Title Justification Essay #1

Many households in America are single-parent, which can have a negative impact on the child. In the first part of The Other Wes Moore, the book is centered on how both Wes Moores were raised. It talks about the absence of fathers and how they affected both of them in their choices and attitudes.The title of part one, "Fathers and Angels," is appropriate with the author's purpose because it demonstrates how important a father figure is in a household, and how the absence of such a figure can affect a family, which is the author's purpose in the first part of the book.

 
These effects of the absence of the father figure on the single mother left to raise the family and the child are demonstrated in the book. For example, after the author Wes' father died, he described the

effect it had on his mother. According to him, "People around us didn't think she was coping well with

her husband's death. They thought she needed help, not just in raising the kids but in raising her spirits." (Page 37) Wes' father played a big role in raising Wes and his siblings, and he set good examples for them. Wes' mother had his help in raising the kids.When he died, Wes' mother had to raise them by herself, and that was a burden for her.  She constantly questioned herself about whether she could have prevented his death, which led to her going into depression.  Her battle with depression completely changed how she was as a person. Also, the loss of his father affected his performance in school: "I knew [that I might be on probation], but... the problem was that they didn't understand my situation…my missing father, my overworked mother…"(Page 37)  Normally, kids who have both of their parents around tend to do better in school because they have more motivation.  It is easier to have two adults stressing the importance of education than it is for one person.  Since Wes only had his mother around, he didn't have as much motivation. He used his problems at home as an excuse for not trying in school. This is how the absence of a father figure can affect a family.

The title of the collection of chapters matches up with the author's purpose by showing the effects of an absent father that can affect the family, as shown by Wes' mom going into depression. It is also demonstrated by Wes letting his grades slip.  The absence of the father figures led to the family having to go on with their lives without them.  They had a huge affect on the family as a whole.  The amount of young men in particular that end up going down the wrong path often don't have an older male in their lives to emulate.  Therefore, they don't know how to act, leading to them not having a sense of responsibility.  This leads to them getting addicted to drugs and not being able to find a steady job.