Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." This famous quote represents a theme often evident in literature. Whether the characters in the stories succeed or fail to bring about that change, the reader is able to infer that the literature is challenging existing standards, and by challenging things as they are there are positive changes in society and in the characters. The short story “Dinner Party” challenges the circumstances of the time, with the hostess of the party trying to prove that women's inequality is wrong. The story “The Lottery” however followed the status; the consequences of this make it obvious to the reader why a change is needed. Finally, “A Man Who Had No Eyes” was able to demonstrate that by exceeding the accepted standards for the blind, Mr. Parsons was able to achieve success within himself and that readers themselves approved of the status quo . “Dinner Party” written by Alona Gardner challenges the status quo that women are treated unfairly and less appreciated than men. From the beginning, a young girl in the story argues with a colonel about the end of the era of "jumping in a chair at the sight of a mouse" (Gardner 1). The quote represents women becoming equal to men and realizing that they do not need to follow the status quo. The young woman's argument shows that she wants change. However, this argument wouldn't be too surprising to see today; the story is set in India around _______ and clashing with a man during this time is unusual and requires motivation. To further delve into the author's message, the hostess of the party throws out bait with the intention of stopping an intruding snake, it is later revealed that she discovered the snake because she felt it on her legs. This part... half of the article... you should never expect Mr. Parsons to be blind, because of how the status quo affects today's society. As evident throughout the literature, the authors directly or indirectly address the illogical and current standards. The authors convince readers that the status quo must be overthrown to advance and they do so by showing the advantages of overcoming the status quo and the disadvantages of maintaining it. As mentioned, Gandhi had a similar view; it is clear that many other famous scientists, leaders, and other historical figures believe the same thing. Albert Einstein, a man known for making tremendous advances in modern science, once stated, “He who marches joyfully through rank and file has already earned my contempt. By mistake he was given a large brain, since the spinal cord would be enough for him.