this I thought that prisoner Wes Moore also made a good point about standards that we hold for ourselves whether we made them or others gave them to us. I had never really thought about it like that. But nevertheless, I think that is also very true. There are some things that people do in life that it is almost like they are brainwashed to do, they do not even think about it. But when they take a second to realize why they are in this situation they realize that they are doing something just because someone else expected them to.
Prompt #4
I do not think that it is one or the other. I think everyone has a little of both environments and standards but maybe one more than the other. I personally think that I am a little more environment than I am standard. I think that because my parents think that a good environment is important I am more environment. My dad always said that if we were living in an inner-city somewhere we would take what we have and leave because that is not where he wants us to grow up. As far as standards I have obviously always had standards for myself but I have never really thought about them that deeply. I think the reason that I am not more living by standards is that I have never really cared about what anyone thought about me. I think that because they could think and say things and it did not bother me I never held those standards too close to home. So if I do think about it deeply that is the reason that I am more environment than standards.
Prompt #5
Education has a lot to do with the path that both Wes Moores went down. Arthur Wes Moore’s family had the ability to get him out of the situation he was in at an early enough stage that he cleaned up fairly easily. But unfortunately prisoner Wes Moore’s family did not have that option and his older brother was already deep into that world which brought the wrong path so much closer to Wes. If prisoner Wes Moore had been able to get a better education where drugs and robbery were looked down upon he probably would not have been so tempted to go down that road. So I would say that education plays a big role in the path people go down. I do not think we see it as much where we live but I bet you see a lot of it in the city.
I completely agree with everything you said, but especially in prompt five. You made a really good point involving the differences in their environments and how that may have affected their education and ability to pull themselves out of that life. Had prisoner Moore never been introduced to the drug game I doubt he would have fallen so far. The author was able to pull out with help from his mother and military school. He was very lucky in this way, and rather privileged to be able to do so. I think you are right in saying that prisoner Moore’s brother is a major cause of his problems leaving the life he’s made from selling drugs. It also can be addictive, in a way. I would imagine that easy money for pretty minimal work is something hard to fall out of, especially since he has little money to begin with. I am not sure how much being in the city affects things, though I do think that such things would be much more common. There is more demand in the city than there is in a more remote location such as Thetford. You did a great job with your response.
DeleteI extremely agree with you for number 3. “There are some things that people do in life that it is almost like they are brainwashed to do, they do not even think about it. But when they take a second to realize why they are in this situation they realize that they are doing something just because someone else expected them to.” is incredibly true. The way I tie my shoes was the way my mom taught me how to tie them, so I just assumed it was the universally normal tying method of shoelaces. But I later learned that other people did not tie their shoes the same way and it made me confused. Environment can impact the way you do every single thing no matter how big or small. I also agree with what you said about expectations. If my teachers did not expect me to hand in my homework on time, I would almost NEVER hand it in on time (that’s a bad example but I hope I am making sense). Others expectations of us can mold us into the type of person we turn out to be. I also think the weight of expectations can mold us. If my parents expected an ‘A’ on every single assignment, I would probably be trying WAY more harder in school in order to meet their expectations. This could either make or break me because I would probably get good grades, but the stress would probably drive me crazy.
DeleteAden,
DeleteI like what you said here: I would imagine that easy money for pretty minimal work is something hard to fall out of, especially since he has little money to begin with.
It's really well said.
1. After completing military school, author Wes Moore realized that he wanted to lead soldiers. He admired the military officials who had been his teachers and role models at school, and wanted to follow the same path as them. I think that military school was a very good experience for Wes because it showed him all the possibilities for career paths; if he had stayed in the Bronx, he may have fallen into the bad habits and troublesome behavior that so many adolescents in inner city environments did at the time. Instead, Wes became a model student, a skilled basketball player, and a loyal member of the military. I think that he could have achieved the same level of success if he had taken another path; everyone has the potential to do so. But it depends on the person, and Wes clearly needed a stricter environment where he wasn’t tempted to slack off in order to flourish.
ReplyDelete2. This is a very difficult question to answer, because it is so morally challenging. I wish I could easily say that I believe prisoner Wes Moore, and that he doesn’t deserve a lifetime in prison, but it’s much more complicated than that. It’s hard to trust someone who has been accused of such heinous crimes. I think this is why author Wes Moore didn’t fully believe the prisoner. Assuming the prisoner was guilty, the author seemed shocked that the prisoner still didn’t admit to it after all those years. However, if prisoner Wes Moore was telling the truth, it makes sense that he was so adamant about his innocence. I have no idea whether he was being honest or not, because though I want to believe he was, there is lots of evidence suggesting the opposite. As far as his life sentence goes, I am also unsure. If Wes was guilty, he deserved some kind of punishment, but I’m not sure if a lifetime in prison was the right way to go, because he didn’t actually kill anyone. He might have learned his lesson better if he had the opportunity to redeem himself, especially since he was a father by that time. The criminal justice system is extremely complex, so there could have been many other punishments better suited to Wes.
