How does what you are reading in The Odyssey relate to your life? What lessons (serious ones) can you learn from the text?
30 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Even though some people might find this story dry, I actually find this poem enjoyable. Yes, maybe it’s because I am a big myth fan, but there are parts of the story that can be used in real life situations. When Odysseus and his men were plundering the city of Ismarus, he clearly said “back and quickly! Out to sea again!” which in modern terms means to get your stuff and get your butt on the boat! But instead of following orders, Odysseus’s men slaughtered sheep, drank wine, and made them weak. Because of their brutality and stupidity, large sums of Odysseus’s men were killed by the reinforcement soldiers that soon came. The lesson taught in this part of the story is simple and easy to follow: obey and follow directions, or there will be dire consequences! Yeah there are way more lessons in this story that can be said, but I don’t want to be the person that takes all the good material away!
Although Andy is enjoying the Odyssey i find it more boring and hard to grasp, but besides the fact of that some of the material is very interesting. I can relate to these section of reading because the things that happen in the book happen in out everyday lives. People do not listen everyday and there are consequences because of that. When you are in school you know if you break a rule there will be a disipline action regarding it. I think the lesson in this sorry is: respect you leaders and elders or they will soon betray you in a bad or punishful way.
From reading this story, I found two instances that relate to my life and I learned two lessons from each. First, that acting overconfident about something will often backfire. Many times throughout his journey,Odysseus's hubris gets the better of him: it costs him his men, his ship, and almost his life. In my case, there were times when I was not prepared for a test, but took it anyway because I thought I knew the material; I almost bombed it! I have also learned that insulting one's opponent is really rude and tends to make competitor seem immature and big-headed. Odysseus's lack of good sportsmanship towards Polyphemus makes him many enemies, especially Poseidon, the sea god, whose favor is essential to Odysseus's arriving home safely. I used to swear when I was angry about something. After my mom overheard me yelling, she told me how irritating it was to hear. When I stopped to listen to what I was saying, I realized that it sounded really unpleasant. I stopped soon after that.
Andy and Hannah both have good points. I am actually enjoying reading this poem, along with Andy. Yes, the poem is a little harder to read then what we're used to, but if you reread and try to interpret what's being said it's not that difficult. I agree with some of Hannah's lessons, too. What I've read so far in The Odyssey relates somewhat with my life. If you are boastful and crude about things that have happened in your life, nothing good with come of that. It's better to be modest and be thankful for what you have been given or granted. That also happens to be one of the major lessons that I've learned so far in this poem. I've also learned that when someone apologizes to you, no matter how upset or angry with what they had done to you, you should at least listen or try to find a place in your heart to forgive them for it. Also, when you go to new places you can't automatically assume that everyone is going to have the same culture and the same lifestyle as what you have in your home. You shouldn't assume that everyone is friendly and will welcome a strange guest into there house... I mean cave. Last but not least, you shouldn't taste/eat things that you're not sure what will be the outcome of eating/drinking it. You should listen and use common sense because you never know when someone is just trying to trick you into staying on their island.
I agree with Andy and Bekah. I really enjoy reading mythology so The Odyssey has been easy for me to read. Although I do not encounter cyclops, gods and goddess and canibals, Odysseus has many characteristics that I see in myself. Odysseus is very curious about the sirens. I am very curious about a lot of things and like to know what is going on. Odysseus is also, like Kara said, is very arrogant. This character trait is shown in the situation with the Cyclops. He couldn't just sail away and leave. He had to have the last word and shout back to the Cyclops. I also like to have the last word in things and most of the time that is not a good thing. Odysseus is very intrigueing to me and I enjoy reading this epic poem very much. I can not wait to read on and what happens next in the adventures of The Odyssey.
When Odysseus came back to Ithica and saw his grown child for the first time,I bet that feeling was great, and I once had that feeling. For a heads up I don't have a son, but I do have a friend who has been friends with me for the past 10 years. We did everything together, play video games,camp, and even throw firecrackers from his roof top! We were best buds, and still are, but one day I was told that I was going to move to Virginia, and that just devistated me, I wanted to stay in Pensylvania and keep the friends I had, but I obviously did not have a choice in this matter so we moved anyway. After moving was all out of the way, I was given the opportunity to see my friend in Pensylvania for a few days, and my immediate response was "yes"! After two years I finnaly saw my best friend, and the joy I felt was overwhelming, and even it was only a few days, it was still great to have seen him. the joy I felt was similar to the joy Odysseus felt when he saw his son for the first time, and I cant wait to see what happens next
This story/poem relates to my life in asignificant way. I had recently had to go to the emergency room on Tuesday night and I had to wait in the waiting room for an eternity. Like, Odysseus, I was hungered for home and I yearned to be back and for everything to be okay. But what I definently learned from that experience was waiting patiently is sometimes a virtue. Odysseus struggled and waited to return home, but the waiting could surely pay off. All one has to do when waiting is to stick it out and bare with however long the anxious and nervewracking wait may come to be. The story also relates to me because even though I wasn't miles and miles away from home, like Odysseus was, I was still wanting to go back and didn't like the state that I was currently in. And I realize that waiting, even though not as long as Odysseus had to endure, can be all over pretty quickly if you think about it.
I found the first half of the Odyssey to be a chore to read, but it has improved immensely in the second half. There are cool parts throughout the entire thing, and I most like the themes and expressions of emotion which still remain true and relatable to this day. Odysseus's men did not obey his orders. Instead, they opened the bag containing all the harsh winds, and they slaughtered and devoured Helios's cattle. The results? They got backtracked just before reaching Ithaca, and they lost their lives. Odysseus is a fair, smart, and qualified leader. When people do not listen to good leaders and do their own thing, they often screw things up for themselves and everyone else. If someone knows what they are doing, it's wise to do as they say. I personally did something unsafe which my parents had advised against multiple times, and ended up getting my head cut open. Though what happened to Odysseus's men is more extreme than most similiar everyday occurances, some people really do lose their lives because of idiotic choices.
