Assistance In A Knight's Tale

One issue prevalent in our society today is the reliance some people have on the welfare system. The welfare system was put in place several decades ago in order to assist those who, due to lack of opportunity, are unable to work and or care for their families in a sufficient manner. The idea of welfare assistance, such as food stamps and unemployment disbursements is just. People need help. And, often times, the assistance they seek is short term. However, over time, there has developed a sect of people who use the assistance offered not as a crutch in hard times, but as a foundation for their own lack of drive and fortitude. Some people have chosen to forego working or seeking employment and instead simply opt for receiving a check from the government in part because they do not foresee themselves having the capability to rise above their current station. Instead, they view themselves as stuck. This is where reading “A Knight’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer could be beneficial. His tale helps people see that while

Given the time era, it would have been almost impossible for a person in that society to ‘change’ their ‘own stars.’ However, the protagonist, William, is able to do just that. One of the necessities in being able to change paths is to have hope. William demonstrates this admirably when he tells his comrades that he “hope[s] to get some green…” (6). This is important because even though at the time he is inadequately trained to be knight and has little ability in jousting, he has a positive outlook. That positive outlook, his hope, is what allows him to set a course, stick to it, and persevere. Without hope, people give up. So, one lesson to be learned from “A Knight’s Tale” by those overly reliant upon welfare is that hope will allow them to strive to do what may seem unattainable. With hope, people have the possibility to better their