3. I think we are all products of our environments, because people often turn out to be similar to those around them. Both Wes Moores are a good example of this. The prisoner Wes Moore’s brother, Tony, was a drug dealer, and though he encouraged Wes to stay out of it, it didn’t work. Eventually, Wes became a criminal. The author Wes Moore went to military school, where he was surrounded by polite and motivated people. These people were inspirations to him, and he became an academically successful student. There are always exceptions, since one statement can’t possibly sum up every person, but I think it is accurate for the most part.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete4. I think that I am both a product of my environment and of my expectations; the environment I’ve grown up in has had a very strong influence on my expectations for myself. For example, I think one of the reasons that I value education is because I was raised by two teachers. Also, I enjoy languages and writing more than math, and most of my friends and family members feel the same way. As I get older, I think my expectations have taken charge. I am ambitious and I have high standards for myself, so I am self-motivated to live up to those standards. I think that it really depends on the person, since everyone has a different environment (both social and physical), and different expectations for themselves. There are various combinations of these things, all of which can have a very strong influence on people.
Delete5. Education had a huge impact on each Wes Moore’s life. The prisoner Wes Moore stopped going to school, and relied on his street smarts for survival. Author Wes Moore also skipped school while living in the Bronx, but he was lucky to have a family with the resources to send him off to boarding school. Once he was there, he became very invested in academics. Education is extremely valuable, because it opens up so many possibilities. Even if prisoner Wes Moore wanted to get a job and start a new life, he wouldn’t have many options because he didn’t graduate from high school. The author Wes Moore passed all of his classes with flying colors, and went on to receive prestigious scholarships. This allowed him to get a job he wanted and make enough money to stay afloat. I think that prisoner Wes Moore was smart, but he didn’t have the motivation to pursue academics. The temptation to make easy money by joining the drug game was too strong, so he dropped out and gave it a chance. Ultimately, it became very dangerous and Wes ended up with a lifetime sentence in prison. Author Wes Moore went through an adequate school system. This gave him all the tools he needed to have a successful career and a happy life.
Well done, Ceci. I especially like what you said in response to #3. It makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDelete#1 Wes Moore was at Riverdale Country School when his grades started getting worse and worse and his mother started worrying and did what she and his grandparents did what they could to send him to a Military School. Wes Moore attended Valley Forge Military Academy and it put Wes Moore on a better path. After Military School Wes Moore went on to get many degrees and awards. He want to John Hopkins University and after that Wolfson College, thats where he got his masters degree.
ReplyDelete#2 Prisoner Wes Moore insists that he is innocent and that he wasn't there that day. The Author does a pretty good job at not showing whether he believes he's innocent or not. I think that the author Wes Moore believes that prisoner Wes Moore is a good person but I think that he does think it was prisoner Wes Moore could have done it. I think that the prison sentence he was given was what he deserved. I think the author doesn't know if he was the one to do it or not. I think that the author is not sure whether or not to believe him.
#3 When author Wes Moore was visiting prisoner Wes Moore, author Wes Moore asks the other Wes Moore if he thinks that we’re all products of our environment. Wes Moore answers with “I think so, or maybe products of our expectations.(126)”I think that we are definitely products of our environment and some people become products of your expectations of others expectations. I would answer this question saying that I think we start as the product of our environment and then become the product of your expectations or others expectations.
#4 I think that it isn't one or the other, I think you can be both the product of expectation and environment. It's hard not to be the product of your environment, when you're surrounded by something it's hard not to become like it. We also become products on what expectations we have on ourselves or what we think others want us to be. I think I'm more of a product of my environment. I feel like I'm way more of a product of my home environment then my town or state or anything like that. I'm a product of my environment and the expectations I uphold for myself as a person.
#5 I think education has a lot to do with the differences between their lives. Author Wes Moore was forced to go to Military school. Even though he didn't want to go in the beginning, Wes Moore’s life was better because of it. I think it changed the path of life he was on. After Military school it led him to do many other amazing things. He also got to further his education which led him on an even better path. Prisoner Wes Moore dropped out of high school and got his GED he got into selling drugs which got him in jail the first time.
~Mary Veracka
Mary I agree with pretty much all of what you are saying here. I would say that you as well as Acadia read much more deeply into the question about whether we are a product of our environment or the standards placed upon us. I agree more with what you said than what I said. I am not sure how that works but nonetheless it happened. I think you made a really great point about starting off as a product of our environment and then becoming a product of standards. But I would like to even farther however to say that depending on what kind of person your environment turns you into it will change how how much you appeal to those standards.
DeleteI like this line, Mary: I would answer this question saying that I think we start as the product of our environment and then become the product of your expectations or others expectations.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to know how much is a result of environment and how much is a result of what we expect of ourselves.
1. After completing high school at Valley Forge, author Wes goes on to further training and school to become a second lieutenant of the US army. His teachers and authors like Colin Powell inspired him, instilling a sense of service in him. He expressed how he wants to make a difference and serving his country was his opportunity to do so. Wes also expresses the great sense of community he felt with the people of the military and how he wanted to continue with that community after high school. However, on the plain he did seem a little intimidated by the fact that he was the youngest in his chalk and in the entire military program. He was chosen to be the regimental commander of his group, so he was anxious to live up to the authority that the role held.
