Chapter 5

"I was either really brave or really stupid, and he was not going to wait around to see which" (page 86)
- Life choices can be a significant factor while choosing the path of either success or failure. Wes's life choices, both of them, led to either their success or failure.  Being human, Wes takes chances and makes mistakes, and all of these make us who we are, but some mistakes and chances they take are completely intentional and consequential. While most people take chances, they think of the conquenses right away, and like Wes says, "I was either really brave or really stupid," he was aware, like we all are aware, of all of the possible consequences which causes him to do the action anyway. This life choice could either cost him his future, or not, and he was willing to take that chance. The author wanted to get across that his life choices really did make a difference on the outcome of his life.

"Bad grades, absence from classes, and an incident with a smoke bomb were just some of the reasons he rattled off as my mother sat silently on the couch with the phone to her ear." (Page 87)
- In this quote I am tracking the theme of single mothers and life choices. Both fall hand in hand in this quote because being a single mother and trying to raise your son is difficult when life choices get in the way, and your intentions are not executed it's disappointing. Being a young black male, society automatically labels you as inferior, so Wes, running around acting like a stereotypical young black male, is just adding to the statistic that black people no longer want to have. Being a mother, you only want the best for your child so seeing them do bad things is not pleasing to the eye. The author wanted to make it clear that these choices led to his downfall and his mothers dissapointment.

"I had never wanted anything more in my life than to leave that school, and I was slowly coming to he realization that it was not going to happen." (Page 93)
- In this quote I am tracking the theme of Prison. Even though the military school that Wes is going to isn't a prison, it is a metaphorical prison for his mind and conscience. This 'Prison' is going to be like a real one, with people around him that are similar and there for a reason, The author added this state of mind of him and physical discomfort in the story to show that constructive conformity is necessary  for change. The author added this part of his life in the story to show that even though he felt as though he was in a prison and he wanted more than anything to get out it turned into a beautiful thing and he got used to the uniform way of life.

"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." (Page 95)
- In this quote I am tracking the theme of life choices. In this quote it states that certain choices have second chances and most choices can not be changed or turned around, and most boys make choices that are unchangeable and effect their life in the long run. Just like certain boys are drug dealers, they are caught in that situation and that was their choice and now they can't get out. Some men are stuck in the drug dealing business for a long time, because, just like the quote said they made a "decisive and possible irrevocable turn." Which can't be reversed and "they can be lost forever." The author Wes Moore included this quote to make a statement that certain situations are not changeable, just like him and the other Wes have also made.

"I had never seen a man, a peer demand that much respect from his people. I had seen Shea demand respect in the neighborhood, but this was different. This was real respect, the kind you can't beat or scare out of people." (Page 96)
- In this quote I am tracking the theme of role models. With Wes growing up looking up to these false role models, he looks at real respect in a different way that even though he doesn't say it, he infers that this respect is different from any other respect he has witnessed and he desires to have the same. When boys like this grow up without father figures they tend to have false father figures, which are their peers. They either meet these people through drug dealing, or maybe even good influences like doctors and lawyers, but whoever they look up to is what they know and what they strive to be, so with Wes looking up to a military official, he is going in the right path to be formed into a man. The author did a good job with adding his thoughts toward this man because it goes to show that even though he grew up with different role models, someone respected and intelligent is what he really strived to be.