AlexSusan Plyte once said Everyone needs someone to look up to. In todays society it is more important than ever for people to have role models in which they can admire and examine beneficial qualities that may help them in their everyday life. The universal notion that famous people are beneficial is exemplified throughout history and literature. One example of how wellknown people can benefit today's society is seen through the Civil Rights movement. In 1962 four college freshmen entered a restaurant in which they would receive no service at. The news of their nonviolent sittings spread across the nation and within two months thousands of students were participating in these sitins. Their efforts inspired the creation of the student nonviolent coordinating committee. In 1961 Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus where blacks were forced to sit. Although she was arrested and jailed, her brave efforts inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for over a year. Martin Luther King is known as one of the most inspirational figures of the Civil Rights movement. He organized hundreds of nonviolent protests and gave an unforgettable speech entitled I have a dream. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and the Greensboro lunch boy's brave efforts helped get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. Their actions have inspired thousands of people to stand up for what they believe in and are excellent role models for people today. Another example of how celebrities can be beneficial in today's society is seen through the women's suffrage movement. Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton motivated thousands of women to stand up for equality. They organized parades, protests, and wrote hundreds of letters in order to gain awareness to their cause. They encouraged and convinced people that sexism was not right and were main contributors in getting the 17th amendment passed granting women the right to vote. These three women are still excellent role models for people to look to and have inspired men and women to speak out against the things that they do not agree with. Literature also has great examples of famous people and how they can benefit society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne, the protagonist in the book commits adultery and must forever wear a scarlet letter A sewn upon her bosom. However, her giving personality and helpfulness makes people begin to refer to the A as meaning able. Hester Prynne is an excellent role model for today's society in showing that everyone makes mistakes and that it is what you learn and do from them that is really important. The Civil Rights movement, women's suffrage movement, and The Scarlet Letter have all produced famous people who are great role models for today. It is important for people to have these men and women to look up to and be encouraged by.

AlaizahWalter Worthington once proclaimed, the truth, no matter the circumstances, will always remain ambiguous. In other words, the truth, intention or purpose of something will always be an opinion, and therefore remain uncertain. Throughout history, human beings have fought wars and pursued admirable dreams, but the perceptions of the intentions of these efforts have differed immensely. This universal notion that the truth changes depending on how one looks at something is exemplified throughout literature and history.One compelling illustration that someone's intention could differ depending on the perspective is the Spanish American War. In the 1890' s, Cuba, oppressed by the Spanish, valiantly fought for their independence. The United States sympathized with the striving nation, as they reminded us of our colonial days under Great Britain's rule. We decided to stand alongside Cuba and help them gain freedom. One perspective of this war could have been that America was performing a heroic, admirable deed. However, as New York Journalists, Pulitzer and Hearst, wrote in their newspapers, you furnish the pictures, we'll furnish the war, the Cubans found our involvement quite selfish and imperialistic. We began to take advantage oft he Cubans after defeating Spain. We established the Teller Amendment (ensuring America's freedom and control in Cuba) and benefited from their economic resources and geographic location. We see from this example that depending on he person, Cuban or American, the SPAM War's truth and real intention could be greatly disputed. Another example which demonstrates the theme the truth depends on the perspective is life after the Civil War. After we fought for African American rights, we established the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. These guaranteed their freedom, voting rights, and laws against discrimination. However, there was little truth to this kind of justice. Even though African Americans were no longer slaves, they were still subject to discrimination, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, and the Grandfather clause, which prohibited their right to vote. Depending on a Northerner's or an African American (viewpoint), Reconstruction and Civil Rights may or may not have truly served justice to the African Americans in the early 1800s. A final example that the truth differs depending on the person is Hawthorne's novel The Great Gatsby. One may argue that the roaring 20s in America, the American dream of wealth and happiness, is most certainly attainable. However, Gatsby, after working for money and acceptance in the wealthy community to achieve the love of his life, Daisy, ended up not living his dream. The truth that the American Dream is attainable may not be so universal to everyone, even with determination and love. As we have seen from those literary and historical examples, the truth can be deceptive. This is especially important in society today, because in order to grow and prosper, we must look at all the angles and make the necessary changes to fulfill our goal and be ethical.

MikeThe Roman orator Cicero once stated, "Ex mei domus est ubi mei vita factavest" or "outside of my home is where my life is made". Cicero understood that most of our lives take place other than inside our homes. The universal notion that spending time outdoors is important can be seen in history, literature and modern media. An historical illustration of the importance of the outdoors can be seen in the actions of Junipero Serra and the Sierra club. Father Junipero Serra founded the Sierra club for the sole purpose of preserving the great outdoors for future posterity. Serra and his followers fought against deforestation and encroachment on wildlife habitats vocally and even radically. Serra once tied himself to a redwood tree about to be cut down and said, "If you are to cut down this work of God, than you must cut me down. Serra understood the importance of the outdoors and was willing to die to protect it. Legendary American author Mark Twain is another figure who exemplified the necessity of the great outdoors. Twain wrote many books, fictional and factual, about his experiences outdoors. In his autobiography, he explaines that he spent the majority of his childhood outdoors and he says that nature is "full of charm .. . . loneliness and peace." Twain understood the outdoors as a place where one can think clearly, reflect upon the past and gain one's composure. Mark twain later states in his autobiography that "without having spent much time outdoors, in the woods and steams and prairies, I would be most unhappy." The importance of nature is also portrayed in the modern media. The Discovery Channel program "Planet Earth" is a portrait of the vast and varying expanses of wilderness on our planet. The program shows wildlife in a natural environment undisturbed by mankind, living to the full potential of its beauty. The T.V. series hits home, for today's society, how important our planet's unhumanized side is, because without it, we would have nothing. The universal notion of the importance of the outdoors is illustrated throughout history, literature and modern media. Junipero Serra, Mark Twain, and Discovery Channel's "Planet Earth" all prove that the outdoors is paramount to not just our survival but earth's as well. As Spanish historian Santayana once said, "The Earth is all we have, we might as well use what we've got, the way it is, and protect it with all we've got."