ReplyDelete2. I do not have enough knowledge about the case, trial, or crime committed by Wes Moore to have any opinion about whether or not he committed the crime he was sentenced for. I do believe that if he did commit this crime he deserves the life sentence that he received. However, I do not support that Tony was charged with the death penalty, or anyone being sentenced to death for that matter. It does seem that author Wes thinks that he is guilty. When the other Wes denies the crime, author Wes is confused and speculates that it is a coping mechanism. Perhaps he was not only denying it to author Wes, but also to himself.
3. This point of the book really resonated with me. I agree with the powerful words spoken by prisoner Wes. I believe that environments play a huge role in the people we become, and that a key role in “environment” is the expectations others have of you. I think a prime example of this is the horrific fact that author Wes mentioned earlier on in the book; that the governor of New York uses third graders’ reading scores to determine how many beds were needed in the prisons. These children have their entire lives planned out for them, they are expected to become criminals. Another instance that proves this is when Wes thinks back to his friend, Justin, from back home. He tells the reader of an experience when a teacher told Justin to “Stay away from Wes” because he was “going nowhere” (117). Both boys were twelve at this time. In this case, Wes’ teacher is certain that this twelve year old boy has no good future ahead of him. I know that if I were told this as a child over and over again, I would start to believe it. Chances are that if he had not had the opportunity to go to boarding school and get out of the toxic trap of his environment at home, he would have continued to hear things like this from those who are supposed to help him. These expectations would likely have impacted him to live a very different life.
Mary, I liked how you drew comparisons between the prisoner Wes’s words about being the product of your environment and the earlier line about the number of prison beds being determined by children’s reading scores. I feel like this makes an important point about the dangers of putting too much pressure--or such a lack of pressure--on children from a young age. As well as being products of our environments and expectations, I think we’re also products of our childhood experiences. When society and your peers make those kinds of predictions about you when you’re little, like based off your reading test scores or when a teacher said that 12-year-old Wes was “going nowhere,” that can really stick with you and influence your perception of the world. I think that if you’re told something is true enough, like that you don’t have a bright future, then you can tend to internalize that and it will become true. If you believe you’re destined to fail at something, then that can lead to a sort of self-sabotage situation. I also liked what you said at the end about how Wes’s future might have turned out differently if he hadn’t been told these negative things when he was younger. I think that’s probably true, and that maybe he would even have been in a much better position if he had been told positive, encouraging things. This makes me think that our childhood experiences and the expectations placed on us from a young age really do have a bigger impact on us than we might think.
Delete- Leo D.
Well said, Leo!
DeleteResponse Continued:
ReplyDelete4. As I stated above, I think that the expectations that people have are a symptom of the environment itself, but there are big differences. Personally, I think I am more subject to the expectations others have of me. It is nowhere near the amount that is put on the men in the book, but it can make me feel like I am under pressure to perform at times. Like I somehow need to live up to this reputation that others have created. I used to struggle with this a lot more when I was younger, but now I feel I am more independent from the expectations of others. Though, it can still be apparent at times.
5. Education plays an enormous role in the lives of these men. As we see early on, the two boys have very similar lives. It starts to diverge when author Wes is sent away to boarding school. There, he is able to escape the environment that sets so many people up to fail. At school, he was given purpose, provided for, and most importantly, given a good education. Because of this, author Wes had security in his future and knew that he had stable career prospects. Because Prisoner Wes did not have these opportunities, he turns to crime to survive, which lead him to life in prison. However, as is the point of the book, the future of these men was not entirely their own fault. Broken institutions, racism, and impoverished communities play enormous roles in their futures.
Mary, I really like your words here: In this case, Wes’ teacher is certain that this twelve year old boy has no good future ahead of him. I know that if I were told this as a child over and over again, I would start to believe it.
DeleteYou are talking about the self-fulfilling prophecy. Good observation.
#1
ReplyDeleteWhen author Wes Moore was in military school, he knew that he wanted to lead a large number of people. As he started to like his school, he rose up in the ranks and eventually was in charge of many boys there. He had many career paths he could have chosen from, because of the opportunities he was given there. If he had still gone to school in NYC, he would have probably gone on a path like a prisoner Wes Moore did. I do think that Wes found his calling in military school and was very glad about how successful he was after graduating. I think that there could have been other paths that would have benefited him, like a boarding school or his family moving somewhere else, but military school seemed to be the most convenient and promising.
#2
I do not think that author Wes Moore believed prisoner Wes Moore. He seemed to get a little frustrated that prisoner Wes kept mentioning that he was not there for the robbery. Author Wes Moore seems like a very logical person, and because there was so much evidence against the prisoner, he did not believe that. Author Wes did know prisoner Wes Moore’s background and because he did get in trouble before, it would make sense that prisoner Wes was guilty. I agree with author Wes Moore. I do not know if he should have been sentenced to life in prison, but I also do not know the full details yet of the robbery, so I may change my mind later.
#3
I think this is true. Because I am growing up with both my parents and family going to college, I am definitely planning and hoping that I do too. My family has always been supportive and encouraging of learning, so I know that I will be going to college, and it is something that I am excited to do. However, if someone else grew up in a family where no one went to college, they might be less expected to go. We see this happened with prisoner and author Wes Moore. Author Wes Moore’s family wanted him to be successful and had enough money to send him to military school to ensure that. Although prisoner Wes Moore’s mother cared about him too, she did not have enough time and money to do the same. Wes did grow up in a drug/gang environment so he did fall into the same environment and got into a lot of trouble later.