Like Andy, I could relate to Odysseus's joy upon meeting his son after twenty years. It was not a son or friend I was ecstatic to see, but my brother. I lived with him when I was in Kindergarten in Alabama, but when I moved up to Virginia the next year he stayed there. He moved back in with me and my parents for a while in third grade or so, but it wasn't too long before he ended up leaving us again. A few years later, he decided to move back up with us and work on improving his education and job opportunities. I saw him briefly at a family reunion at the tail end of 2005, and he moved back in with us on February 10th, 2006. I still remember the date from counting down the days till he came back, and I remember talking excitedly to a friend on my bus, telling her the news. I was practically jumping up and down. My brother and hero was finally back.
the lessons I have learned while reading this story is how character, like the character of a person, how much it matters. Odysseus conducts himself in manners that sometimes can question his 'character'. Can he really be trusted with our lives?? Although his hubris does come out more than once, such as staying for ONE YEAR with Circe, though he loves his wife? Also, the passage with the Cyclopes? Odysseus' men told him over and over, enough! we want to leave, don't provoke him, be careful, wow the rock missed us by a slight! Yet he still refuses to listen. His character is questionable. I feel that everyday, as a human being living on this planet, that everyday is a challenge to our character, who we are a people. can WE be trusted? In difficult times, will out hubris come out, will out pride take over our main goals?? I believe we control our hubris, that we let it control ourselves we CAN be trusted if we let ourselves be that way. Not letting anything take control of our main goal, to still control our 'desires' especially when we are tempted!! Character of a person mean a lot more than be think, we need to be careful of how we act on our hubris..
I actually love this story. The fact that it is a poem makes it all the more interesting!! It can be hard to grasp as Hannah has mentioned, but I do like it. Although as much as I do agree with you Hannah, in relation to the Odyssey, his men do trust him, even though yes, they do in fact eat the cattle, but they do stay faithful to him. All through the story they thank him, and trust him. Even with all their suppressed anger they still follow his lead, because they know all he wants in the end is the same thing as them, getting home. when the sirens yelled, all the men took control and followed Odysseu's advice witht he ear wax, same when Circe turned them to pigs, they thanked him for making her 'return' them to humans.. Though all his men die, all throughout the story they do stay with him, no matter his hubris, all the times his men died in front of them, friends, brothers, parents, all died in frnt of them, they stayed to him. You are right, though, in real life we do, if we do something wrong, we do get in trouble, and our consequences are punished, but in the Odyssey, it was more Odysseus that gets the whole punishment. He's the one that has to survive to come back to a wife that is broken, a newly dead dog, and a son who he hasn't seen in twenty years, people have forgotten him, his land has been almost given to strangers, he's the one that has to now work again on his past things, and these are another of his consequences, almost seems like its Karma>? His men die, he's cursed, he's gone for twenty years, finally gets back, alone, and has to work all over again.. seems more like the boomerang came back to him
I completely agree with Eric, in the beginning, I wasn’t excited at all to read the Odyssey but after a while I started to understand the story and noticed the creativity and humor of it. Some may disagree but I found this book to be pretty absurd, yes, it was very good but I still don’t fully understand how it relates to my life personally. After a little rereading and some intense note taking, I finale have a grasp on what happened in the book. Hannah made good points on consequences. As you know, Odysseus and his men were punished many times for not listening to the demands of gods, etc and their life would’ve been way easier if they would have just listened. Mostly, the reason it took so long for them to get home is because of their rebelliousness. Disobeying those stronger than you, is almost always a bad idea.
Even though this book was written about 2,809 years ago, the way people act is much the same. People can still be courageous, boastful, or apprehensive no matter what the circumstances are. A lesson I have learned from this is that it is possible to be courageous, but at the same time, level-headed. For example, when Odysseus saved his men from the Lotus-Eaters, he tied them to the bottom of the rowing benches, and warned the others not to eat the flowers, but did not go back himself, or cause trouble. This was rewarded with fair seas to the next island, and no deaths. Of course, Odysseus was courageous and foolish at Cyclops' island. He helped his men escape safely from Cyclops, but then taunted Cyclops multiple times, and almost got them all killed. The lesson I've taken from this is that it is always best to remain level-headed no matter was won or lost, and there will be less hardship for everyone. I also learned it truly pays off to be persistent. For years, Odysseus' goal was to get himself and his men home safely. He kept this goal in mind through everything, even if he strayed away from it or let his hubris get a bit out of hand. Although all his men eventually died, he still kept in mind the goal of returning home safely himself. His persistence paid off in the end, too: he returned home, safe and alive, to his family. Because he worked so hard for 10 years to achieve this one goal, he got what he wanted in the end. This story relates to my life because of the way the characters treat each other. The ways Odysseus and his men treat each other, such as being proud, loyal, hardworking, and disobedient can still be learned from today. Obedience, loyalty, workmanship, and humility are all admirable traits to work for today, while pride, mutiny, laziness, and disobedience are certainly not. I feel everyone can relate to these characters in some way, simply by looking at the way they act.
