Amanda's English Blog

Odysseus continues on his story about how he is on is ship and a witch type thing, lures all of his men but one in bu her beauty and they never returned. The one man that is left, approaches him and asks him not to go after the crew, because it is going to cost his life, but he says its his duty and leaves the man behind. He then finds that all of his friends are turned into pigs which really bothers him, and the witch is impressed by him because the poison doesn't affect him. Circe and him eventually become "lovers" so to speak, and she eventually lets them all go. He then travels to the sea of the dead where he starts to see a lot of people that have passed away including the one crewman who committed suicide. After he continues on his story, he goes to try and stop and the men tell him to keep going that his story is really interesting and they start questioning him.

For the picture, ignore the watermark in the middle of the picture, that has no significance, it was the only picture that really demonstrated how beautiful she was, and how the pigs (the crewman) were so entranced by Circe the witch.

After they feasted for awhile, Odysseus started to get challenged by the other members in the hall, they wanted him to join in the activities. But Odysseus only really yearning to go home, decided that he didn't really want any part in this. They then start calling him fowl names and making ugly speeches towards him, and he gets angry so he picks up the ring and tosses it further than any one of the athletes had tossed it earlier. This chapter really starts to show Odysseus's true emotions and really how he has changed throughout the journey. The picture I chose to include was in reference to the story's deeper meaning that Odysseus tells everyone of, and how the main part was all about greed and how it really can take over someone's grasp on reality and how it is an ugly thing. He also talks about the great dangers he faced on his trip, including the great lands of the Cyclopes.

After being tossed around in the sea, he is guided by Athena in a protected "mist" so his identity is hidden. While he going on his way, finds his way to the Kings palace and he is overcome by its beauty.

"For a kind of radiance, like that of the sun or moon, lit up the high-roofed halls of the great king. Walls of bronze, topped with blue enamel tiles, ran round to left and right from the threshold to the back of the court." (Page 114)

When he approached this area, he had forgotten everything that Athena told him about the King and Queen and just walked right into the palace. When he arrived, he laid down at the Queens feet and wept. Then after the feast, Alcinous has a private conversation with Odysseus where he interrogates him as to why he came. He was so impressed by the answers that he was happy to give him his daughter. There is another feast and Odysseus is given a boat to take back to his home. One of the common themes it seems like is feasting and celebrating. The people in the story are generally really happy and they feast for almost anything.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0SDG/is_2_73/ai_n13493393/ This article shows how I was not the only one that thought feasting was a common activity in the book.

Role: Wild Card (Ernesto)
Audience: Teacher
Format: Wild Card (Tweets)
Topic: Wild Card (Chile)

Ernesto: @heyheyErnie
Alberto: @Alby22
Mr. Yost: @mistahyost

@heyheyErnie: I am loving my time here in Chile, the people are so amazing, they are so hospitable for me and @Alby22 #iwantthistoneverend

@heyheyErnie: @mistahyost I heard you are the man at fixing bikes, it seems as though me and @Alby222's died while we were roaming, care to help?

@heyheyErnie: Thanks man, it barely made it up the hill. RT: @mistahyost: Yeah I'd love to, it would be really nice to experience that Chile culture!

@heyheyErnie: I don't know why I love this mate so much.. I really need to get back home.. but I don't know how I feel about her anymore.. #whatshouldido

@heyheyErnie: ..this sun is so hot, i can't take it anymore.,. I wish I didn't have to ditch my bike back there, it sure was great #regrets #memories

I chose the picture of the guardian angel because Penelope, Telemachus's mother hears that the suitors have plans to ambush and kill Telemachus for leaving and not telling anyone. She is so devastated at the thought of losing her son, but she hears not to worry about her son anymore because he now has the protection of a goddess. (The Angel represents the goddess because I could not find a picture of a goddess.) As the story continues, eventually Odysseus decides to leave on a boat, but Poseidon, angered by the fact that he is able now to head home, sends a terrible storm to wash over the boat that he is traveling on. While holding on for dear life, he finds that another goddess is protecting him. The symbolism behind the goddesses would have to be protection. They worry about the men and follow closely to protect them from the evils of the land which as Odysseus and Telemachus have had to face a lot. Another repeating symbol is deception. Someone may seem one way in the beginning of something and by the end of that new "book" (Chapter) they turn around having very different alternative motives.

Telemachus travels onward to find out any information about the disappearance about his father. He asks this fellow named Nestor if he has any information on his father, but nothing has yet turned up for him. They then continue to feast and talk about different things that have to do with his father. This reminds me of "Into the Wild" because as Jon Krakauer was trying to find information on Chris McCandless, he went on his own personal journey to try and discover where Chris had been. Likewise, Telemachus is doing the same for trying to relocate his family.


"Feasting while discussing Odysseus"

As I was reading the Odyssey, I have come to the conclusion that one of the prominent themes is having strong family ties. In the beginning chapters, it starts out talking about how Odysseus left his young son for war, and when he returned home years later, never mentioned it to his son. "But I intend at least to be mater of my own house and the servants whom my royal father won for me in war." (Page 35) states Telemachus when confronted with the idea that his father may never be coming back home. Telemachus decides that he does not want to hurt his mother, so he leaves without saying a word, and heads out on his journey to find his father.

For the next independent reading book,
I will be reading:

The Odyssey

Written by: Homer