#4
I would say I am more a product of my environment. I have grown up in an environment of working hard and prioritizing learning, which has caused me to enjoy going to school. I do have expectations for myself, but they do not really matter to me. I would say my highest expectations for myself is just to not let others control me. I try to do things that make me happy, which is very important to me. Other than that, my environment is what mainly makes my decisions. However, the environment I am in is very safe and sets me up for success. For example, I definitely want to go to college and maybe higher education as well.
#5
Education really impacted both of the Wes Moore’s lives. Author Wes Moore was sent to a very strict military school, which he grew to love, and was very successful after that. He did have a hard time before he went to that school. Prisoner Wes Moore went to a public school that was a lot less strict than the author’s school, which caused him to not have much of a reason to go to school all the time. Once Wes’s girlfriend became pregnant, he eventually stopped going, because he had other important things to do. Without having a very clear, defined path to go on, prisoner Wes did not have much of a reason to continue to go to school, but because author Wes Moore went to a school to set you up to finish and to be successful, he was able to do so.
Madeleine,
DeleteI think your point about the importance of military school and how much of an impact it had on author Wes Moore is really a point well-taken.
It seemed to make a huge difference in his life and it seemed to be a real turning point.
Responding to prompt #4:
DeleteMaddy, you start by saying that you feel you are more of the product of your environment. I think this is true for everyone. Until we become older and start to expect more of ourselves, our environment is roughly shaped around our environment. You say your expectations are based on the environment you live in. I think this is true. Expectations for yourself come from where you are in your life. Expectations could be to get better at something or to aim high for a successor to go to a good college. Environments can change all of your expectations and decisions very quickly. I agree with what you said here about your highest expectation is to not “let others control you.” I think this is very important to say because it is important. It is key to expect yourself to only expect your expectations. If you listen to someone else’s expectations of you and never follow through with your own, then your life is in a way being controlled. Your expectations are what you say they are not anyone else. This is one of my expectations for myself as well and the thought of someone else controlling me scares me.
Response 1:
ReplyDeleteAfter graduating from military school, Wes Moore decided he would go to a junior college, obtain an associate’s degree, and become a lieutenant. He was influenced to make this decision by all the important figures in his life who were in the army: his history and social studies teacher, the superintendent of the Naval Academy, the commandant of cadets. Besides the fact that all these people “wore the uniform of the United States,” another thing they had in common was that they were all authority figures in charge of teaching others. I think this inspired Wes to go on to lead other soldiers. While there were probably other paths besides military school that Wes could have embarked on to turn his life around, I think military school was a good option because military school is a very common and acessible means of discipline and career choice. In fact, many public military schools are free, making this a sensible option.
Response 2:
I don’t think the author Wes Moore believes that the prisoner Wes Moore was wrongfully imprisoned. He seems incredulous that the prisoner Wes is still claiming he didn’t commit the crime, and almost exasperated that Wes keeps denying it. Since I don’t know much about the prisoner Wes’s case, I can’t say whether I think he’s guilty or not. If he committed the crime, then I think the life sentence is deserved. If he didn’t commit it, then of course it isn’t deserved. I just don’t know enough to say whether he actually committed murder or not.
Response 3:
I think that most of us probably are, in part, products of our environments. I don’t think that’s the only contributing factor to one’s development, however. But I do think that some parts of our mindsets and personalities are products of how and where we grew up. It’s more complicated than just location, though. Obviously, someone who grew up in a busy city will have some different views or mindsets than someone who grew up in a tiny rural area. But the term environment also applies to other things--your school, your family, your friends. I think all these things can have significant effects on what kind of person you grow up to be.
- Leo D.
Response 4:
DeleteI think everybody is a product of both their environment and their expectations. I don’t think it’s an either/or kind of thing, more like a mix. I’m not sure I’m more of a product of one than the other; it seems fairly equal to me. However, I think the negative aspects of me are due to expectations, whereas the positive aspects are more due to my environment. I grew up in a nice town, at a nice school, with a supportive family and kind friends. I think this had a good impact on me. But I also have been growing up placing very high expectations on myself, which mainly has had a negative impact. Sometimes, others’ high expectations can be encouraging, especially when it shows that they believe in me. But for the most part, I think expectations can be damaging. When I don’t meet my own expectations, it leads to resentment with myself, and when I don’t meet others’ expectations, it leads to guilt. So I think it varies from person to person, but for me, my environment had a positive effect on me, while my expectations had more of a negative one.
Response 5:
I think that education had a significant impact on the path that each Wes Moore followed. Both of them seemed to be heading down a bad road from the start, but the author Wes’s family sending him to military school was able to rescue him from this road before anything very bad happened. The prisoner Wes, however, wasn’t able to do the same, and ended up just going farther down his bad road. Maybe if the prisoner Wes had access to a different type of education, then he would have turned out differently, but I’m not sure. School isn’t for everyone, and finding a good path in life is mostly about finding what interests and inspires you. For the author Wes, military school inspired him and the army interested him, which led him towards a good path. But for the prisoner Wes, it doesn’t look like he really had the opportunity to find what inspired him and what he was interested in. However, if he had gotten access to better education, maybe this would have allowed him to find an interest.
- Leo D.
