Monday, March 24, 2014

Chapter 6: Hunted AND Justification Paper #2

Theme: Life Choices

Quote 1: "Woody was one of the students who made it across the finish line kicking and screaming... as he entered the area where all the students were sitting to prepare for the ceremony, he knew none of that mattered. All that mattered was that he was here. He had accomplished his mission of completing high school." (pg 109)
Analysis 1:  Out of all of Woody's friends he was one of the many that was actually able to get through the four years of high school and graduate. This was due to his life choices and decisions he made throughout high school. The fact that Woody was able to finish high school successfully shows a dark contrast between him and someone like Wes. Wes had made the decision to take school less importantly as how Woody had. Wes had decided that dealing drugs would get him further in life, so that choice of him eventually affected him and prevented him in going to school which caused him to not officially graduate and get his diploma like Woody. But instead someone like Woody, decided to stay in school and his result was an official high school diploma. This situation shows how important it is that you choose and decide on factors like this importantly because eventually, the result will follow up on you and affect you either negatively or importantly.

Quote 2: " Not surprisingly, without a high school diploma or job training-- and with a criminal record-- Wes found it almost impossible to find a job to support his growing family." (pg110)
Analysis 2: Due to Wes's decision to deal drugs, he ended up getting caught and got put in jail. This greatly impacted not only Wes's life but also the people that surround Wes and people that are involved in Wes's life such as Alicia or his mother or his friends. Alicia and her newly born baby with Wes had to strive and fight to survive together without Wes  financially such as money or where they live. They also had to survive physically such as food or health. With Wes this factor was already pretty complicated but with him in jail, made it especially hard for Alicia to survive not only herself but as a single mother. And all this was causede just because of Wes's choice to deal drugs and have sex at such an early age. If Wes had not decide to deal drugs, he wouldn't have been put in jail and would of been able to finish school like Woody. If Wes had not made to decision to have sex with Alicia so early, they wouldn't have never even have to go through the trouble of having a baby.

Quote 3: "As Wes took the money, their hands touched briefly. The man's hands were smooth, and his nails were clean. Damn...As he turned the corner, he heard a yell behind him. " Stop moving and get your hands up!"... He maintained the same pace until he caught sight of two men running toward him."(pg114)
Analysis 3: This quote greatly shows how greatly Wes's decision to sell his drug to a specific someone greatly impacted his life. In this situation, Wes was walking down his neighborhood until all of a sudden, a man Wes has never seen before around the community, asks him if he has any drugs on him that he can buy off of. At first Wes says no, because one of his rules that he lives buy to is to never sell to anyone that is a stranger and just randomly comes up to you for drugs. But because Wes desperately needed some money, he decided to walk back to the man and sell it to him. Not much later he ends up finding out that the man was a police in disguise and Wes gets put into jail. Wes's decision to walk back and sell the drugs to the man resulted in him getting caught and getting put into jail. If Wes was to continue walking that day and go home like how he was planning to, he would've never have gotten caught and maybe could of had the chance of finish high school and not have gotten a criminal record... just if he had continued walking back home.

Quote 4: "Even though I'd grown to love military school, I still had mixed feelings about being there, and they were eating at me. I wanted to be home, to talk to Justin after he left the hospital." (pg118)
Analysis 4: The choice of Wes Moore #1 to do poorly in school or act up got him put in military school. After Wes was put in military school, it not only improved his life but it also caused people around him to have to readjust. His family for example, had to do extra jobs or give up certain things just to get Wes in military school to get more disciplined. It also affected his friends like Justin, who was used to wes being there for him. But once Wes had to leave for military school, Justin wasn't able to relive his pain on anyone as easily as how he was able to when Wes was around. But due to Wes's decision to get him into military school, effected Wes by him being one of the most successful sergeants in the area. Having Wes in military school also helped him in education and college options.

Quote 5: "But I had to let this one go. I had to look at the bigger picture." (pg121)
Analysis 5: Wes was torn between fighting back some drunkies who had threw a bottle at him while he was walking down the street with one of his other sergeants, or just letting it go and head back on to the campus. Wes's first reaction was to fight back due to where he had came from. But after he was put into military school and promoted one of the best sergeants, he had to look at the bigger picture and see if fighting back was really worth it. And the end, Wes decided to let it slide and just run back to campus with Dalio. Because of Wes's choice to not fight back, he managed to keep Dalio safe and prevent himself in getting any more injured as well as keeping himself and Dalio out of trouble.

Justification Paper #2

     In part two, Choices and Second Chances was mainly focusing on how both Wes Moore's lives are gradually changing. How they each pursue their lives due to the choices that they've made earlier.And also how they try to fight to stand back up and slowly adjust their lifestyles for not only themselves, but also the people that surround them. Chocies and Second Chances is appropriate with the author's purpose because the title itself, is a message the author is trying to motivate those who feel like they've failed in life and can't get back up.
   Chapter four first starts off by showing the readers how Wes Moore2 has started to get more affiliated with drug dealing and how his brother is angered because he does not wish to see his brother follow his own footsteps and fail in life. On page 70, we see how angered Tony was when he started to find out about his brother dealing drugs and getting tons of money from it, "Tony grabbed Wes's shirt collar and pulled him in close."How many times do I have to tell you to leave this stuff alone, man?" His tone was low and serious, but he barked his words out." From this quote the author attempts to foreshadow Wes2's life later on in the book. The author did so by having, Tony already warning  him to stop and Wes wouldn't stop and he still wouldnt stop after he got caught the second time by Tony shows how Wes most likely will not stop until  maybe something big  and extravagant actually hits him. On page 118, we then learn that Wes Moore1 gets a second chance to restart his life by being forced to military school and how he is actually grateful for being put into there. If his mother had never took him out and sent him to military school, Wes could of had a high possibility of maybe being somewhat tied into drugs like Wes2 or just failing school and not going anywhere far with his life.
     In conclusion,Choices and Second Chances is appropriate with the author's purpose because the author was trying to encourage those who may have not dealt with life so well such as with various situations and end up failing, to stand back up and fight because there is always a second chance. He also tries to convey hope and say that there are always advantages that people can take to start a new life again. The choices part of the title represents the different choices that both Wes Moore's had in their life and how the choices that they made had impacted their lives greatly. The Second chances part of the title represents the second chances that both Wes Moores had to start over. 

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