Cengiz Rusan

Humanities
10/19/16
Period 4

In the story Lysis by Plato, Socrates and a young boy by the name of Lysis converse outside
the walls of Athens. Socrates and the young boy are conversing about how to live a happy and fulfilling
life. Socrates asks Lysis many questions about his life. Socrates wants Lysis that know that he must
understand the importance of knowledge as a key to happiness and to lead a fulfilling life. Socrates must
teach Lysis that he must be smart in order to live a purposeful life and to be in control of his life.
While Socrates talks to Lysis and figures out more of his way of life, Socrates realizes that Lysis
life seems to be very unhappy. Socrates realizes that Lysis father has many people control his life and
says, Then I must say that your father is pleased to inflict many lords and masters on you. Lysis father
has hired slaves to do such things as tutor Lysis and take him to school. Socrates wants Lysis to realize
that he must learn things on his own. Socrates also wants Lysis to realize that he must have knowledge
in order to take control of his own life and to lead a joyful and fulfilling life.
Socrates has realize that Lysis parents do not allow him to do chores because to them, it seems
he is not of age to have the knowledge of how to do those chores. Socrates asks Lysis, But then why are
they so terribly anxious to prevent you from being happy, and doing as you like - deeping you all day
long in subjection to another, and, in a word, doing nothing which you desire; so that you have no good,
as would appear, out of their great possessions, which are under control of anybody rather than of you,
and have no use of your own fair person, which is tended and taken care of by another; while you, Lysis,
are master of nobody, and can do nothing? Lysis parents do not trust him with chores due to the fact
that he has no knowledge of how to go about them. Socrates tells Lysis that if he has more knowledge of
a task than his father, he would leave the task to Lysis.
In the beginning of the story, Socrates asks Lysis; And do they [parents] permit you to do what
you like, and never rebuke or hinder you from doing what you desire? Lysis parents do not let him do
what he pleases because he is not of age according to them. Lysis knows that he must have more
knowledge to do what he pleases and prove it to his parents. Socrates tells Lysis that it is not about how
old he is, but it is about how intelligent he is with the tasks that his parents hired others to do for him.
In conclusion, Socrates has taught Lysis a very valuable life lesson, which is to learn and gain
knowledge to lead a wonderful life.