Leo,
DeleteReally good point about the type of school you have access to. It makes a huge difference. Even if school isn't your favorite thing in the world, some schools are better than others, and some of the better ones can make a big difference for people.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your response to the prompt number five. I agree with you on the value and importance of education to author Wes Moore. I thought that this prompt sort of tied into prompt number four and that both Wes Moores schools and environments in a sense affect their outcome. I didn't think about the importance of finding something that inspires you and you are passionate about in the context of this book until reading your answer. I would agree after reading it and think that like expectations and environment being a factor in outcome interests and personal ambitions like you said are definitely of great importance as well. I also would agree that Wes Moore prisoner never was able to find something that inspired him. I would say the blame for this sits at his school and local government. This is really depressing when I think about it and I think it highlights something wrong with many schools, especially ones that turned into urban underfunded inner city schools that possess a lack of inspiration. This inspiration is definitely vital to the futures of kids and something that is what can get underprivileged people of their feet. Great Job answering this question.
- Daniel M
ReplyDelete1) Author Wes Moore upon leaving military school went on to college at Johns Hopkins. He was very successful in college however he chose to join the military and lead soldiers into battle. He was a very adept leader and an excellent military commander. I would assume that there would be many ways his mother could have helped him. I am sure however that the structure of military school contradicted Wes’ rebellious and dangerous attitude and is what led him to greatness. I would conclude the question that no realistic path would have corrected him as the school did.
2) I, while reading that part did not believe him and thought of Author Wes Moore as perhaps being less skeptical than myself but still ultimately not believing his innocence. I do think however that Wes Moore prisoner may have made some positive changes. I believe in rehabilitation and that badly raised people with bad histories can turn it around. I say the life sentence is fitting as he still is claiming innocence. I think if prisoner Wes Moore is innocent that in the span of his life he may be found innocent and realized and if he acknowledges his crime then he can maybe be scheduled for parole at some future time.
3) I think likely not. More importantly I say we are products of our circumstances. While environments play a role rather the mentality and ideals bred in us by our parents as well as our culture and to a lesser extent our co workers or fellow students make us who we are and direct our futures. I think that everyone is answerable to themselves for what their futures work out to be. While the previous idea is true in my mind it does not mean that the environment plays no role. And as we can see from author Wes Moore his environment at the school was what led to his great success, but somewhere in him he made it happen and he made his mothers sacrifices worth it.
4) I am not sure if those two categories can fit all that determines our fate however I say rather we are a result of our circumstances. This being a broader category containing both environments and expectations I say this because I don't think expectations and environment are able to be separated. Examples that lead me to this are that society and environment with it have expectations for its people and that influences expectations for ourselves. Our self expectations are molded from what our environment thinks and expects of us and of people like us and while willpower and ambition can lead unexpected people to great success I don't think that that can be put into an expectation category but rather fits into a self constitution and belief system held by ourselves.
5) Education in the example of this book is likely the single most important aspect of both Wes Moores lives. I say that education is what saved Wes Moore, author and what hindered Wes Moore prisoner. They both started off reasonably similar, both had bad family life and went to a malnourished school. Wes Moore prisoner dropped out of highschool and went to selling drugs with no ambition of higher education or personal fulfillment within the law. Wes Moore author was sent to military school, an investment costing his family greatly. This paid off however and put Wes on a path he would never leave to this day. The military school called valley forge shaped him into a good person.
Daniel Markwood
Aden Perry
ReplyDeleteMr. Joseph Deffner
English 9 Honors
9 January 2021
The Other Wes Moore Response 3
Prompt 1:
The author Wes Moore graduated from military school and went on to start a military career, despite initially despising it. Following this he becomes a very successful lawyer, which is slightly ironic considering his choices earlier in life. I do not think a military career was the only way to stay on the good side of the law, but it certainly was effective and Wes ended up enjoying it. He could have tried for the NBA but I think he was right to avoid it. It would have been very unlikely for him to be picked. Joining the military followed by becoming a lawyer is something much more achievable.
Prompt 2:
Author Wes Moore did not believe prisoner Moore at all. He remarked on how cliché it was for a prisoner to maintain their innocence. Personally, I don’t feel that I know enough about the situation to pass judgement. I am tilted towards guilty, but have no idea how it went down. Regardless, I don’t believe he should be sentenced to life in prison. People normally learn from their mistakes, and the ones who continue to engage in criminal activity typically need help. Prisoner Moore is no exception. He robbed the jewelry store for a reason, and chances are it’s something that could be resolved.
Prompt 3:
I do believe we are products of our environment. Someone who was surrounded by sports and a sports community growing up is far more likely to enjoy them than someone who wasn’t. A person surrounded by people who dislike the Yankees are unlikely to like them, and vice versa. Author Wes Moore answers the question prisoner Wes Moore poses to him in much the same way. While the environment is not the only contributing factor, it does play a huge part. Your genes change your personality too, to some extent.
Prompt 4:
I disagree with prisoner Moore, as what he says implies they are different. I would say another person’s expectations are a part of the environment, and our expectations are a result of the environment. Another person’s expectations and our expectations are very closely linked, and one often develops because of the other. The same is true of our expectations and the rest of the environment. What happens to us greatly affects what we believe, and what we believe can change what happens to us. If I expect to go to college and work to get there, that might make other people expect the same of me. Once I do get there the environment changes, as a direct result of what I expected to accomplish.