Lessons that I learned in the Odyssey agree with what Bekah said which is if you reread something you don't understand you might or will uderstand it better than you did before. But I also agree with Hannah that the Odessy is very boring to read and very hard, but I also agree with Hannah on the fact of some parts of this poem are iteresting. Sections in this story that relates to life when the going gets tough the tough gets going or like if you play sports if you are losing you never give up. This is what Odysseus does in the Odyssey when everything looks bad he never gave up until he got home to his island called Ithica.
I have the same opinion as Hannah and Eric also. I wasn't looking forward to reading the Odyssey, and for awhile it was a bit of a struggle for me to read and understand. After note taking, and having more discussions in class, I now have the major jest of what the Odyssey is all about. Like Hannah, I don't really see any relations from the book to my life. I don't see anything can be learned by what Odysseus did, or went through. However, I do agree with Eric's comments about leadership. I think that if Odysseus's men had obeyed him sooner, they would have made it home a lot quicker. It seemed like his men tended to doubt him. I also believe that making the right decisions and smart choices is key. At times, this is what they failed to do. In the end, it’s about obeying your leader, and being smart about what actions you take.
One of the many lessons in the Odyssey is about pushing limits. Odysseus thinks very highly of himself, and doesn't try to hide this. In the part with the cyclops, he leads his men to freedom by blinding the giant shepard with a hot stake. Even after this display of obvious strength and wit against the cyclops, Odysseus still thinks he has to rub it in. He yells over Poseidons crashing waves back at the cyclops, provoking him to throw boulders, nearly sinking Odysseus' ship, killing his crew. If they didn't have Athena on their side, I don't think Odysseus would have lived to see Ithaca again. I think this shows that pushing ones limits is a pretty dumb decision, especially when you're dealing with huge, one-eyed monsters.
Odysseus's crew acted and what they learned. Every day we learn new lessons and so do they. While reading this story I have found that it is much better to listen to what people say and follow the rules than make up your own to what you think would be best. Also I found that you should respect what people say, unlike what Odysseus does to the Cyclops. This relates to my life because of all of the challenges they face while on the journey. In life these days we face many challenges everyday. Even though they may not be life or death circumstances they are still important. Also I learned to never give up. Odysseus had been away from home for more than 20 years and he never lost sight of Ithaca. Although this book was hard to read and quite boring it teaches a good lesson to whoever reads it.
The Odyssey contains several important lessons, but I found a few important ones that apply to my life. Odysseus is a great leader, but his men have trouble following directions, which delays their journey home and costs the shipmates their lives. It is an important rule, to always listen to those in charge, even if you don’t like what they tell you to do. As a teenager, doing what you are told, and accepting responsibility when you don’t is no easy task. When Odysseus angers the cyclops, it teaches an important lesson about acceptance. If Odysseus had accepted the cyclops’ apology, or at least not offended him, the cyclops could have helped Odysseus reach home by asking for help from Poseidon. Instead Odysseus lets his pride and hubris get in the way as he insults the cyclops’ religion and father. This teaches us, if we were more tolerant and forgiving towards each other, we could get more done and in a timely manner.
One lesson I learned from this epic poem is that cunning beats brute strength. Odysseus did have great strength, but when was faced with monsters the huge Cyclops, he relied on his cunning. He first stabbed Polyphemus's single eye and escaped by hiding under sheep. When the other Cyclops asked Polyphemus who hurt his eye, Polyphemus was tricked into saying nobody hurt his eye. If it weren’t for his hubris, Odysseus would have made a clean getaway. He knew that Scylla and Charybdis couldn’t be beaten by force, but he minimized his loss of men by going by Scylla instead of Charybdis. He also knew that he could never beat a group of suitors in their prime by himself, so through disguises and deception, he reached a position that he was the only person in the room armed and he could kill all of the suitors easily. This lesson can be utilized on a smaller scale in everyday life.
I agree with Bekah, this poem is hard to read at first but, if take notes on the text and reread hard to read paragraphs it turns out to be a pretty good poem. A lesson that I have learned while reading the Odyssey is that you should not brag about every little thing you do, and you should be humble. Something else that I have learned is that you should listen to people when they tell you not to do something, because if you dont listen to them then there might be severe consequences. Maybe if Odysseus's men had listened to him when he told them not to eat the sacred cattle or open the bag pf wind, they might have lived longer and returned safely to Ithaca. Something that I found to be interesting was that most people back in that time believed and worshiped the gods even though they normally brought hardships thier way.
Odysseus was a lot of the time portrayed as very conceded, but in a way, he was extremely thoughtful. Odysseus risked his life for his men many times in the novel and I believe, had their best interest in mind. He may have been slightly childish and bigheaded as he escaped from the recently blinded Cyclops but I respect him for his bravery and courage. Looking back, I now see a lesson I could learn from the story. Odysseus’ hubris did fly out of control a time or two and nothing good can come from being boastful and arrogant. Many times when you are too confident, you end up not doing as well as you planned. Odysseus has a problem with staying levelheaded but who can blame him?
The main lesson that I have learned from reading this story is that if you work towards your goals like Odysseus had, you’ll most likely get them accomplished. Everyone has some type of objective they want to achieve whether it’s finishing a chapter of a book or becoming president. People nowadays like to hold everything off to the last minute, leaving those simple goals behind them for another day. People like that are probably pretty lazy about it, but those who work hard, even if it takes twenty years will most likely feel rewarded in the end. Even if you work hard and it was a failure doesn’t mean that you have to give up, look at Odysseus. He landed on several different islands and caused a whole lot of trouble most of the times, but he still found home. He never gave up the even if it seemed like he was chasing after a dream. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to follow what others are doing but it’s nice to prepare even for the unexpected. That relates to the incident that happened over this summer. My neighbor brought over her older dog that was playing in my front yard and died playing beside us. She was an older dog and had more then her share of health problems, but it was crazy because every kid in the neighborhood was there when it happened. I saw the death of the dog as a lesson sort of. It all happened so quickly that it was hard to embrace, but it will just help me when I have to deal with death later on in life. And though it was heartbreaking for the owner because that was her baby she only recently got over it and allowed herself to accept the presence of another canine companion. I think that it is a lesson everyone should keep in mind.
