The Importance of Good Mentors

            

         While reading the last two chapters and epilogue of The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, by Wes Moore, the theme of the importance of mentors kept popping up in my mind. Both Wes Moores start their life lacking father figures, and by early childhood are scattering to find different adults to look up to in order to fill that hole. I believe that the moment that these two seemingly parallel lives begin to branch off into their own paths is when the other Wes starts to look up to Tony, and when Wes begins to look up to his mother and surrounding family members. In fact, Wes Moore credits much of his success to him. He writes, “What changed was that I found myself surrounded by people-starting with my mom, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and leading to a string of wonderful role models and mentors-who kept pushing me to see more than what was directly in front of me, to see the boundless possibilities within myself” (Moore 180). Wes Moore had that support system that a child needs to really grow and flourish. The other Wes Moore just happened to not have that. I have to wonder what would have happened if he had someone besides his drug-dealing to look up to. In fact, I believe that Wes being sent to prison and pulled away from all of these bad mentors makes him a better man. This is how the other Wes Moore’s life in prison is described, “Wes is now a devout Muslim. Initially, he went to Friday mosque services because they were the only opportunity to see his brother, Tony, who was also in Jessup, but eventually, he started paying attention to the message and decided to learn more. He is now a leader in the significant Muslim community in the Jessup Prison” (Moore 173). When Wes was removed from the people around him, he was able to become who he was maybe always meant to be. Even though it is not the ideal life, he still found himself. Another moment to support this is when Wes displays great growth after the presidential election. Moore writes, “Wes and the other lifers realized that, no matter who the president was, their fates were sealed” (Moore 175). At first glance, this may not seem like a big, shocking moment, but we have to remember where Wes came from, and who he was shortly before he went to prison. When Was first got arrested, he did everything to lie and get out of his sentence. He pretended he did not do it, even going as far as to say he was never even there. However, he now realizes the severity of what he did. He understands that he killed a man and there has to be some kind of penance paid for what had happened. If Wes was stuck with Tony in a jail cell, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have continued to try and save himself from his punishment. The people you have around you help create the person you turn into. Unfortunately, some people just are not as lucky as others and do not have great parents or family members like Wes Moore. The Other Wes Moore is the perfect example of what somebody who lacks these people looks like, and if he had not separated from them he would have been lost forever.

An example of a good mentor that resembles Wes Moore's relationship with his uncle.

An example of the Other Wes Moore's mentor.

https://youtu.be/Atme26C0l5E

A professor in sociology explains the power of mentoring