Prompt 5:
Both prisoner and author Wes Moore started in a school that they hated, and both tried to get out of it. However, author Moore was forced to go to military school, and that changed things for him greatly. He was able to discover a liking of school, and started attending for fun rather than as a chore. Prisoner Moore was not so lucky. He went to a pretty bad school, which he hated, and had problems with drugs. Often times his schedules conflicted, and when they did he would choose to sell drugs. He eventually became a dropout, which severely limited his options for finding jobs. On top of that, he was a convicted felon, which gives employers next to no reason to hire him.
Good responses, Aden. I appreciate how careful you are in your writing and your attention to proofreading is quite good. I would add that I like the point you make (from the author) that a prisoner maintaining his innocence in prison is almost a cliché.
DeleteThis is an incredible response, Aden. You clearly are a genius. All of your points are completely perfect. Wow.
Delete1. After completing military school Wes went on to further military training and became a second lieutenant in the army. Wes knew he wanted to lead and he wanted to be known. There were many career paths open for him to choose from and his education set him straight when he was younger that maybe a different school could not have done. Before attending military school Wes was very carefree and would act up and skip school. During his years of military school, he learned discipline and earned many scholarships that made paying for his tuition much easier for his mother. I believe that there is no other path that could have gotten Wes to where he is today.
ReplyDelete2. It seems like the author thought the prisoner was guilty. The author Wes Moore listened to the prisoner’s very long continual plead for guilty and saw the moment as the “convict cliche.” I think the author didn’t want to know whether Wes was guilty or not but to not bring a bias somehow during the prisoner’s part of the story. After the interview, Wes had a lot more questions but not about the prisoner’s innocence, more about his childhood. I think the prisoner Wes is guilty of his crime. I don’t think he should have gotten a life sentence, that’s a lot for a robbery. He should’ve been given an opportunity to turn his life around.
3. Yes I think we are. Our lives are created by our parents' environment. While we are younger our environment is the one our parent’s or parent's figures create for us and put us in. During the time we first make friends our environments will change and become similar to those who you are around a lot. A good example of this is Tony and Wes. Tony became a drug dealer and when Wes got older also became a drug dealer. Their environments were the same and a lot of what happened to one of them happened to the other. We see this when the two brothers became fathers around the same time.
4. I think I am a product of both. Although I have grown up in an environment that is very hardworking and prioritizes school and sports, I have found that I have set expectations for myself that don’t follow along with my environment at all. My parents, who both grew up in very different environments that are very different from the one I live in, created it from scratch. This is what my environment expectations are doing with me. Because of my environment, I know that I will continue to take school and sports seriously and become successful but it will be my version of success.
5. The author and the prisoner had very different educations. Wes, the author spent many years in a private school in New York and was later sent to military school and after continued in military training. Wes the prisoner attended public school in New York. A big difference between their schooling is that the author was always safe and was taught to aim for success. The prisoner's school could be dangerous. Wes the prisoner later dropped out of high school and continued to sell drugs. Later on the author, Wes became a lieutenant in the army and then an author. The prisoner Wes ended in jail after a robbery and attempted murder and drug dealing.
I thought this response was very insightful, and I agree with many of the statements; especially in Prompt #4. I also grew up in an environment where school was prioritized, and that had a very strong influence on me. Sports are also important, but not in a very competitive way. Instead, there’s always been an emphasis on the importance of getting outside and being active. The last component for me is music. My family has raised me to have music as one of my core values. Because I was raised to appreciate these three things (school, sports, and music), they will all likely be a big part of my life. However, as I grow up and become more independent, I’ve found ways to tweak these interests so I can focus on what I’m really passionate about. I really liked Annie’s final sentence, “because of my environment, I know that I will [...] become successful but it will be my own version of success.” I found this very easy to relate to. The way that I have been raised has had an effect on my personality and my interests, but I also know that I won’t follow the same paths as my parents. Although we have many similarities, I have my own ideas about how to achieve my own version of success.
DeleteI, too, really like this idea of my own version of success. That's really good!
DeleteWhile I agree with most of what you said, I think there are several other things he could have done to stay straight and relatively well known. To be exactly where he is and with the same experiences, of course, there is no other path he could have taken. However, had he decided to stick with basketball, he may have had a chance at being recognized. That is unlikely, but he could have also chosen to be a doctor, or a policeman, and would still probably be fine. That said, I think you did a good job with your response.
Delete1. After military school, Wes went on to stay at military school and being an officer for the military. I think that military school did really put him on the right path and it was good for him when he was a kid. I think there were probably a lot of paths that could have kept him straight, but I think that him becoming an officer was good for him because he explains how being in military school kept him straight and it felt like his new home and he liked it.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think he deserved life in prison but I do think that there was not much for him to do since he was already incarcerated. I think Author Wes definitely did not believe him when he said he was not a part of it. There is nothing that makes the story go either way, so I think believing him or not is just trust for him. I don't really know whether or not to believe him, and it is really hard to know who is telling the truth. Jail and the imprisonment system is just really bad in the first place.
