Mother Teresa, a cherished humanitarian who sacrificed her life for the poor once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples” (qtd. in World Quotes n. page.) To many the world is a dark and unforgiving place where hope and the possibility of social change has all but disappeared, however rays of light, like ripples, can provide wide reaching potential for equality as well as inspire others to stand up as well, forever changing the surface of the world. Rays of light can help brighten the darkness of the human condition and promote progress in a stagnant society. Rays of light bring joy and progress to the human condition. As illuminated in the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, …show more content…
A teenager in small town Mississippi is a prime example of this. In an interview for the documentary Prom Night in Mississippi he told the world, “You take away our color and we’re all the same” (insert citation) In saying those simple words, he defied his parents, showing that the youth of today, the next generation, will have the courage to bring progress and equality into society. Teenagers will soon be the adults who are in charge and if they’re ready to make decisions with such simple concepts of equality in mind than the persecuted of the world have a fighting chance to overcome oppression. However, they couldn’t do it without the help of good role models. Atticus Finch faced societal judgement when he accepted the task of defending Tom Robinson, who had been unjustly accused of the rape of a white women, in court. It was no easy task. When put on stand he patiently explained to the jury, as well as the world, that the horrible assumption that all black people are immoral, is wrong. That in fact, “this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of man” (Lee 273). Nonetheless, there are still people like Dolphus Raymond in the world who find themselves limited by their fear of public ridicule. If we did only had gray, quiet people in the world, there would be no hope for progress. Luckily, rays of