The Other Wes Moore Chapter 1 Section 1

Why does the author tell the story about hitting his sister when he was three years old?

• To give the reader a funny childhood memory that makes the story feel lighter and more playful.

• To show that arguments between brothers and sisters are normal and often happen when kids are very young.

• To bring light to his mother's back story which shaped the way she disciplined him.

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What is the purpose of giving information about Wes’s parents and their backgrounds?

• To show how the parents’ past experiences directly shaped the way Wes was raised and the values he learned.

• To emphasize that if parents were treated wrong in their past then they will treat their children wrong.

• To add more pages to the story so that the book feels longer and more detailed.

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What broader social issue is reflected in the hospital’s treatment of Wes’s father?

• The dangers of experimental medicine that was being tested on vulnerable patients in the 1980s.

• The limited access to healthcare for minorities and poor families, which leads to neglect and misdiagnosis.

• The breakdown of communication between family members during medical emergencies.

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Wes' mom's early efforts to “fit in” by mimicking American speech patterns illustrate:

• Assimilation and the loss of cultural identity as she tried to hide her Jamaican accent with American English.
  

• Childhood rebellion, as she deliberately rejected her family’s traditions.

• The resilience of Jamaican culture, which remained intact even as she changed her accent.

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What does Joy’s relationship with Bill reveal about her character at that stage in life?

• She is overly idealistic and hopeful, believing she can save or change him despite the evidence.

• She is reckless and self-destructive, seeking danger rather than stability in relationships.

• She doesn't care about herself or the safety of her child and only feels whole if Bill loves her.

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Joy’s confrontation with Bill in the kitchen shows her:

• Continued dependence on unhealthy relationships, since she doesn’t leave immediately.

• Willingness to forgive and reconcile with Bill, despite his harmful actions.

• Transformation from victim to survivor, as she stands up to violence for the first time.

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What is the narrative effect of telling the father’s death from a child’s point of view?

• It intensifies the tragedy, since innocence and confusion heighten the sense of loss.

• It reduces the emotional weight, since the child doesn’t fully understand what is happening.

• It creates distance between the reader and the event, keeping us from connecting with the tragedy.

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What theme best connects Joy’s experiences with Bill, her discipline of Wes, and the death of Wes’s father?

• The influence of family history on identity, as past trauma and loss shape the next generation.

• The randomness of tragedy, which disrupts lives no matter how careful people are.

• The power of love to heal trauma, which always overcomes even the hardest challenges

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How does the author use contrast between his mother’s discipline and his father’s gentleness in the opening chapter?

• It proves that his mother was the only real authority figure in the household, while his father was mostly absent.

• It suggests that his father cared less about discipline and more about avoiding conflict at home.

• It highlights two very different parenting styles, using contrast to show how both shaped Wes in unique ways.

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Choose one of the following themes for this section of the chapter. Explain how it relates to the story. Use textual evidence.

1. 1. A person's past can have a huge impact on future behavior.

2. 2. Challenges can be overcome with courage

3. 3. Patience can help you achieve your goals.

Possible Sentence starter: I choose number ___. It relates to the story because...

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