Two of the most significant themes in the novels The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore and J.D. Vance III's Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis were the power of choice and the meaning of perception. Both of these themes are clearly fused together, let go hand in hand in each book. The significance of these themes is demonstrated by the fact that a person's choices can be influenced by their perception of a specific situation. Their perception can also be influenced by decisions made around them. It is clear, however, that the two topics of choice and perception are undoubtedly interconnected, both having the power to predominantly influence people; also the lives of those around them. One of the most notable examples of the persistence of these themes is that perception can completely influence the choices one makes, shaping their reality around the world they see. In The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, Wes Moore states: “[Bernard] spent most of his time looking for himself in the bottom of liquor bottles. Mary was left with two alcoholic, abusive men who shared the DNA of two of her children but no husband or father for her boys” (Moore 23). Other Wes' father became an alcoholic and left Wes with his mother to fend for themselves. Wes' perception of his father's decision could easily have become one that he deserved to be left alone like that. These factors may have resulted in his almost pathological need to support himself and his mother. This perhaps became a fairly direct cause of his arrest later in his life. Similarly, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis states, “…I was the son of a man I barely knew and a woman I wished I hadn't known” (Vance 2). This quote shows that a child's outlook on their parents' decisions could be to start wishing they were not involved with their parents, causing a massive disconnection in their life and lack of a proper childhood. However, in this novel the author clearly takes a completely different path than the Other Wes Moore because he ends up wanting to make his house much safer to live in; more of a community. Clearly, a person's perception of the decisions made around them plays a role in the choices they make and how they decide to live their life. Likewise, a person's outlook on a specific situation can greatly influence the choices they make in the heat of life. moment, sometimes making those choices reckless or ineffective. In The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, it is quoted: “…Shea was one of the most respected young hustlers on the block. He was a worker, we all knew that…” (Moore 80). This section clearly shows that sometimes you need to make quick decisions, even if they are the wrong ones. It highlights the fact that Shea had a clear involvement with drugs and dealing in order to get more money to support himself and his family, regardless of the cost of his lifestyle. Shea felt he had no choice but to sell drugs and, therefore, acted quickly and without thinking. Similarly, Starr in The Hate U Give says, “[Hailey] crosses her arms and does this little neck movement. 'Um, yes? Isn't that what I said? The cop probably did everyone a favor [by shooting Khalil]. One less drug dealer on the…' I move Maya out of the way and slam my fist into the side of Hailey's face” (Thomas 341). In this part of the book, Starr ends up getting suspended for fighting after Hailey does 2011.