In chapters four through six of Wes Moore’s, “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” one theme. This is the theme of the dangers of a parent living in denial. Denial is realizing the circumstances around you, but carrying on as if they were not happening. This theme is more prominent in the other Wes Moore’s life, as the denial of the people around him allowed him to carry on down his bad path. The best example of someone like this in his life is  Wes Moore’s mother, Mary. Mary constantly lives in denial about her son’s life and his actions. The first example of this is when Wes’s brother, Tony, begins to beat up Wes because he realizes he is dealing drugs. Mary begins to defend him, even though deep down she knows about what her son is doing. Moore writes, “But the sight of Tony punching him in the face infuriated her. Maybe it was because Wes was younger than him and she knew how violent Tony could be. Or maybe it was because she wanted so much for Tony could be wrong” (Moore 71). By dealing drugs and ending up like his brother, Wes had not met the expectations Mary had for him. But because Mary still believed there was a chance he could meet them, she denied that he could ever be living a life like Tony. Perhaps if she had acknowledged her son’s problems they would never have gone on for as long as they did. The second example of Mary denying her circumstances was when Tony revealed that Wes had gotten a girl pregnant at a family party. This is said, “‘Alicia, are you pregnant?’ she asked, with a cake knife still poised in the air. Alicia’s wife did not leave Wes as she slowly nodded her head. Mary closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment, she brought her arms back to her sides, exhaled, and looked around the table. ‘So who wants cake’” (Moore 101). When she refused to acknowledge the fact that her son had gotten a teenage girl pregnant, I believe she missed her last opportunity to help her son gain any control over his life. It creates this environment where her son is allowed to do whatever he wants, and we see where that gets him. If she had acknowledged this and helped her son through it, maybe things could have been different. 

    

 

                                          Three images displaying the dangers of denial

When a parent comes to terms with their child’s bad behavior they can help them grow and become better. Wes Moore’s life is a good example of this. When Wes begins to act poorly by hitting his sister and failing school, his mother does everything in her power to get him into a better situation. His mother sends him to military school in order to receive the discipline and help he needed to succeed in life (Moore 87). By doing this, I believe she saves his life and helps him become the man he is today. If Mary had done something like this, not even to this extent, just acknowledge her son’s lifestyle and kept trying to help him, perhaps it would have all ended differently. Denying your circumstances is not only bad, but in some cases, like with Mary’s, it is dangerous. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVwhzBWkinU

This video addresses what denial is, and the dangerous affects it can have on someone's life.