Chapter 5

Absent Fathers and Fatherhood

“Wes’s nonexistent relationship with his father probably contributed to his seeming indifference about becoming a father himself. All he knew was his mom. He had no idea what his role would be in this new situation-he wasn’t even sure he had a role. Pg. 101

This quote demonstrates the huge effect those who surround us have on us. Although he never had a proper relationship with his father and barely knew him, Wes is greatly influenced by the actions of his father and how these actions greatly affected him. This reveals that having an absent father or being abandoned by a father can take a great toll on not only the childhood of a person, but also their future decisions and actions. Displayed above is the idea of a cycle of unfortunate events, wherein sons may follow their father’s example and pass on this example to their own sons.

“The idea of becoming a father depressed Wes, but he wasn’t sure why. […] But in some unspoken way, he did sense that he was crossing a point of no return, that things were about to get complicated in a way he was unequipped to handle.” Pg.100

The process of becoming a mother or father clearly changes the lives of individuals. Wes is shaken by the pregnancy of his girlfriend, and understands that having a child will greatly alter his life, whether or not he chooses to be active in the child’s life. This demonstrates the difficulty of parenthood and the fact that a degree of responsibility is required, as well as a prepared individual.

Love and Disappointment

“I tried to plead my case, but as it turned out, she had nothing to say. She simply pulled her right hand back and slapped me. The burn consumed the entire left side of my face. […] We didn’t know it at the time, but once alone, we both started to cry.” Pg 88

Devastated by her son’s actions, Joy Moore unleashes her rage, causing Wes to feel rightly ashamed of his actions. This quote not only demonstrates the way the characters felt at the time, but the amount of love they have for one another. Both privately despair over the events, Joy because she felt she was losing her son, and Wes because he had disappointed his mother. This shows that neither wished to let the other person down, and how genuine disappointment can crack a human being. Humans fear disappointing those that they love, and many strive to make those they love truly proud of their accomplishments.

Revenge

“Wes could only see red. He was blind with rage. Instincts kicked in. Tony’s words rang through his mind. Send a message.” Pg. 104

Wes’s only thought after being attacked was revenge. He grew up believing that revenge, and “sending a message” was the right course of action to take, and defending his honor and demonstrating strength was the only way to deal with such problems. This illustrates the blind nature of revenge, and the irrational way that humans act and behave when retaliation is the goal.

Life Choices

“These forks in the road can happen so fast for young boys; within months or even weeks, their journeys can take a decisive and possible irrevocable turn. With no intervention-or the wrong intervention- they can be lost forever.” Pg. 95

Wes Moore emphasizes the importance of the decisions we make throughout our lives, revealing that a single choice can alter the future, for the better or worse.  Moore also reveals that to an extent, people require help and guidance from others, who may be able to lead young children into better positions.