Chapter One

The theme of chapter one involves the facing and overcoming of challenges. Here are five quotes that support this theme:

"When my mom first landed in the Bronx, she was just a small child, but she was a survivor and learned quickly." (Moore 8)

Moving to an entirely new country is a huge event for a small child, who faces the challenge of a cultural barrier. In the case of Wes' mother, Joy, she overcame this challenge by working extremely hard to fit in: she studied the other children "like an anthropologist" and mimicked their behavior.

"Together, they left Bill for good." (Moore 10)

Bill was Joy's first husband. Her time with her was challenging and painful because Bill was a violent alcoholic and drug addict. One night got especially scary and Joy pulled an knife on him. She overcame this challenging period of life by moving out with her daughter, Nikki.

"When Mary told her mother that she was pregnant, at age sixteen, Alma said, 'I don't care! You are going to finish school and go to college.'" (Moore 21)

Mary is the other Wes' mother. At sixteen, she faced a common challenge among teen mothers: whether or not she could continue her education. With support from her mother she was able to raise the child and attend Johns Hopkins University, successfully overcoming the challenge of being a mother and attending school at the same time.

"Mary was the first of the kids to leave home. Education was her escape in more ways than one." (Moore 23)

Mary faced many challenges at home, including her pregnancy. Her college education was an escape from home that allowed her to get away from her problems.

"Despite the fact that her son had nothing to do with Wes, Mamie didn't want Wes punished for the circumstances through which he was brought into the world." (Moore 24)

Mamie, the other Wes' grandmother, loved him a huge amount. Similar to the way Mary escaped her problems by going to college, the other Wes escaped his problems as a young child by going to Mamie's house. While her love provided no long-lasting solution, it certainly aided him in overcoming early challenges.