3.Simple answer. No. Long answer, I used to think that everyone is a product of what they are raised in. If you are raised in a home to believe that POC are inferior than you will always believe that ? I do not think that is how EVERYONE is. Maybe most people but not all. As I have talked about in other posts, in our home environment when we are young we tend to believe anything our parents tell us and sometimes later realize what they told us was not facts, it was their opinion of the matter or the fact. So sometimes, yes, people tend to be a product of the environment they are in, but not always, and second chances exist and people can change when they exit the environment they were in.
4. I think I am influenced by the environment I was raised in and that set me on a path to be who I am but I am not exactly the product of the exact environment I was raised in. My parents wanted me to be my own person and not just “their kid” so they let me learn most of my lessons on my own, but they did tell me things that helped me become the person I am. I would say half and half honestly but I do not set high expectations for myself because I believe that is just not super good for your mental health.
5. I think that Prisoner Wes was robbed of his education which makes me sad because I think that everyone should have access to a good education but unfortunately that is just not how the world works. I think that author Wes being at military school was good for him and he did receive a good education whilst becoming the person he thought he knew he could become. Their education was very different, but I do not think that is why their lives are so different because I do not think that an amount of education shapes who you are or what you can become.
Acadia, you wrote: Their education was very different, but I do not think that is why their lives are so different because I do not think that an amount of education shapes who you are or what you can become.
DeleteI agree that it's not the amount of education you receive, but is it the quality of the education you receive?
I agreed with a lot of what you said. I really liked what you said about both their education and being your own person. In my essay I said that I did think that the education had a lot to do with how they turned out as adults. However, I do not think I read as deeply into it as you did. I think that the education plays a role but it really depends on the person and how strong their morals are. Second, as someone who knows both of your parents I can say that they probably to tell you to be your own person. I would agree that you are mostly a product of your environment.
Delete1. Author Wes Moore was extremely successful in military school, eventually becoming a regimental commander at only 18 years old. Afterwards, he went on to John Hopkins University where he graduated as a member of multiple honors societies. He then attended Wolfson College on a very prestigious scholarship, where he earned his master’s degree in International Relations. I think Wes’s mother made a great decision when she enrolled him in military school; Wes was lacking motivation and having a lot of trouble in school and out of school. There may have been other paths to set Wes on the “straight and narrow,” but I’m not sure what they would be, and military school was a really great option for him. It provided Wes with the motivation he needed to make good decisions that helped his life improve.
ReplyDelete2. I don’t particularly think that author Wes Moore believed that prisoner Wes Moore was innocent. When prisoner Wes Moore was repeatedly declaring his blamelessness, author Wes Moore seemed very skeptical and a little aggravated that he still thought of himself as innocent. He also questioned if prisoner Wes Moore thought his insistence of blamelessness would “reverse time” (Moore 126). The details of the crime that prisoner Wes Moore is in jail for have not been revealed yet, so it is hard for me to say whether or not I think he is guilty. Once I know more about the crime, I think I will be in a better position to judge if his life sentence was deserved or not.
3. I think we are, in many ways, products of our environments. In many cases, we do what the people around us do because that’s what we know how to do. I think there is also a strong desire to fit in with the people around you. For example, prisoner Wes Moore sold drugs because most of the people around him sold drugs; his brother sold drugs, and all of his friends sold drugs. It probably would have been harder for him not to sell drugs because that was the environment he lived in. Author Wes was around people doing bad things and he got in trouble with the law himself. The author was heading down a bad path, just like prisoner Wes Moore, until he went to military school. Then he was around many positive role models, so he acted like them and became a positive role model for others. His environment changed, and he changed to match it.
4. I think we are a mix of our expectations and our environments. I think others’ expectations play a big part in how we turn out as well. For example, author Wes Moore’s expectations for himself before military school weren’t very good and he was expecting to drop out of school like many of his friends. Once he went to military school though, the people around him wanted and expected him to succeed, so he wanted himself to succeed as well. Prisoner Wes Moore grew up in an environment where not many people went far in life; some died young, and some went to jail. Almost all of his friends were drug dealers, and society expected Wes to eventually become one too, which he did. Prisoner Wes Moore didn’t directly expect to become a drug dealer, but that was what many young people did at the time, so it was sort of expected of him. His environment also created the situations that turned him to selling drugs, as it was an easy way to make a lot of money, which Wes’s family didn’t have much of. I personally think that I am a product of both my environment and expectations, but maybe my expectations (and others’) have dominated a little. Because I am shy and quiet, many people expect me to act a certain way and be a certain way. I think I act like many people expect me to, but there are also certain aspects of my personality that have been influenced by my environment. For example, the people I am friends with will impact how I act, at least a little bit.
ReplyDelete5. I think education has a lot to do with each Wes’s path. Author Wes Moore got a very good education and went on to do well in life. The military school that he went to was very stern and kind of forced Wes to be successful. Prisoner Wes Moore did not go to a great school, and he ended up not doing very well in life and being put in prison. His school was very laid-back, and it was the norm for students to drop out. The kind of teaching someone gets does not always reflect what they will be like in the future, but in this society, it is unfortunately hard to be very successful if your education wasn’t great. It is difficult to get a high-paying job without many years of schooling, and some people disrespect others who haven’t had much.
