Ben--English pd. 6

The Odssey--The Aftermath

I wrote a poem about my reactions to the Odyssey. I hope you enjoy it! :D
I am sitting in here
In this ship
That rocks
Back and forth against the cool winds of Poseidon.
And I wonder about back home, in Ithaca
Where I long to be with my love, Penelope, and son, Telemachus.
And soon I will be with them.
But as I think
I regret
The things I have missed
For I have missed the days when Telemachus learned his first words.
I was never there
For his suffering
For Penelope's suffering.
And I can only think
How can I love them
If I am a stranger
Now in their eyes?
But all I can do
Is sit against the wall of the ship
As young Dawn touches her red fingers against the dark skies.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 8:51 PM 0 comments

What I've learned so far...

During the projects that were chosen to present, our group (Regina Fojas, Brian Herb, Haemin Yum, and me (Benjamin Park), we discussed the daily roles of men and women. I actually got many encores for my first poem, so I had the chance to read all three! :D Everyone complimented my poems, and said they were exemplary, and that I should be a poet (bard), I felt very happy today, from hearing that because I had worked very hard.
So far, I have learned that Odysseus must have faced so much pressure. Because while researching the daily lives of men and women, the men had to find food, and fight in battles. Going and seeing people suffer, must have struck many nerves in Odysseus. He also was trapped on an island, and could never see his wife and son, Penelope and Telemachus. He must have felt so woeful, about life. And Penelope also must have faced anger and depression because she had to stay home all day, and she couldn't really do anything about the irksome suitors.
The Odyssey has somewhat given me persepctives to life. Take things for what there worth, and try to think happy and actually do something to gain happiness. Because if you never try, you will never get.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 8:01 PM 0 comments

Hurray!

I think I understand almost everything in the Odyssey. Anyone ask me...But the major problem is that I did not know most of the things before the test...I wish I had a make-up test. I hope Mrs.Faughey sees this. (And remember this is all of my knowledge, not copied and pasted...)
Basically the Odyssey tells us of a man named Odysseus. It has been 10 years after the Trojan war, and he has still not returned to Ithaca, his hometown. His wife, Penelope, is being harassed by suitors who ravage the town in order to capture the throne. Telemachus, Odysseus's son tries and protects his mother, while Athena, the goddess of wisdom, also tries and helps out.
Athena mainly helps out by going to the town disguised to urge Telemachus to travel and urge people to save Odysseus. Odysseus is trapped in an island with Calypso, and he cannot escape, because he cannot build a ship. Later, Zeus after hearing the news sends Hermes, who urges Calyspo to free Odysseus. She gives in, but as Odysseus leaves on a ship, Posyiedon the father of Polyphemus ( a cyclops he had blinded) sends a storm to kill him off. ( because he is the god of sea). Eventually Odysseus manages to escape and find his way back home. Him and Telemachus learn from their mistakes of boasting, and together they kill the suitors. When he returns, Penelope does not realize that it is him, until he wins a competition that only Odysseus acan complete.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 8:24 PM 2 comments

I am stunned...

Odysseus has a way to surprise the author (or Homer). He has such cruel methods of teaching the sinister right from wrong. For instance, later in the book Odysseus gets angry and overwhelmed with the fact that maids are with suitors who offend him deeply. He gets angry at them by killing them all in one room, single handedly. He then orders the women who were with the suitors to wipe up the bloody mess, and then kills these women. I see Odysseus in a smaller light, because of what he had done. What the suitors and women did was wrong. But how Odysseus reacted frightened me into thinking how he would treat his family or friends he was angry at that degree
Also this quote by Mother Teresa reminds me of the Odyssey in away.
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confron it.
Life is an adventure. dare it.
Life is luck, make it,
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 8:56 PM 0 comments

Telemachos and Athena (Unleashed :D)

Telemachos and Athena are strong characters. They remain persistent. For example Telemachos always protects his mother, Penelope, from the gangly suitors of Ithaca pleading her to be with them. He remains loyal to his mother by keeping the men away at their own risk. He also believes there is still hope there for his father to return.
Athena is strong in that she posseses grace and wise words. I like her because she also like Temalachus she is strong, thus she is the god of wisdom. She supported him a lot, and at many times aided Penelope in her loneliness, and she met with Telemachos to give him wise words.
I picked these specific characters to write about in this entry because they gave me a strong impression the most. Not that Penelope and Odysseus are not as significant, but they lead interesting lives with strong self character traits
I also have a picture of Homer that I found off of the Internet.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 8:39 PM 0 comments

I was so surprised at how he reacted to the suitors, when they approached Athena. He was brave, and he talked wisely. I enjoyed that part, but when he told of them being killed, I felt it wasn't necessary to describe it that precise. I am not a fan of really detailed gore, but the overall perception of the story made me surprised and thrilled that he really was shwoing his concern of Athena.

posted by QHSSYC Photography Club @ 9:18 PM 0 comments