What factors had the biggest impact on making Wes and the Other Wes who they are today?
The Other Wes Moore explores several themes related to success and failure, striving and surviving. Moore offers many perspectives as to why he and the other Wes Moore’s paths diverge. For your final you will develop an argument examining issues raised by the book. This essay is argumentative, meaning you will take a stance and use support from the book and class readings to support your ideas.
Please respond to the following prompt in your final:
What factors had the biggest impact on making Wes and the Other Wes who they are today?
In your response, consider the many influences on each Wes Moore’s life, such as family, friends, education, identity, personal values, choices, mindset, the neighborhood, or environment. Consider, too, each man’s personality and actions. You should support your answer with detailed references from throughout the book The Other Wes Moore
Writing Tips:
Include a brief summary of the book in your introduction (2-3 sentences is good, but be sure to include the basics: the author’s full name and title of the book, the setting, and main ideas).
Use present tense when writing about the book, i.e. “Moore tells a story…”
Make sure your thesis is a direct response to the prompt and a debatable statement, NOT a factual statement such as: Many characters in The Other Wes Moore have challenges. Your thesis, as always, must take a position you can argue. Remember to ask yourself “how” and “why” questions to develop a claim you can argue.
Follow essay structure – this is part of what you’re being “tested” on in terms of the final exam. Review the materials in the WRITING GUIDES (located in the Getting Started module) and our text for help.
Aside from the introduction, avoid summarizing the book unless necessary for context. Focus on supporting and developing your thesis. An essay that simply retells the book will not earn a passing grade.
Avoid using four or more lines of quotes. If you do, you must set them up using block format (see OWL Purdue). In general, you should avoid using long quotes. If you do use any, your analysis of the quote should be equal in length.
Note well: The only source for your paper should be the book itself. Do not use any other sources please! This is a literary analysis paper, not a research paper. What’s most important is developing YOUR interpretation of the book.
Required to earn a passing score:
Include a works cited list in MLA format.
Include at least one quotation in each body paragraph using MLA format: “—-” (Moore 57).
Avoid plagiarism at all costs. If you consult any online sources for ideas (i.e. Sparknotes, etc…) you must be aware that using the ideas and/or words of others without giving them credit is plagiarism. So my advice is don’t consult anything except the book.