The Odyssey and my life are similar in just about every single way. From waking up, to walking out the door, it is always an uphill battle. Odysseus always sets goals, as I do within school. His goal is to overcome his enemies while my goal is to overcome my grades. The Cyclopes in my life would have to be my family, for they are a large obstacle to overcome with cunning and logic. As far as the lessons learned, I realized that quick thinking can surely overcome brute strength. Odysseus's intellectual strength overcame the might of the Gods and just about every creature he encountered. Overflowing with pride will also kick you down when you are at the peak of your victory. Always think positive, whether you are hiking up a mountain, or fighting a beast, try to stay on the bright side of things.
I completely agree with Hannah here, because it is extremely boring, and unusual to read because of the different format. There are many inclines and declines of the interest level in this story, kind of like a pendulum. It would go from a strategic assault on The Cyclopes, to a boring ship ride to a plain island. In a way, the book contradicts itself on the interest scale, which is why this book would be excellent for someone who has a sliver of patience and gets excited easily. I on the other hand, did not like the book very much, because of the reasons listed in the previous sentence.
I agree with everyone’s responses so far. Our society today wants us to be like the people we read about in magazines and see on TV. People like Britney Spears for one are always in the tabloids, but why should we be like her? She has not done anything really acknowledgeable for anyone. The world just thinks that everyone should be crazy and do outrageous things to be noticed. This is not the best thing to do but this is how what society has become; no true standard for good and evil. Our society’s values and standards our pretty low and they tend to go down every day. Children our being influenced from these “celebrities” actions and this is having a negative effect on them. Even in elementary school kids are being ruder and are losing respect for themselves and the people around them. Years ago the standards were higher and kids had to have respect for adults, but now more and more kids are being disrespectful to their parents and other adults.
Although I did not enjoy reading The Odyssey there were some good lessons to learn from it. For one you should always do what you’re told and heed the warnings that people give you. If someone tells you not to do something there is probably a good reason and you should actually listen to them. Odysseus’s men didn’t listen when they were told not to open the bag of winds and they killed Helios’ cows when they were warned not to and for that they never returned home. Another lesson in the story is that anything is possible with hard work and determination. Odysseus proves this when he is longing for his wife Penelope, and when all hope seemed lost he found his way back to her. The last lesson that The Odyssey shows is that complaining really does get you no where. All Odysseus’ men did was complain and for that they never got what they were complaining about; they never returned home.
Response to Elizabeth Lauer: I agree with Elizabeth about doing what you are told. It especially applies to teenagers since we can have trouble doing what we are told. And whether you are in school or at home it is always important to do what you are told by whoever is in charge. Also accepting apologies is important. When someone does something bad to you it is never good to hold a grudge. It’s always best to be forgiving and just forgive that person or else you would be just as bad as them. This is like what Odysseus did to the Cyclops named Polyphemus. After he blinded the Cyclops he didn’t listen to his apology which he should have done. If he listened to him then the Cyclops would have gotten help from his father, Poseidon. Odysseus and his ship mates might have made it home safely. Instead almost all of them were lost.
From reading the Odyssey I have not been able to relate much to my life. Odysseus is very overconfident which I have seen a lot in my life and realized that it isn’t always the best way to act. There are many lessons I can learn from the story though. Such as being respectful to whoever may be in charge of you because they know what is best for you for the most part. In the Odyssey, Odysseus crew ignores and disregards what he says to them, like when he tells them not to open the bag holding the winds that will take them away from Ithaca. This is also shown when he tells them not to eat the cattle of the sun god. They do anyway because they are hungry. This is not a good way to treat someone who has authority over you and knows what is best for you. If they had just listened to what he said they may have made it back alive
While reading the Odyssey, there weren't too many times where i said "wow this definately relates to my life". However, there are deeper life lessons that seem to be shown throughout the book. One of them is that it is important to keep your head and be humble. If you go around and say your the best and there's no one better, sooner or later someone is going to come and prove you wrong. You will not only be embarrassed but you will realize that all your life you've been dwelling on the lie that your the best. We need to be humlbe and put others before ourselves. Our fame comes and goes. Sure you might have won a few rewards and gotten a few medals for various things, but all that stuff will pass away. It shouldn't be the only thing keeping you going in life. It's not going to last. Another lesson I learned that kind of ties on to the previous one, is that what we do affects those around us. If we do something stupid others might have to pay the consequences as well as yourself. However, if you do something good, that might inspire others to do the same. We should always be aware of the people around us who might be watching what we do. Specifically our younger or maybe even older siblings. We have an effect on other people's lives and we should make sure that we do what's right.
Well this story was certainly interesting to read. It is somewhat hard to relate to because it is set so far in the past. Though the story is set far in the past the lessons within the story are still there. One of them being: do as you are told. Odysseus is so close to home when his men open the bag of winds and they are blown far away. Another lesson that can be learned by reading this story would be to not let yourself get arrogant. When Odysseus and his men are sailing away from the Cyclops Odysseus taunts the Cyclops. This pushes the Cyclops to curse Odysseus and his men. If Odysseus had not been arrogant the whole journey that he had to endure would have never happened. So just because a story is old and hard to interpret does not necessarily mean that you can't learn from it.
