The Other Wes Moore Questions and Answers
On pages 80–82 of The Other Wes Moore, Wes is arrested for tagging, and we gain insights into his thoughts related to his actions and their consequences. Reread these pages. When Wes is caught spray painting with Shea, what happens to him when he is thrown in the police car? How is his reaction different from Shea's? Why do you think the police officer responds the way he does? Does the police officer do the right thing, or should he have handled the situation differently? In what ways does this incident inform Wes's future decision-making process?
How did Wes's father die in The Other Wes Moore?
Wes writes on page 54 that: Later in life, I learned that the way many governors projected the numbers of beds they'd need for prison facilities was by examining the reading scores of third graders. Why do you think governors link prison facilities with third grade reading scores? Do you agree or disagree with this practice? Why?
Wes Moore talks about the similarities between public schools and prisons. What does he mean by this? Do you agree or disagree with his position?
Re-read pages 6–7 of The Other Wes Moore and identify the central idea of these paragraphs. Explain what you learned about Wes and Nikki’s names.
After being attacked, Wes convinces Dalio they need to take a different route back to campus. What is ironic about the route Wes leads him on?
On page 36 of The Other Wes Moore, we learn that Wes’s mother slept in the living room to protect the kids from a possible intruder. What other things did she do to protect her children?
What are Wes's grandparents' rules in The Other Wes Moore?
On pages 16–18 of The Other Wes Moore, Mary Moore receives a letter explaining that her Pell Grant was no longer available. Talk about how her life may have been different if this letter never came. How did this news change her goals and her path in life?
In The Other Wes Moore, how has Wes changed since beginning military school?
In the book The Other Wes Moore, why does the author start chapter 6 off with Woody's graduation? What is the author's overall point?
Explain how their grandmothers impact the lives of both Wes Moores in The Other Wes Moore.
In The Other Wes Moore, Wes writes about his mother’s decision to move from Maryland to New York City. Do you think this was a good decision? Why or why not?
Why did Other Moore's mother believe education was an escape? How does her struggle for an education impact Other Moore?
How were both of the Wes Moores similar and different in The Other Wes Moore?
After Wes is arrested for shooting Ray in The Other Wes Moore, Tony arrives and their mother says, "It's too late, Wes is already gone." What are the two ways in which this quote could be interpreted? Do you agree with her?
On pages 69–72 of The Other Wes Moore, Tony is very violent and threatening toward Wes because he wants him to stay away from drugs. In this instance, do you feel that Tony's violence toward Wes is excusable? Defend your position.
Why did the author’s mom get so angry when he hit his sister when he was three years old in The Other Wes Moore?
On pages 48–49 of The Other Wes Moore, we learn about the sacrifices Wes and Justin made to attend their school. What did this early experience teach Wes and Justin about the importance of goals?
When Wes accidentally causes his sister's lip to bleed, his mother slaps him in the face and makes the decision to send him to military school. Summarize the interaction between Wes and his mother. Do you agree with her reaction in this situation? Why or why not?
On page 95 of The Other Wes Moore, Wes describes the financial sacrifices his mother and grandparents made to pay his military school's tuition. What were their previous goals, and what were their new goals? Was this a good investment?
On page 50 of The Other Wes Moore, Wes writes about the time when he exaggerated the reason he was suspended from school. In this case, Wes felt that this outcome was “more respected than an accident that led to someone getting hurt.” What does this indicate about Wes’s personal values at the time of this incident? How did his values change over the course of the book?
How did the other Wes Moore's first experience with alcohol impact his decision to sell drugs?
According to Wes in The Other Wes Moore, he had a teacher who bluntly told him, "It didn't matter to her if I showed up because the class ran smoother when I wasn't there." Do you agree or disagree with the teacher's position?
How does the other Wes's life change when Alicia becomes pregnant in The Other Wes Moore? What is his mother's reaction to this?
If Mary held school and education to be so important for herself, why did she not make sure that her children felt the same way in The Other Wes Moore?
On page 51 of The Other Wes Moore, Wes writes that he learned, “Never look people in the eye. Don’t smile, it makes you look weak.” What does Wes mean by this? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Justify your response.
Reread pages 50–51 of The Other Wes Moore and explain how drugs negatively impacted Wes’s community.
According to The Other Wes Moore, during their youth, Wes and Wes spend most of their time in crime-ridden Baltimore and the Bronx. How important was that environment in shaping their stories and personalities?
At one point in The Other Wes Moore, Wes and Tony rob a jewelry store. What were their goals in doing this? Do you think they were focusing on short-term or long-term goals when they made this decision?
Which two friends influence Wes (the author) the most in The Other Wes Moore? Cite scenes from the book and explain how they had an impact on Wes's education.
After moving to New York, Wes meets new friends and bonds with them on the basketball court. How did these peer relationships influence Wes in The Other Wes Moore?
After reading of Ray's death at the hands of Wes on page 105 of The Other Wes Moore, we learn that "Adrenaline was rushing through Wes's body, followed quickly by fear, but no regret." Do you think Wes should have felt regret for what he did? How does the regret, or lack of regret, relate to his personal values?
How did the other Wes Moore respond when he was punched?
Why does Wes Moore credit Paul White for his acceptance into Johns Hopkins in The Other Wes Moore?
On page 77 of The Other Wes Moore, Wes mentions that he skipped school and says, "My sister, always the loyal accomplice, never snitched." Do you think Wes's sister made a good decision by not snitching on him for cutting school? Why or why not?
Describe the school Wes Moore goes too.
On pages 103–105 of The Other Wes Moore, we learn that after getting beat up, Wes storms into the house, gets a gun, chases Ray down the street, and eventually shoots him. What are the direct and indirect reasons Wes made these decisions? What are alternate decisions he could have made in that situation?
How does Wes react to being attacked by the racist men in the car in The Other Wes Moore? What does his reaction suggest about his ability to control his behavior and decision making?
In chapter 3 of The Other Wes Moore, the author is sent to private school by his mother. Describe the good and bad effects of this change in the author's life.
In The Other Wes Moore, the author says to the other Wes, "I guess it's hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chance." What do you think he means?
When Sergeant Austin gives Wes a map to escape from Valley Forge on page 91 of The Other Wes Moore, do you think he is being a supportive peer? Does your opinion change after reading what happens on pages 92–93?
Why was it so important to Joy Moore to punish Wes when he hit Nikki in The Other Wes Moore? How did his father react? What do we learn about Joy Moore’s history that would make her react to this incident in such a way?
We learn about Wes’s South African family on pages 166–168 in The Other Wes Moore. What are some of the values Wes and his new family seem to share?
How do you think the move affected Wes in The Other Wes Moore? What is the evidence that you have to support your answer? Select a quote, give the page number, and explain your answer.
What did Wes find intriguing about Colin Powell’s book My American Journey?
In The Other Wes Moore, Wes writes that “the expectations that others place on us form our expectations of ourselves.” What does this quotation mean, and how does it speak to the importance of personal and public accountability?
Why did the author include the basketball scene in chapter 2 of The Other Wes Moore? What was his overall point?
How did Wes 2 maintain his innocence in The Other Wes Moore? In other words, what was his alibi? Did Wes 1 believe him?
What are the settings and main ideas for The Other Wes Moore?
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