Chapter 6

"...were the corner boys. These were the kids, sometimes as young as seven but normally no older than eleven, who served as the lookouts for cops." (page 111)
- This quote goes to show that drug dealers have a system and mentoring comes into okay when those are initiated at a young age. This will show that since they are starting young, Wes looks at him just as he once was referring to them as the "corner boys", as he used to be. The author uses this quote to convey that mentoring in a similar situation creates a similar person as Wes was... and the cycle continues.

"He couldn't stop thinking about the money he could make off that sale--almost exactly enough to take care of this date. The logic felt right." (page 113)
- This quote is an excellent representation of Fate or Free Will in this book and in this case it is evidently Free Will. Wes takes it upon hisself to turn around and go back to the cop to get a little bit more money, which is his choice and causes him to get arrested. The author wanted to show that the choices we make are sometimes not destined, and just happen because of choices one makes while living in the moment for temporary pleasures.

"He liked the feeling of holding down a corner with his boys. It was the one place he felt safe, or at least in his element." (page 112)
- In this quote the theme of mentoring comes in to play because Wes looking up to these people and being surrounded by these people constantly, effects him and his persona, which causes him to feel a sense of belonging as though they are family. The author wanted us to feel that Wes felt a sense of belonging to his gang members in a way that a family would and he felt at peace just like a family would but instead he is with his gang members.

"Wes wasn't shocked or afraid anymore, just annoyed." (page 114)
- Crime was normal for Wes now since he has gotten used to the feeling of it and been through the motions many times, but only now he is annoyed with the routine. The author Wes Moore wants to get accross that since crime was routine to him now it didn't have much effect, but I'm sure that it will later because it will have much more impact on him.

"Three years ago I'd been one of the insubordinate kids first entering the gates of Valley Forge. In an ironic turn, I was now one of the ones in charge of them." (page 115)
- In this quote I believe that the author wanted to add the fact/feeling of him transitioning from somebody who was being trained to an authority figure. When he first started out he wanted to go home within the first four days but now he over came those obstacles of feeling out of place and got used to being uniform and set straight which will create a turning point in his life.