30 comments:
Even though some people might find this story dry, I actually find this poem enjoyable. Yes, maybe it’s because I am a big myth fan, but there are parts of the story that can be used in real life situations. When Odysseus and his men were plundering the city of Ismarus, he clearly said “back and quickly! Out to sea again!” which in modern terms means to get your stuff and get your butt on the boat! But instead of following orders, Odysseus’s men slaughtered sheep, drank wine, and made them weak. Because of their brutality and stupidity, large sums of Odysseus’s men were killed by the reinforcement soldiers that soon came. The lesson taught in this part of the story is simple and easy to follow: obey and follow directions, or there will be dire consequences! Yeah there are way more lessons in this story that can be said, but I don’t want to be the person that takes all the good material away!
Although Andy is enjoying the Odyssey i find it more boring and hard to grasp, but besides the fact of that some of the material is very interesting. I can relate to these section of reading because the things that happen in the book happen in out everyday lives. People do not listen everyday and there are consequences because of that. When you are in school you know if you break a rule there will be a disipline action regarding it. I think the lesson in this sorry is: respect you leaders and elders or they will soon betray you in a bad or punishful way.
From reading this story, I found two instances that relate to my life and I learned two lessons from
each. First, that acting overconfident about something will often backfire. Many times throughout his journey,Odysseus's hubris gets the better of him: it
costs him his men, his ship, and almost his life. In my case, there were times when I was not prepared
for a test, but took it anyway because I thought I knew the material; I almost bombed it!
I have also learned that insulting
one's opponent is really rude and tends to make competitor seem immature and big-headed. Odysseus's lack of good sportsmanship towards Polyphemus makes him many enemies, especially Poseidon, the sea god, whose favor is essential to Odysseus's arriving home safely.
I used to swear when I was angry about something. After my mom overheard me yelling, she told me how irritating it was to hear. When I stopped to listen to what I was saying, I realized that it sounded really unpleasant. I
stopped soon after that.
Andy and Hannah both have good points. I am actually enjoying reading this poem, along with Andy. Yes, the poem is a little harder to read then what we're used to, but if you reread and try to interpret what's being said it's not that difficult. I agree with some of Hannah's lessons, too. What I've read so far in The Odyssey relates somewhat with my life. If you are boastful and crude about things that have happened in your life, nothing good with come of that. It's better to be modest and be thankful for what you have been given or granted. That also happens to be one of the major lessons that I've learned so far in this poem. I've also learned that when someone apologizes to you, no matter how upset or angry with what they had done to you, you should at least listen or try to find a place in your heart to forgive them for it. Also, when you go to new places you can't automatically assume that everyone is going to have the same culture and the same lifestyle as what you have in your home. You shouldn't assume that everyone is friendly and will welcome a strange guest into there house... I mean cave. Last but not least, you shouldn't taste/eat things that you're not sure what will be the outcome of eating/drinking it. You should listen and use common sense because you never know when someone is just trying to trick you into staying on their island.
I agree with Andy and Bekah. I really enjoy reading mythology so The Odyssey has been easy for me to read. Although I do not encounter cyclops, gods and goddess and canibals, Odysseus has many characteristics that I see in myself. Odysseus is very curious about the sirens. I am very curious about a lot of things and like to know what is going on. Odysseus is also, like Kara said, is very arrogant. This character trait is shown in the situation with the Cyclops. He couldn't just sail away and leave. He had to have the last word and shout back to the Cyclops. I also like to have the last word in things and most of the time that is not a good thing. Odysseus is very intrigueing to me and I enjoy reading this epic poem very much. I can not wait to read on and what happens next in the adventures of The Odyssey.
Sarah Avery
When Odysseus came back to Ithica and saw his grown child for the first time,I bet that feeling was great, and I once had that feeling. For a heads up I don't have a son, but I do have a friend who has been friends with me for the past 10 years. We did everything together, play video games,camp, and even throw firecrackers from his roof top! We were best buds, and still are, but one day I was told that I was going to move to Virginia, and that just devistated me, I wanted to stay in Pensylvania and keep the friends I had, but I obviously did not have a choice in this matter so we moved anyway. After moving was all out of the way, I was given the opportunity to see my friend in Pensylvania for a few days, and my immediate response was "yes"! After two years I finnaly saw my best friend, and the joy I felt was overwhelming, and even it was only a few days, it was still great to have seen him. the joy I felt was similar to the joy Odysseus felt when he saw his son for the first time, and I cant wait to see what happens next
This story/poem relates to my life in asignificant way. I had recently had to go to the emergency room on Tuesday night and I had to wait in the waiting room for an eternity. Like, Odysseus, I was hungered for home and I yearned to be back and for everything to be okay. But what I definently learned from that experience was waiting patiently is sometimes a virtue. Odysseus struggled and waited to return home, but the waiting could surely pay off. All one has to do when waiting is to stick it out and bare with however long the anxious and nervewracking wait may come to be. The story also relates to me because even though I wasn't miles and miles away from home, like Odysseus was, I was still wanting to go back and didn't like the state that I was currently in. And I realize that waiting, even though not as long as Odysseus had to endure, can be all over pretty quickly if you think about it.
I found the first half of the Odyssey to be a chore to read, but it has improved immensely in the second half. There are cool parts throughout the entire thing, and I most like the themes and expressions of emotion which still remain true and relatable to this day. Odysseus's men did not obey his orders. Instead, they opened the bag containing all the harsh winds, and they slaughtered and devoured Helios's cattle. The results? They got backtracked just before reaching Ithaca, and they lost their lives. Odysseus is a fair, smart, and qualified leader. When people do not listen to good leaders and do their own thing, they often screw things up for themselves and everyone else. If someone knows what they are doing, it's wise to do as they say. I personally did something unsafe which my parents had advised against multiple times, and ended up getting my head cut open. Though what happened to Odysseus's men is more extreme than most similiar everyday occurances, some people really do lose their lives because of idiotic choices.
