How Does Art Mirror Society?



School of Athens


     This painting is called the School of Athens, a fresco painting made by Raphael in the year 1510. The School of Athens represents what was happening in the Renaissance through different social classes. You can see most of the different social classes  in the painting through the way they treat one another. For example, the scholars are treated with interest because they knew a lot and people were interested in what their knowledge. Likewise, two men, probably highly respected people, walk down the middle of the painting while everyone else move to the side because they are superior. However, there is one man laying on the stairs, who seems to be a poor person, but as people walk by, they pretend not to even notice him. He is the class of person that would be ignored while others, like scholars and officials are idolised. Thus in the Renaissance, people must have been treated differently and shunned off to the side whilst others would be praised and be given power over others as they almost cower to their superiority. So altogether, the School of Athens mirrored the contributing force of social classes to the Renaissance.

Second Chances Allow for Improved Behavior

      In the story ‘Thank You Ma’am’ by Langston Huges, ‘second chances allow for improved behaviour’, is a key theme. In the story, when Luella opened her heart to Robert, she gave him a second chance by not getting him in to trouble and hospitalising him for while. Robert’s behaviour has improved from this by not being afraid to run away, he had become tolerant to the conditions he was in - not having a family. And as a result he was happy and realised he didn’t need to steal from people when they are so nice to you. Luella was also given another chance at life when she was little, she admitted it, she said, “I have also done things that I would not tell you, nor God if he didn’t already know”. This means that Luella used to be not understanding, like Robert, until she was given a second chance by someone. As a result she became a compassionate lady who was able to share empathy with Robert and be kind to people. Altogether, the two protagonists in the story get second chances to do the right thing in life, and as a result they were able to be more aware of their actions, and hopefully, for Robert, not do bad things again.

      In the short movie clip “Make a Difference”, it shares the same theme: second chances allow for improved behaviour. In the movie, after the teacher figured out what happened to Teddy’s Mom, she became easier on him and perhaps gave him a first chance and as a result, he became a better student in class and more active. he no longer failed class. Teddy will be able to lead a good life as he did. By doing this to Teddy, she will let him become a happy person, no longer picked on by herself but let into society by peers and others. Teddy would no longer be treated differently, just because one teacher showed him sympathy, showed him how happy he could be. she let him on-board the life he once had again. And just by doing that he could become much more than he could ever have without her. Teddy also slightly gave her teacher a second chance to redeem herself from the way she treated him. And if Teddy hadn’t accepted her apology, then the teacher would not improve her sympathy to other children later on which she could have done with his help. These two people would not have made it very far in life, symbolically, if they did not give each other second chances.

Driving Forces of the Renaisance

War and Rivalry were the most powerful driving force in the Renaissance because, War and Rivalry created compitision between the different city states. Then because there was compitision, it caused them to build taller buildings, make creative inventions, or even become smarter people. If the Renaissance didn't have War and Rivalry then people would not have the motivation to do the great things that they rediscovered through ancient knowledge.