The Other Wes Moore Literary Elements

Biography, non-fiction essay.

The setting of the story is Baltimore in the 21st century and it has been written in the context of the fates of black Americans.

The narrator of the story is Wes Moore and the story has been narrated from his point of view. He narrates his own story and the story of other Wes Moore.

Thoughtful, Solemn, Grave, Anxious.

The protagonist of the story is Wes Moore who is an African American author, producer, CEO and Army veteran.

The major conflict in the story is between man and his decisions. One Wes Moore takes the right decision and becomes an eminent person of society while the other becomes a criminal and is hanged to death.

The climax comes when the fathers of both Wes Moore die.

The game of selling drugs foreshadows the miserable end of the other Wes Moore.

The understatement in the story is that a man cannot blame his fate or circumstances because he has been given the chance to take the right decision. One can either make his life or destroy his life. Another understatement is that a man is known by his identity and identity is not synonymous to one's name.

There are illusions to brotherhood, prison, death, poverty, free will, basketball and admissions in university in the book.

There are images of death, university, prison, crime, murder, theft, food and immigrants demonstrated by the writer.

Both the main characters in the story have same names but there is paradox in their fates. One enjoys all the privileges of life while the other lives a miserable life behind the bars of prison.

There is a parallelism between the lives of two Wes Moore.

An example of synecdoche is 'house' which represents family and upbringing of children. An example of metonymy is the other Wes Moore, who represents all those people who go astray.

Free will has been personified in the book.