Like Andy, I could relate to Odysseus's joy upon meeting his son after twenty years. It was not a son or friend I was ecstatic to see, but my brother. I lived with him when I was in Kindergarten in Alabama, but when I moved up to Virginia the next year he stayed there. He moved back in with me and my parents for a while in third grade or so, but it wasn't too long before he ended up leaving us again. A few years later, he decided to move back up with us and work on improving his education and job opportunities. I saw him briefly at a family reunion at the tail end of 2005, and he moved back in with us on February 10th, 2006. I still remember the date from counting down the days till he came back, and I remember talking excitedly to a friend on my bus, telling her the news. I was practically jumping up and down. My brother and hero was finally back.
the lessons I have learned while reading this story is how character, like the character of a person, how much it matters.
Odysseus conducts himself in manners that sometimes can question his 'character'. Can he really be trusted with our lives?? Although his hubris does come out more than once, such as staying for ONE YEAR with Circe, though he loves his wife?
Also, the passage with the Cyclopes? Odysseus' men told him over and over, enough! we want to leave, don't provoke him, be careful, wow the rock missed us by a slight! Yet he still refuses to listen. His character is questionable.
I feel that everyday, as a human being living on this planet, that everyday is a challenge to our character, who we are a people. can WE be trusted? In difficult times, will out hubris come out, will out pride take over our main goals??
I believe we control our hubris, that we let it control ourselves we CAN be trusted if we let ourselves be that way. Not letting anything take control of our main goal, to still control our 'desires' especially when we are tempted!! Character of a person mean a lot more than be think, we need to be careful of how we act on our hubris..
I actually love this story. The fact that it is a poem makes it all the more interesting!!
It can be hard to grasp as Hannah has mentioned, but I do like it. Although as much as I do agree with you Hannah, in relation to the Odyssey, his men do trust him, even though yes, they do in fact eat the cattle, but they do stay faithful to him. All through the story they thank him, and trust him. Even with all their suppressed anger they still follow his lead, because they know all he wants in the end is the same thing as them, getting home. when the sirens yelled, all the men took control and followed Odysseu's advice witht he ear wax, same when Circe turned them to pigs, they thanked him for making her 'return' them to humans.. Though all his men die, all throughout the story they do stay with him, no matter his hubris, all the times his men died in front of them, friends, brothers, parents, all died in frnt of them, they stayed to him. You are right, though, in real life we do, if we do something wrong, we do get in trouble, and our consequences are punished, but in the Odyssey, it was more Odysseus that gets the whole punishment. He's the one that has to survive to come back to a wife that is broken, a newly dead dog, and a son who he hasn't seen in twenty years, people have forgotten him, his land has been almost given to strangers, he's the one that has to now work again on his past things, and these are another of his consequences, almost seems like its Karma>? His men die, he's cursed, he's gone for twenty years, finally gets back, alone, and has to work all over again.. seems more like the boomerang came back to him
I completely agree with Eric, in the beginning, I wasn’t excited at all to read the Odyssey but after a while I started to understand the story and noticed the creativity and humor of it. Some may disagree but I found this book to be pretty absurd, yes, it was very good but I still don’t fully understand how it relates to my life personally. After a little rereading and some intense note taking, I finale have a grasp on what happened in the book. Hannah made good points on consequences. As you know, Odysseus and his men were punished many times for not listening to the demands of gods, etc and their life would’ve been way easier if they would have just listened. Mostly, the reason it took so long for them to get home is because of their rebelliousness. Disobeying those stronger than you, is almost always a bad idea.
Even though this book was written about 2,809 years ago, the way people act is much the same. People can still be courageous, boastful, or apprehensive no matter what the circumstances are. A lesson I have learned from this is that it is possible to be courageous, but at the same time, level-headed. For example, when Odysseus saved his men from the Lotus-Eaters, he tied them to the bottom of the rowing benches, and warned the others not to eat the flowers, but did not go back himself, or cause trouble. This was rewarded with fair seas to the next island, and no deaths. Of course, Odysseus was courageous and foolish at Cyclops' island. He helped his men escape safely from Cyclops, but then taunted Cyclops multiple times, and almost got them all killed. The lesson I've taken from this is that it is always best to remain level-headed no matter was won or lost, and there will be less hardship for everyone. I also learned it truly pays off to be persistent. For years, Odysseus' goal was to get himself and his men home safely. He kept this goal in mind through everything, even if he strayed away from it or let his hubris get a bit out of hand. Although all his men eventually died, he still kept in mind the goal of returning home safely himself. His persistence paid off in the end, too: he returned home, safe and alive, to his family. Because he worked so hard for 10 years to achieve this one goal, he got what he wanted in the end. This story relates to my life because of the way the characters treat each other. The ways Odysseus and his men treat each other, such as being proud, loyal, hardworking, and disobedient can still be learned from today. Obedience, loyalty, workmanship, and humility are all admirable traits to work for today, while pride, mutiny, laziness, and disobedience are certainly not. I feel everyone can relate to these characters in some way, simply by looking at the way they act.
