Johnny Dimas

CTW1A - Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Dr. Morgan

10/6/2017

Another One

Wes Moore's book, The Other Wes Moore, depicts two black men, one of them being the

author, who were raised in the same neighborhood of Baltimore City. With the same name, but

ending up in two very different places, the men had many different influences and family

dynamics. Throughout the book, the author reveals how the two different paths of Wes Moore

unravel and become significantly different. The author Wes Moore appeals to young minorities,

especially those living in marginalized communities, where they face similar issues, such as a

lack of support systems, limited resources, and negative influences. Wes Moore's use of personal

anecdotes, statistical evidence, and emotional appeal demonstrate that one's decisions, no matter

how small, can immensely impact one's future.

Moore integrates both his personal anecdotes and experiences of violence to emphasize

the community filled with organized crime, drug use, and abuse, contributing to his and the

other Wes Moores future success. Both Wes Moore and his alternate persona grew up in the

slums of Baltimore City and spent most of their time as kids on the street, where they witnessed

many tragedies of violence, crime, and drug abuse. "He saw this every day. The people who

would line up around the corner for drugs. The people who would do anything to score. He knew

these people because he was the one who got them what they needed. It was his job (Moore

138). The other Wes Moore was not only a witness to drug abuse in his city, in fact, he is the

one who would promote and sell it. This definitely illustrates how well they are qualified to
speak on the subject of living in the hood and talking about the poor life choices theyve

made.The author Wes Moore asserts that the decisions we make determine our future, speaking

from personal experience due to his processes of decision making that complied into his

successful future. On the other hand, the other Wes Moore also made a string of decisions, but

they were not as well thought out as the author Wes Moores decisions , which led him to

eventually be incarcerated for the rest of his life. The anecdotes presented to the readers give a

sense of trust for the message the author Wes Moore is giving because both him and the other

Wes Moore have experienced so much pain and can relate to those who come from similar

backgrounds. This credibility is what strengthens the claims about how decision making

influenced your future, and why you have to be careful.

The author Wes Moore utilizes statistics to portray the community that surrounds him

and how many of the young minorities cannot make the right choices in life sometimes. He

states, Baltimore had a 70 percent dropout rate at the time. Tony had already joined that

statistic (Moore 57). The author Wes Moore presents data regarding the reality of the

Baltimore educational system and the children that reside within it. This statistic helps further

support the author Wes Moores point that the children of inner cities are trapped in a system that

expects them to fail and the only escape is to make wise and thoughtful decisions. The author

Wes Moore also provides us with some statistical evidence that applied to his very own school.

He writes, Seventy-six percent of high school students who began high school in Maryland

completed. In Baltimore County, the number was as high as 85 percent in some years. But in

Baltimore City, where Northern High School was located, it was a dismal 38 percent (Moore

108). Here, the author Wes Moore discusses the graduation rates, presenting these statistics in

order to illustrate the flaws of the educational system where he came from. The use of statistics
makes it more plausible for the reader to understand that decisions are important in life, and if

one makes the wrong choice, as the system makes it to be, s/he will just become another statistic.

The other Wes Moore chose to dropout of school and sell drugs as a career. He became a

statistic and knows from experience that there is a finite amount of time that one can make the

wrong choices before they catch up. These saddening statistics of student accomplishment

convey feelings of helplessness as education is not valued in that community. They also directly

connect to the story of the other Wes Moore, making it more real and harsh, rather than just

some number.

Furthermore, the author, Wes Moore, appeals to the emotions of his readers through his

relatability. All the stories he includes have happened or could have happened to his intended

audience, since most of them come from rough neighborhoods where anything can happen. For

instance, after the loss of his father, the author Wes Moore says, The fact that sleeping in the

living room also allowed her to avoid the haunted bedroom shed once shared with my father

was never mentioned (36). This loss of a loved one can be relatable to anyone. Especially in the

inner cities, where many people experience death or loss of someone like a parent due to crime,

illness, poor medical treatment, or otherwise. Moreover, Wes Moore writes, Tony had now

spent over a decade dealing drugs and knew how much money could be made in the game. He

also knew there was no way for someone as young as Wes to make that kind of money DJing

(70). For most kids that live in dangerous neighborhoods, drugs are extremely prevalent and it is

too easy for a young boy to join the drug game and have his life turned upside down. This relates

to all the kids and adults that are involved or have been offered the chance to be involved with

drugs. Being involved with the drug game can seem glamorous at first because of all the money

involved, but it can quickly lead downhill, as many young men know. This can be very touching
and emotional for most people who have first-hand experience dealing with these issues, which

supports the idea that the choices we make in life can either make or break us.

The reason Wes Moore wrote The Other Wes Moore is to give an example to the youth of

today and the future of how quickly things can change in your life, to the point where youre

sitting in a jail cell for the rest of your life. Our whole lives are composed of many different

decisions of varying gravities. These decisions are what determine our success in our lives, but

we are constantly being dragged down by societal norms, broken educational systems, and

expectations. Wes Moore wants to instill the message of making the right choices and fighting

the system we live in, so that one may be liberated and live a successful and happy life.

Furthermore, Moore wants to change the way people perceive minorities from inner cities and,

most importantly, how they perceive themselves. There needs to be a change in what is expected

of the young boys and girls of the U.S. suffering of poverty, drug abuse, crime, and violence

because at this point in time, not much is being done to help these children. Wes Moore wants to

shine a new light on this community in order to bring it up and make something great of it and its

people. Lastly, he hopes that will the readers will realize that not every choice has to be a good

one, but in order to break away from the norm and escape the corrupt system, one must try their

best to live up to their fullest potential and not be held down by what others expect of you.

Works Cited

Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore. New York Times, 2010.