Compare and Contrast: Belief SystemsThe question that literature poses to all readers is what motivates a character to strive to overcome an obstacle. For some, it’s about integrating into society; for still others, it is an individual goal. Regardless, it is a silent partner in the person's constitution that cannot be identified with simple logic. Some define it as an emotion; still others, devotion. This force that drives people to get up every morning to do a great deed is based on their belief. According to the University of Alicante: Department of Applied Mathematics. (nd), “Every human being has a belief system that he or she uses, and it is through this mechanism that we, individually, “make sense” of the world around us” (para. 2). Three great people notable in history because of their belief systems are discussed in this article. They are Socrates of the ancient world, Augustine of the classical world, and Sir Gawain of the medieval world. It's not just about what they believed, but also how it influenced their lives and deaths, and how they made sense of the world around them. Ancient world: polytheism In ancient Greece, there was no greater honor than to belong to a city as a citizen. The honor that the citizen gives to the state means that he has fulfilled his duties, such as worshiping gods and goddesses. Chief among them was the city's patron god. If a person disgraced their city, it meant disaster and possibly loss of favor with their patron god or goddess. This was considered so serious by the ruling class that any citizen could be killed if they dishonored the gods and goddesses. This was the basis of Socrates, accused of being a heretic/atheist. In Plato's Apologies, it seemed that Socrates... middle of paper......they are read and studied today. All three could have chosen different paths and readers would never have known who these great characters were. Because of the actions and belief systems they had, their stories lasted overtime and are considered literary masterpieces. For Socrates, Augustine, and Sir Gawain, their faith led them on a path that will be remembered forever in this life and the next. Works Cited Damrosch, D., Alliston, A., Brown, M., duBois, P., Hafez, S., Heise, UK et al. (2008). The Longman Anthology of World Literature: Compact Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Longman. King James Bible online. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-3-16/ University of Alicante: Department of Applied Mathematics. (nd). WHAT ARE BELIEF SYSTEMS? Retrieved from http://www.vub.ac.be/FOS/cfp/what-are-belief-systems.pdf