Lessons that I learned in the Odyssey agree with what Bekah said which is if you reread something you don't understand you might or will uderstand it better than you did before. But I also agree with Hannah that the Odessy is very boring to read and very hard, but I also agree with Hannah on the fact of some parts of this poem are iteresting. Sections in this story that relates to life when the going gets tough the tough gets going or like if you play sports if you are losing you never give up. This is what Odysseus does in the Odyssey when everything looks bad he never gave up until he got home to his island called Ithica.
I have the same opinion as Hannah and Eric also. I wasn't looking forward to reading the Odyssey, and for awhile it was a bit of a struggle for me to read and understand. After note taking, and having more discussions in class, I now have the major jest of what the Odyssey is all about. Like Hannah, I don't really see any relations from the book to my life. I don't see anything can be learned by what Odysseus did, or went through. However, I do agree with Eric's comments about leadership. I think that if Odysseus's men had obeyed him sooner, they would have made it home a lot quicker. It seemed like his men tended to doubt him. I also believe that making the right decisions and smart choices is key. At times, this is what they failed to do. In the end, it’s about obeying your leader, and being smart about what actions you take.
One of the many lessons in the Odyssey is about pushing limits. Odysseus thinks very highly of himself, and doesn't try to hide this. In the part with the cyclops, he leads his men to freedom by blinding the giant shepard with a hot stake. Even after this display of obvious strength and wit against the cyclops, Odysseus still thinks he has to rub it in. He yells over Poseidons crashing waves back at the cyclops, provoking him to throw boulders, nearly sinking Odysseus' ship, killing his crew. If they didn't have Athena on their side, I don't think Odysseus would have lived to see Ithaca again. I think this shows that pushing ones limits is a pretty dumb decision, especially when you're dealing with huge, one-eyed monsters.
Odysseus's crew acted and what they learned. Every day we learn new lessons and so do they. While reading this story I have found that it is much better to listen to what people say and follow the rules than make up your own to what you think would be best. Also I found that you should respect what people say, unlike what Odysseus does to the Cyclops. This relates to my life because of all of the challenges they face while on the journey. In life these days we face many challenges everyday. Even though they may not be life or death circumstances they are still important. Also I learned to never give up. Odysseus had been away from home for more than 20 years and he never lost sight of Ithaca. Although this book was hard to read and quite boring it teaches a good lesson to whoever reads it.
The Odyssey contains several important lessons, but I found a few important ones that apply to my life. Odysseus is a great leader, but his men have trouble following directions, which delays their journey home and costs the shipmates their lives. It is an important rule, to always listen to those in charge, even if you don’t like what they tell you to do. As a teenager, doing what you are told, and accepting responsibility when you don’t is no easy task.
When Odysseus angers the cyclops, it teaches an important lesson about acceptance. If Odysseus had accepted the cyclops’ apology, or at least not offended him, the cyclops could have helped Odysseus reach home by asking for help from Poseidon. Instead Odysseus lets his pride and hubris get in the way as he insults the cyclops’ religion and father. This teaches us, if we were more tolerant and forgiving towards each other, we could get more done and in a timely manner.
One lesson I learned from this epic poem is that cunning beats brute strength. Odysseus did have great strength, but when was faced with monsters the huge Cyclops, he relied on his cunning. He first stabbed Polyphemus's single eye and escaped by hiding under sheep. When the other Cyclops asked Polyphemus who hurt his eye, Polyphemus was tricked into saying nobody hurt his eye. If it weren’t for his hubris, Odysseus would have made a clean getaway. He knew that Scylla and Charybdis couldn’t be beaten by force, but he minimized his loss of men by going by Scylla instead of Charybdis. He also knew that he could never beat a group of suitors in their prime by himself, so through disguises and deception, he reached a position that he was the only person in the room armed and he could kill all of the suitors easily. This lesson can be utilized on a smaller scale in everyday life.
I agree with Bekah, this poem is hard to read at first but, if take notes on the text and reread hard to read paragraphs it turns out to be a pretty good poem. A lesson that I have learned while reading the Odyssey is that you should not brag about every little thing you do, and you should be humble. Something else that I have learned is that you should listen to people when they tell you not to do something, because if you dont listen to them then there might be severe consequences. Maybe if Odysseus's men had listened to him when he told them not to eat the sacred cattle or open the bag pf wind, they might have lived longer and returned safely to Ithaca. Something that I found to be interesting was that most people back in that time believed and worshiped the gods even though they normally brought hardships thier way.
Odysseus was a lot of the time portrayed as very conceded, but in a way, he was extremely thoughtful. Odysseus risked his life for his men many times in the novel and I believe, had their best interest in mind. He may have been slightly childish and bigheaded as he escaped from the recently blinded Cyclops but I respect him for his bravery and courage. Looking back, I now see a lesson I could learn from the story. Odysseus’ hubris did fly out of control a time or two and nothing good can come from being boastful and arrogant. Many times when you are too confident, you end up not doing as well as you planned. Odysseus has a problem with staying levelheaded but who can blame him?
The main lesson that I have learned from reading this story is that if you work towards your goals like Odysseus had, you’ll most likely get them accomplished. Everyone has some type of objective they want to achieve whether it’s finishing a chapter of a book or becoming president. People nowadays like to hold everything off to the last minute, leaving those simple goals behind them for another day. People like that are probably pretty lazy about it, but those who work hard, even if it takes twenty years will most likely feel rewarded in the end. Even if you work hard and it was a failure doesn’t mean that you have to give up, look at Odysseus. He landed on several different islands and caused a whole lot of trouble most of the times, but he still found home. He never gave up the even if it seemed like he was chasing after a dream. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to follow what others are doing but it’s nice to prepare even for the unexpected. That relates to the incident that happened over this summer. My neighbor brought over her older dog that was playing in my front yard and died playing beside us. She was an older dog and had more then her share of health problems, but it was crazy because every kid in the neighborhood was there when it happened. I saw the death of the dog as a lesson sort of. It all happened so quickly that it was hard to embrace, but it will just help me when I have to deal with death later on in life. And though it was heartbreaking for the owner because that was her baby she only recently got over it and allowed herself to accept the presence of another canine companion. I think that it is a lesson everyone should keep in mind.
