This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Other Wes Moore" by Wes Moore. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Are you looking for The Other Wes Moore discussion questions? Do you want exercises to help you reflect on the important lessons and themes presented in the book?
The Other Wes Moore discussion questions cover topics such as growing up, hindsight, mentorship, and the struggles of underprivileged youth in America. These exercises will help you move beyond the concepts in the book and reflect on your own life.
Read on for The Other Wes Moore discussion questions.
The Other Wes Moore Discussion Questions
The Other Wes Moore chronicles the lives of two men with the same name. Both Wes Moores are black men who grew up in the inner-city communities of Baltimore City and the Bronx. Both were raised by single mothers within the same era. So, how did one end up a decorated military veteran and academic scholar and the other a convicted murder with a life sentence? The book, written by Wes Moore the Army veteran, searches for answers by parsing their histories. He formed a relationship with the other Wes Moore to try to understand when and why their paths diverged.
These The Other Wes Moore discussion questions will help you think about the important messages from the book and relate them to your own life.
Growing Up Is Hard to Do
The stories of both Wes Moores finding themselves as young men shows how difficult it can be for young people to understand themselves and the world around them. How does reading about the different paths the boys went down affect your reflections on your own childhood?
Use these The Other Wes Moore discussion questions to help you think about it.
- Who were some of your social influences as a child? How did those people help shape your understanding of yourself?
- Are there things you wish you would have done differently as a child? What are they, and how did those choices affect your life?
- Does reading about the two Wes Moores’ journeys make you understand your choices in a new way?
The Clarity of Hindsight
Both Wes Moores’ made mistakes in their lives, but one was able to rise above them, and one continued to spiral out of control. However, there are points in each story that seem to lead to these results.
- Think of an event in your life that had a significant impact. How did this event change your life for the better or worse?
- How could the result have been different if you’d had a different response?
The Effects of Mentorship
Both Wes Moores had people in their life who served as mentors or advisors, and those people played significant roles in how their futures turned out.
- Were there people in your life you looked up to as mentors or advisors? How did they influence your life?
- How would your life have been different without the influence of those individuals in it?
- How could your experiences be used to help mentor a young person down a good path?
The Other Wes Moore Discussion Questions: The Bigger Picture
Moore’s hope was that these stories would help bring awareness to the struggles facing America’s underserved youth and start a conversation. Within both men’s stories are some key ideas relating to the general manner in which our society operates.
- What are your main takeaways from the story of the two Wes Moores?
- What do you find to be the most compelling difference between the boys?
- What are some possible solutions for dealing with this difference?
Hopefully these The Other Wes Moore discussion questions have helped you dive even deeper into the messages of the book and relate Wes Moore’s lessons to your own life.
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Wes Moore's "The Other Wes Moore" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full The Other Wes Moore summary :
- How two men from similar communities can have vastly different lives
- What led one Wes Moore to become a Rhodes Scholar
- What led the other Wes Moore to a life sentence
