Dialect Journal for the book The Other Wes Moore
Range of page numbers to draw the quotes from: 25-62, 68-107, 108-147, 148-183
| Passage Quoted Using MLA Format, With a Signal Phrase and a Page Number | Analysis of the Cause and the Connections to the Course |
|---|---|
| Quote 1 “Wes looked at his mother, hoping she would explain who this man was. He moved closer to his mother’s hip. Not only did he feel safer there than in the middle of the room but also because the smell coming off the man was beginning to bother him…”(Moore 25) | The cause this passage addresses is the importance of family roles to the growth of an individual. Wes Moore feels safer in the hands of his mother. This means that family members are a source of protection and guidance. I agree with this quote since every kid tends to run to their parents for protection if feeling threatened. |
| Quote 2 “His brother six years older, was the closest thing Wes had to care taker during the daylight hours and was fiercely protective of the little brother who idolized him”(Moore 26) | The cause that this quote addresses is family roles and influences. It is clear from this quote that Wes Moore has a brother who believes in him. A brother who cares for him. This is an example of a role of the family in someone’s life. It is very insightful to see how the two brothers cared about each other. |
| Quote 3 “The constantly broken down elevators forced residents to climb claustrophobic, urine-scented stairways. And the drug game was everywhere, with a gun handle protruding from the top of every tenth teenager’s waistline”(Moore 27) | The cause that this quote addresses is societal influences such as peers and neighbors. This quote brings out a society that has been engulfed by moral decadence and crime. This accounts for the reason as to why the other Wes Moore ended up going to prison. The society around him lured him into becoming a criminal. |
| Quote 4 “The extreme heat in my poorly ventilated room woke me in the middle of the night” (Moore 35). | The cause that this quote addresses is poverty and the sociology of ghettos. It is clear from this quote that the life that the character is leading is a life of poverty and suffering. Living in a house that does not have proper ventilation is not a kind of life that a person would love to lead. |
| Quote 5 “ The Map was leading me in directions I hadn’t seen in my brief time at school, through bushes and brush that quickly turned to trees and forests”(Moore 92). | The cause that this quote addresses is education/educational setting. It is clear from this quote that Wes Moore was very vigilant when it comes to school work. The story that he is communicating is that he valued the school environment. |
| Quote 6 “Colonel Bat handed me the phone, and I dialled the only number I knew by heart. As the phone rang, I began to think about what I would say in five minutes to convince my mother to let me back home” (Moore 94). | The cause that this quote addresses is family roles. It is insightful to see that the only number that Wes Moore knew by heart was the number of his mother. This is a clear indication of the strong connection that existed between Wes Moore and his mother, and also the importance of a role that his mother played in shaping his life. |
| Quote 7 “Wes and Alicia quickly became more than friends, After school they would head to each other’s houses, since neither had parents at home during the day. Within two months, Alicia told Wes that her period was late…they were going to be parents” (Moore 99). | The cause that this quote addresses is the importance of family roles. Wes Moore lacked parental guidance and supervision which was causing him to do whatever pleased him most. Eventually, they ended up messing their lives in that they ended up becoming parents at a very tender age. |
| Quote 8 “The idea of becoming a father depressed Wes, but he wasn’t sure why” (Moore 100). | The cause that this quote addresses is the opportunities. This is because Wes had the choice of valuing his career more than being moral. Instead, he concentrates on Alicia what eventually leads him to messing up his future. I agree with this quote in that many times people get the chances and opportunities but they fail to use them. |
| Quote 9 “The wooden bleachers that circled the floor were full of family, friends, and supporters of the crop of graduates, who had yet to enter the room” (Moore 108). | The cause that this quote addresses is the importance of education/proper educational setting. This quote clearly shows that Wes Moore really valued school work. He was very inspired with the idea of graduating. This is very insightful in that it shows a man who is determined to have a bright future. |
| Quote 10 “Smiles, waves, cheers, and whistles rang out. Camera flashes blinked over the parade, parents and friends shooting as wildly as paparazzi. Because his last name put him toward the front of the class” (Moore 109). | The cause that this quote addresses is the importance of education/proper educational setting. Wes Moore is very glad to have made his friends and parents proud by being the best student in his class. The way he frames his sentences makes it very inspirational, especially the cheers from the people who came to see him graduate. |
| Quote 11 “Wes went back to school immediately after leaving the juvenile detention facility…but he knew that he would not last long (Moore 110). | The cause that this quote addresses is societal influences. It is crystal-clear from this quote that the other Moore does not value education. He values being with his peers. This is the reason as to why he was pretty sure that he would not be in school for long before dropping out. |
| Quote 12 “Wes found another option: he decided to make himself scarce. In the mornings while Nicey was at work, Wes Would play video games in the house and then head out to check on his drug operation. | The cause that this quote addresses is societal influences. The other Moore is dissolved in drugs that he looks for every possible opportunity to run away from home. Knowing that the other Moore is a young man who has not yet achieved anything in life is very saddening. |
| Quote 13 “When they got to the house. Wes went upstairs to the room that housed the bunk bed that he and Tony shared” (Moore 153). | This quote addresses the cause of poverty and the sociology of ghettos. This is because the bunk bed reference means that there was limited space in the house that both Wes and his brother shared. This is a characteristic of ghetto houses where people cannot afford to pay for sufficient-quality housing. |
| Quote 14 “Wes now sat waiting to find out how the jury of his peers had ruled” (Moore 155). | The cause that this quote addresses is societal influences. In this quote peer pressure is the societal influence that is addressed. It is clear from this quote that Wes participated in a crime as a result of peer pressure that came from his friends. |
| Quote 15 “ A large guard made his way over to Wes, who slowly put his hands behind his back…never once looking behind him to see the family of the police officer or even his own family”(Moore 157). | The cause that this quote addresses is family roles. Even at Wes’ darkest hour, his family was there to support him. This means that family is the one thing you can rely on, no matter what. |
| Quote 16 “…weeks after I completed the internship with him, I would be heading to South Africa for a Semester abroad” (Moore 162). | The cause… |