The Odyssey and my life are similar in just about every single way. From waking up, to walking out the door, it is always an uphill battle. Odysseus always sets goals, as I do within school. His goal is to overcome his enemies while my goal is to overcome my grades. The Cyclopes in my life would have to be my family, for they are a large obstacle to overcome with cunning and logic.
As far as the lessons learned, I realized that quick thinking can surely overcome brute strength. Odysseus's intellectual strength overcame the might of the Gods and just about every creature he encountered. Overflowing with pride will also kick you down when you are at the peak of your victory. Always think positive, whether you are hiking up a mountain, or fighting a beast, try to stay on the bright side of things.
I completely agree with Hannah here, because it is extremely boring, and unusual to read because of the different format. There are many inclines and declines of the interest level in this story, kind of like a pendulum. It would go from a strategic assault on The Cyclopes, to a boring ship ride to a plain island. In a way, the book contradicts itself on the interest scale, which is why this book would be excellent for someone who has a sliver of patience and gets excited easily. I on the other hand, did not like the book very much, because of the reasons listed in the previous sentence.
I agree with everyone’s responses so far. Our society today wants us to be like the people we read about in magazines and see on TV. People like Britney Spears for one are always in the tabloids, but why should we be like her? She has not done anything really acknowledgeable for anyone. The world just thinks that everyone should be crazy and do outrageous things to be noticed. This is not the best thing to do but this is how what society has become; no true standard for good and evil. Our society’s values and standards our pretty low and they tend to go down every day. Children our being influenced from these “celebrities” actions and this is having a negative effect on them. Even in elementary school kids are being ruder and are losing respect for themselves and the people around them. Years ago the standards were higher and kids had to have respect for adults, but now more and more kids are being disrespectful to their parents and other adults.
Although I did not enjoy reading The Odyssey there were some good lessons to learn from it. For one you should always do what you’re told and heed the warnings that people give you. If someone tells you not to do something there is probably a good reason and you should actually listen to them. Odysseus’s men didn’t listen when they were told not to open the bag of winds and they killed Helios’ cows when they were warned not to and for that they never returned home. Another lesson in the story is that anything is possible with hard work and determination. Odysseus proves this when he is longing for his wife Penelope, and when all hope seemed lost he found his way back to her. The last lesson that The Odyssey shows is that complaining really does get you no where. All Odysseus’ men did was complain and for that they never got what they were complaining about; they never returned home.
Response to Elizabeth Lauer:
I agree with Elizabeth about doing what you are told. It especially applies to teenagers since we can have trouble doing what we are told. And whether you are in school or at home it is always important to do what you are told by whoever is in charge. Also accepting apologies is important. When someone does something bad to you it is never good to hold a grudge. It’s always best to be forgiving and just forgive that person or else you would be just as bad as them. This is like what Odysseus did to the Cyclops named Polyphemus. After he blinded the Cyclops he didn’t listen to his apology which he should have done. If he listened to him then the Cyclops would have gotten help from his father, Poseidon. Odysseus and his ship mates might have made it home safely. Instead almost all of them were lost.
From reading the Odyssey I have not been able to relate much to my life. Odysseus is very overconfident which I have seen a lot in my life and realized that it isn’t always the best way to act. There are many lessons I can learn from the story though. Such as being respectful to whoever may be in charge of you because they know what is best for you for the most part. In the Odyssey, Odysseus crew ignores and disregards what he says to them, like when he tells them not to open the bag holding the winds that will take them away from Ithaca. This is also shown when he tells them not to eat the cattle of the sun god. They do anyway because they are hungry. This is not a good way to treat someone who has authority over you and knows what is best for you. If they had just listened to what he said they may have made it back alive
While reading the Odyssey, there weren't too many times where i said "wow this definately relates to my life". However, there are deeper life lessons that seem to be shown throughout the book. One of them is that it is important to keep your head and be humble. If you go around and say your the best and there's no one better, sooner or later someone is going to come and prove you wrong. You will not only be embarrassed but you will realize that all your life you've been dwelling on the lie that your the best. We need to be humlbe and put others before ourselves. Our fame comes and goes. Sure you might have won a few rewards and gotten a few medals for various things, but all that stuff will pass away. It shouldn't be the only thing keeping you going in life. It's not going to last. Another lesson I learned that kind of ties on to the previous one, is that what we do affects those around us. If we do something stupid others might have to pay the consequences as well as yourself. However, if you do something good, that might inspire others to do the same. We should always be aware of the people around us who might be watching what we do. Specifically our younger or maybe even older siblings. We have an effect on other people's lives and we should make sure that we do what's right.
Well this story was certainly interesting to read. It is somewhat hard to relate to because it is set so far in the past. Though the story is set far in the past the lessons within the story are still there. One of them being: do as you are told. Odysseus is so close to home when his men open the bag of winds and they are blown far away. Another lesson that can be learned by reading this story would be to not let yourself get arrogant. When Odysseus and his men are sailing away from the Cyclops Odysseus taunts the Cyclops. This pushes the Cyclops to curse Odysseus and his men. If Odysseus had not been arrogant the whole journey that he had to endure would have never happened. So just because a story is old and hard to interpret does not necessarily mean that you can't learn from it.
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