The Other Wes More Mid Term Exam

The Other by Wes Moore: Analyzing the Main Themes The Author’s Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name The Instructor Assignment Due Date Introduction Wes Moore wrote a critically acclaimed book in 2010, narrating the life journey of two individuals with similar names, Wes Moore. The book captures six themes that define the trajectory, processes, experiences, and outcomes of the two individuals. The six themes significantly influence readers’ or audiences’ thought processes while evaluating the life processes of the two individuals who grew up in similar circumstances but chose different paths (Moore, 2010, p. 6). Themes like ‘Identity,’ ‘Personal Values,’ and ‘Goals’ have differently impacted the author’s narration of the two Wes Moores. The three themes allow readers to understand the relationship of an individual’s life course with the environment. An individual’s identity, personal values, and goals have distinct impacts on outcomes regardless of the environment. Discussion Identity Wes Moore discusses identity as the central theme of the book. Moore narrates that environmental circumstances influence individual identity and life outcomes. Environment determines an individual’s life path or the quality of decisions that direct the life course. As evidence, Moore first discussed family struggles and emphasized studies to pursue a better lifestyle. Moore’s mother was influenced by threatening and sending him to the ‘Valley Forge Military Academy,’ a remote military school in Pennsylvania (Moore, 2010, p. 77). Moore embraced the identity of an Army Officer and secured admission to John Hopkins with a scholarship due to disciplinary performance in academics and the focused-driven lifestyle military school developed in adulthood (Moore, 2010, p. 125). On the contrary, the other Wes Moore had a harsh environment while growing up in Baltimore. The other Moore experienced a street culture, witnessing riots, racial segregation, color discrimination, and the death of Martin Luther King (Moore, 2010, p. 21). The environment transformed Moore’s identity into a street hustler and indulgent criminal activities. Besides, the other Moore had adverse role models, offering no constructive inspiration in life (Moore, 2010, p. 42). Hence, the environmental circumstances significantly impacted shaping the identities of the two Moores. Nonetheless, the environment shapes an individual’s identity and life course through experiences and events. Zuckerman et al. (2022, p. 190) explained Moore’s relationship between the two variables using the ‘Critical Race Theory (CRT).’ The authors argued that macro environment factors in a societal setting, such as racism and ethnic marginalization, influence the human development process and identity formation. Moores’ life courses and CRT framework represent the environment as a source agent for identity development through diverse actions, e...