An Opportunity for a Second Chance in The Book The Other Wes Moore

Murder, theft, or simply talking bad about somebody else, all of these instances bring up the question, do these actions deserve a second chance? There are many situations where a second chance is wanted, but not everybody deserves a second chance. Every situation is distinct and needs to be looked at from different angles. Every one of these opportunities depends on the person and the level of redemption that is needed. Second chances are not always guaranteed, but they can be earned.

Giving somebody a second chance is all about personal opinions on if that individual deserves a chance at redemption. Wes Moore illustrates this in the book The Other Wes Moore when he is explaining when he got arrested for tagging a building but the police officer lets him go, “‘You kids are way too young to be in this situation. But you know what, I see kids like you here every day. If you don’t get smart, I am certain I will see you again. That’s the sad part.’... ‘I hope you really listened to what I told you,’ he whispered in my ear, opening up the other cuff to let both of my hands free”. The officer felt, in his opinion, that Wes was a well-behaved child, and he wouldn’t get in any more trouble after being told so. After this experience, Wes never got into any more trouble with the cops, and in the long run, ended up making his family proud. The police officers' opinions of Wes helped him make the best decision on what to do with him. When the police officer released Wes, he was giving Wes a second chance because he saw potential in him, if he hadn’t done that, things could have turned out completely different. 

The attitudes that people have about their actions can help persuade somebody that they deserve a second chance. For instance, when Wes was in military school and was trying to leave he was given a second chance to decide if he wanted to stay to help turn his life around, “I was now a platoon sergeant, a cadet master sergeant, and the youngest senior noncommissioned officer in the entire corps. Three years ago I’d been one of the unsubordinated kids first entering the gates of Valley Forge. In an ironic turn, I was now one of the ones in charge of them ”. Wes’s attitude changed, and he completely turned his attitude around about staying in military school. Due to military school, Wes got to lead an amazing lifestyle that he was proud of. If he had kept a bad attitude and didn’t try, then things could have ended up differently, and he may not have been as successful, and he could have ended up like the other Wes Moore.

Now some people may feel that a second chance is deserved no matter what because people need a second chance to prove themselves and to show that they have changed. However, there is an abundance of ways people can show that they have changed, without being given a second chance and risking others getting hurt.

For somebody to earn a second chance they must be given an opportunity to prove that they have changed. Giving somebody a second chance and an opportunity to prove themselves are different, an opportunity is just the person proving themselves, while a second chance is letting that person go back to how things were before. Giving somebody an opportunity to prove themselves is a theme that is illustrated in We Were Liars, “‘Not your fault,’ says Johnny. ‘I mean, we all did it, we all went crazy, we all have to take responsibility. You shouldn’t carry the weight of it,’ he said. ‘Be sad, be sorry- but don’t shoulder it.’” Johnny, Gat, and Mirren all gave Cadence an opportunity to prove that the fire and the death of her cousins were an accident. Once the “liars” saw Cadence true intentions they felt that it was safe for her to have a second chance, and realized it was as much their faults as hers. They were all responsible for what occurred that night, and they shouldn’t only be angry at Cadence for it. 

Depending on the consequences someone has after their action, they may have higher odds of earning a second chance. If somebody was put in a situation and they made a decision that hurt both them and the person they want a second chance from, they may be more likely to be given a second chance because they learned their lesson. The book We Were Liars By E. Lockhart was a great example of this, “I guess that is why they’ve been here. I needed them ”. Cadence had the consequence of losing her friends in the fire that she created and that hurt her just as much as it had hurt them. Due to this happening she experienced pain, both physically and mentally, therefore her friends decided to give her a second chance by coming back as ghosts. Cadence needed them to be able to heal mentally and forgive herself for what had occurred that night two years ago.

Second chances can vary from situation to situation, but one thing is certain, the motives of that person will be questioned. In life, second chances are not promised, but through many actions, they can be earned. In the end, people will make mistakes that result in the loss of trust from somebody else, but that situation can be handled by evaluating if that person deserves a second chance at redemption.