I like your response to the prompt number four in particular, for a few reasons. I liked how you added the part about society's expectations for him affecting his expectations for himself. I agree with that point and when answering that question myself decided that in my mind at least expectation and environment could not be separated as they rely on each other and determine what content they each hold. I think that the example you used of prisoner Wes Moore being led to selling drugs not just because he expected it but perhaps more so because his local community expected it from him, as everyone else his age and in that place were doing so. I think that the opposite was true for author Wes Moore at Valley Forge. Everyone expected him to succeed and they would not tolerate anything short of near perfection. I think this environmental expectation changed his personal views of himself and led to great and productive growth. I think this question was the most important of the prompts and I had to think the most answering it. I thought you did a good job answering it and explaining your reasoning with good examples. Great Job
Delete- Daniel M
1.After military school, Author Wes Moore became a second lieutenant for the US Army. I believe that military school might have been his only option. From what I read in the book, there did not seem to be that many recreational opportunities or places for Author Wes Moore to put his frustrations into and not feel stressed out in his neighborhood. He felt out of place and felt like he could not burden his mom anymore and so he felt more at ease with his friends. I think that military school taught him how to rely on others more and it made him feel less like an outsider.
ReplyDelete2.I think author Wes Moore was hesitant in whether to believe him or not. I do not know whether or not I believe him either. I think life-sentences are okay when the person killed or terribly assaulted another individual. And maybe also if you steal something *incredibly* valuable. And then the less of a (for lack of better word) “deal” it is, the sentence should be shorter.
3.I would agree with him because people are information sponges and learn from what is in front of them. For example, if someone only grew up around dogs and never had a cat, then they would be more comfortable with dogs and have a bias towards them. Another example would be if someone was very poor growing up, they would hold onto items a lot longer than others even if they grew up because that was how they lived for such a long time.
4.I think it is more of products of environments, but expectations can be part of those environments. Personally, I think that I am a product of expectations in my environment. My parents have expectations that I go to school and pass school with the best of my abilities. My friends have expectations for me that are that I’ll be friendly and nice to them and that they can rely on me at any time. I use my peers’ expectations and reflect them onto myself to make sure I can be the best me to the best I can.
5.Education factors a lot into both of the Wes Moores. The author’s school (before military school) made him aware that he does not fit in that well with his classmates so he would wear his siblings’ clothes and do his best to look “in”. I think this gave him a sense of resourcefulness. When he was sent to military school, he learned a lot more then he probably would have if he stayed in the Bronx. But prisoner Wes Moore did not get the experience of being forced to go to learn so he would skip and slack off. It was not any of their faults though. I think both of them would have stayed in their schools in the Bronx if the system was much less racist then it is now.
Interesting and good posts, Saylor. I'm curious to hear why you think that author Wes Moore would have been more likely to stay in his school in the Bronx. Wasn't part of the issue the fact that he was getting in trouble and his family figured that military school could save him?
DeletePrompt 1: After exiting military school author Wes Moore said that he decided to serve in the military. Wes explains that almost all the men who had a great impact on his life had served in the armed forces. He also talks about the fact that he read Colin Powell's "My American Journey". Author Wes states that the author "Wanted what I wanted: A fair shot" I think that there were other paths that could have set author Wes Moore on a better path but I think military school was the best choice for Was. Not only did it whip him into shape but it also helped give him a vision of what he wanted to do with his life.
ReplyDeletePrompt 2: I certainly don't think the author believed Prisoner Wes Moore. I think that from some of the things Wes (A) has learned about Wes (P) it does seem like something he would do. I also agree with Wes (A). I think that after a while Wes (P) would run into a situation where he needed big money fast. The path that he was on would have eventually led him to take such drastic measures. I think that cases like this are hard to sentence people for. Although Wes did partake in the robbery that killed this officer we are not quite sure yet who actually pulled the trigger. If Wes had then I think that this was a just sentencing. But is there is a feeling of uncertainty than I don't think it is just locking up a man just based on what you think happened.
Prompt3: I think that while our environment has a large impact on us we are not complete products of our environments. I think that while our environments may have a large impact on us ultimately we are in control of who or what we decide to be. While it is possible to be a complete match to the mold of wherever it is you come from I think what we demand of our selves gets the final say in who we are.
Prompt 4: I think that while both of these take a big part in who we become I think that our expectations of our selves dictate us more than our environment. If you believe in yourself wholeheartedly than no matter who you are and where you come from you can excel greatly in life. However it works both ways. If you are born into the smartest and richest family in the world but your expectations of yourself are low then you could find yourself slowly sinking to the bottom. I think that I personally am a product of both I feel that my family has always had high expectations of me and I try my hardest to live up to that. I also feel that my expectations of myself are high as well as it seems that everyone in my family are high achievers.
Prompt 5: I think that education is one of the main things that separate's these two men. Wes (A) mother sent him to military school which did wonders for his life and putting him on the right track. I think that this school showed Wes (A) the kind of respect he wanted. Not the kind of respect that comes with fear but the kind that comes with hard work and grit. For Wes Moore (P) it was the opposite. His school system was not good and his mother did not have the money to send him to a private school or military academy. As the education system failed him Wes (P) turned to other methods for planning his future. While one chose a noble career in the military the other turned to drug dealing and robbery.
-Finn Liland
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