ELIZABETH FECZKO
BALTIMORE TRIBUNE
OCTOBER 18, 2017
BIG DECISIONS
Many books, poems, and
songs discuss the impact that
one decision had on a per-
son’s entire life. In The Oth-
er Wes Moore and “The
Road Not Taken,” characters
are faced with a decision and
have to choose whether to
take the easy, popular deci-
sion, or take the brave, un-
popular decision. The deci-
sions a person makes during
their lifetime are what makes
them a unique person. Each
of these specific works of
literature demonstrate how
decisions are important to
every person.
The Other Wes
Moore written by Wes
Moore is a novel that tells
Wes Watende the life story of the author
Omari Moore, au- and another boy with the
thor of The Other exact same name, who grew
Wes Moore up around the same time in
the same place also without a
father. This book gives a
general overview of each of
their lives while focusing on
important events. The author
of the book graduated col-
lege and became a successful
Rhodes Scholar, while the
other Wes had to experience
a life sentence in prison for
an armed bank robbery. With
such similar beginnings, why
did their paths diverge so
much throughout their lives?
It could have been because
of their mentors, their com-
munities, the resources of
their families, their values,
their schools, or many other
Robert Frost, author of factors. These factors influ-
“The Road Not Taken” enced each Wes in their
decision-making for the
better or the worse. Through-
out the book, the author
highlights specific decisions
each Wes makes during their
childhood. Many of these
decisions are greatly influ-
enced by the people in their
lives. This book shows how
the community affects deci-
sion-making, and how small
decisions impact the future.
“The Road Not
Taken” is a poem written by
Robert Frost about making
an important decision. It
represent this decision-
making process as coming to
a split in the road and decid-
ing which path to choose.
One side is worn out, while
the other is overgrown. The
character decided to take the
less used path, and ends up
satisfied with their decision.
The metaphor of the two
paths is to signify that the
character is coming upon a
big decision. The worn out
path is the decision that most
people would choose; it is
the easy thing to do. By
choosing the overgrown
path, they are making a risky
decision that few people
have made before them. In
the beginning, they are un-
sure about their choice, but
they soon see how beneficial
their choice is and never
look back. Sometimes it is
important to be unique in-
stead of following the deci-
sions of others. This poem
represents the importance of
making decisions, and
demonstrates how some-
times choosing the more
difficult decision is the right
choice.
The main theme of
each of these works of litera-
ture is decision-making.
They each focus on the diffi-
HONORS ENGLISH 9
culty and significance of
making decisions, although
one is far shorter than the
other. “The Road Not Tak-
en” presents one choice in a
metaphoric way, while The
Other Wes Moore presents
background information and
many different decisions.
Each of these was written by
men, and some part of the
writing shows satisfaction
with good decisions. The
Other Wes Moore shows
how influences, community,
and schools affect people’s
decisions, but “The Road
Not Taken” strictly shows
the most popular decision
compared to the decision this
particular character made.
They both show how it is
difficult to make a unique
decision when everyone else
is choosing the easy option.
Every person would be the
same if they responded iden-
tically to choices. The differ-
ent decisions they make
create their identity as a
unique person. These writ-
ings have their similarities
and differences, but they
both stress how one decision
can change the future.
Both of these
writings show how decisions
are important no matter how
small. They show that some-
times the less popular deci-
sion could be the better one.
They show that the decision-
making process greatly influ-
ences a person’s develop-
ment.
“The choices we make
about the lives we live de-
termine the kind of legacies
we leave.” (Moore 185)

Works Cited
"The Free Automatic
Bibliography Compos-
er." EasyBib. Chegg,
n.d. Web.
"History & Mission."
Operation HOPE. N.p.,
n.d. Web.
"Oxford and the
Rhodes Scholarships."
The Rhodes Scholar-
ships. N.p., n.d. Web.
Cecil J. Rhodes, founder of the
Rhodes Scholar program
BALTIMORE TRIBUNE
OPERATION HOPE
Many less fortunate banker for all those
youth at risk of future that are poor and
poverty need financial struggling. They give
support so they can families the support
pursue education and they need by providing
future careers. Many them with money they
different organizations can use for anything
exist today to give they need at the mo-
these individuals fi- ment. Anyone can help
nancial support. Oper- these families in by
ation HOPE is an or- donating to Operation
ganization with the HOPE. These dona-
mission to provide tions are greatly appre-
financial dignity for ciated and are put to
everyone. They do this good use. In my own
through their work as a community, I am plan-
nonprofit, private ning to make a posi-
RHODES SCHOLARS
The Rhodes Scholar- motion of international
ships are scholarships understanding and
given to thirty-two peace. All the money
students from the comes out of the
United States, provid- Rhodes Trust, a British
ing them with full fi- charity created to hon-
nancial support to pur- or the will of Rhodes.
sue a degree at the The first group of
University of Oxford. Rhodes scholars en-
The students are cho- tered Oxford in 1904,
sen based on academ- and a group has been
ics and many character attending ever since.
based criteria. The The scholars are cho-
scholars are named sen in October of each
after Cecil J. Rhode’s, year. Some famous
a South African politi- scholars are Bill Clin-
cian. His will stated ton, 42nd president of
that his estate should the United States;
be used to bring Eng- George Stephanopou-
lish-speaking students los, Clinton’s senior
to the University of advisor and now fa-
Oxford. He believed mour host of Good
this would aid the pro- Morning America; and
Susan Rice, the first
Page 2
tive impact by volun-
teering as much as I
can. Volunteering
brings joy to me and
touches my heart in a
special place because I
know I am making an
impact. There are so
many ways to help
people who can’t help
themselves, and Oper-
ation HOPE is one in
particular that gives
back to the less fortu-
nate in the community.
African American
woman US Ambassa-
dor. Many students
have greatly benefitted
from this scholarship.
It is a wonderful expe-
rience and honor, and
it helps young students
expand their learning
and life experiences.
Overall, the Rhodes
Scholarship program
has provided tremen-
dous education to
many generations, and
will hopefully contin-
ue to do so for many
generations to come.