Jean Kim
English 112B
May 2, 2006
Introduction
Today,
high school students are faced with a world that presents such as careers,
family, morality, and so forth. In order to choose wisely, young people need a
strong sense of who they are, where they are going and what choices will get
them there. Students can be asked to see in the experience of Odysseus, the
archetypal traveler, and his son Telemachos, a vision of their own search for
identity, along with the focus on fate and choice.
The purpose of this unit is to
help students see themselves in the journeys of Greek characters from ancient
mythology. Not only do they focus on admirable traits, the characters of the
epic poem are human beings, that experienced many of the same difficulties
around growing up, making choices and becoming mature, like the students as
they leave their childhood and enter the world of adolescence and adulthood.
Summary
of Novel
The
novel starts by Athena and Zeus talking about Odysseus who has been kept on an
island by a nymph for eight years. Athena then visits Telemachos in disguise
for him to call an assembly for the unruly houseguests that want to marry his
mother. He fails miserably and
decides to leave. He visits Pylos,
Menelaus, to hear of his father, while the suitors decide to ambush him at
home. Meanwhile, Odysseus washes
up on shore from his journey overseas and stays with King Alkinoos and tells
the story of the Lotus-Eaters and how he escaped from the Cyclops. He continues his journey to go home,
bumping into Circe and various perils of the sea. When he returns, even his own
servant does not recognize him.
Athena tells Telemachos in a dream that he must return home and the
plans of the suitors. After
Odysseus is reunited with his son, they make and execute their strategy to kill
the suitors.
Class
Level
The
novel and the other material is made for advanced 9th to 10th grade
class,.
Completing
the Odyssey helps build students' self-esteem although they may be intimidated
by the task at the beginning. Also
most students should be required to take notes.
Students
will be expected to:
1. read and study the Odyssey.
2. focus on the themes of maturation and
identity in the Odyssey.
3. study the concepts of initiation, and the
passage from youth to adulthood.
4. study the characters of Odysseus and Penelope
as examples of adult people who are mature, although in some ways they are
still growing.
5. study the characters of Telemachus and
Nausicaa as young people who are just embarking on the road to maturity.
6. think about themselves as young people and
about their own initiation into adulthood and the establishment of their own
sense of identity.
YOUNG
ADULT LITERATURE SELECTIONS
A
masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon literature, it was orally passed down for
generations. It is ideal piece to
learn about epics and pagan mythology as well as the civilization during the
early middle ages. It embodies a lot of customs and values from a harsh and
heroic time.
The
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This
story is about four children called Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy who are sent
away from London during the German air-raids of World War II. They go to an old
Professor's house and Lucy walks through a wardrobe into the land of Narnia. The
White Wich had returned and enchanted the land so it was winter all year and
never Christmas. Finally, they all tumble through the wardrobe and make friends
and try to rescue the world with the Lion Aslan on their side.
Perseus Jackson, the main character starts out in a boarding school for the troubled youth. However, the readers come to realize that all the events that surround him is not his fault, but they involve the greek gods. He�s really the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. As he discovers his heritage, he also loses his mother and falls into mortal danger. The gods (still very active in the 21st-century world) are about to go to war over a lost thunderbolt, so Percy his two friends are on a journey to retrieve it. There�s a lot of Greek mythology and legend involved that would make the novel approachable and enjoyable for many students.
�At
birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent fairy named Lucinda, who
bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to
do, Ella must obey. When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a
mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two
treacherous stepsisters, Ella's life and well-being seem in grave peril. But her
intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest
for freedom and self-discovery, trying to track down Lucinda to undo the curse,
fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along
the way.
Kingdom
Hearts (rpg, rated E for everyone)
-The
main character�s aim is go to home and fight against the darkness. The villains (that disguise as friends)
and Mickey Mouse (the higher characters) seem to know their destiny, but he is able
to overcome it.
Lost
the TV show.
-
Themes
throughout the book
Cunning and disguise: Odysseus' most prominent characteristic is
his cunningness. His skill at improvising false stories or devising plans is admired
upon throughout the book, and that is what saves him throughout his journey. He also discuses himself multiple times
in the book, especially when he pretends to be a better to escape from harm
when he comes back from home.
In addition, Athena frequently appears in the poem as the character
Mentor to help Odysseus or Telemachos.
Women as predatory: Women are not usually portrayed in a positive way in the
book. Odysseus constantly worries
of Penelope�s loyalty. Circe,
Kalypso, and the Seirenes are constantly using their sexuality to destroy and
lure men into a trap. Even the
suitors of Penelope accuse her of teasing them.
Flaws : Though Odysseus is usually a smart, decisive leader,
Odysseus is prone to errors, and his deepest flaw is falling prey to temptation
of pride. His biggest mistakes come in when he foolishly investigates the
Cyclops�s' lair and then cannot resist shouting his name to him after escaping.
The power of the gods: The gods have absolute power over all the
moral actions in the book.
Offending a god can cause huge problems, such as Poseidon�s grudge against
Odysseus. Athena plays a huge role
in the epic as well, helping him survive various tasks and events. She helps
him get his freedom as well as saves his life in the end. Ultimately, it seems as if the gods
decide what happens to the mortal, but it is the people that decid
Lesson
Plan
Introduction
to the author Homer and epic poems.
Discussion
of definition of epic hero and their characteristics.
Journal
writing: What is your definition of a hero?
Discussion
of the characters introduced in the book.
Look
at the society and their expectations of a hero.
Compare
the society in the Odyssey to another book�s (from the reading list, such as
the Iliad or Beowulf) society.
What
are the similarities and differences?
What
can you tell of the society and their expectations?
Describe
and explain in detail the influence of women, mortal and immortal.
What
can be said about gods in the book?
How are they personified?
Take
a look at Telemachos? What
problems does he have as a young adult?
Can
these be applied to modern students?
Make
a list of the characters and keep a note on their role in the epic.
Many
words appearing in this epic may be unfamiliar to students. They will keep a vocabulary journal
where they write vocabulary words they do not know. They should try to interpret the meaning of each world
through context clues rather than looking it up right away.
Assign
an Essay based on several topics and themes throughout the book. Some examples would be: th existence
and use of fate in the story, (wills, prophecies, ), the role of women, the
attributes of an epic hero, daily life of the ancient Greeks, a character
analysis of Telemachos, including his journey from boyhood to manhood,
Describe
the relationship Athena has with Odysseus. Discussion on cunningness and deception based on Athena�s
admiration of Odysseus.
What
other relationships do the gods have with characters from the book?
How
does fate play a role in the novel?
Do you believe in fate?
If
Odysseus is viewed as the ultimate Greek, what qualities are held in esteem by
the Greeks?
Discussion
of the ending of the book, and the relationship of fathers and sons.
Has
Odysseus and Telemachos grown throughout the book?
What
role have various gods played in the book?
Do
the characters have more of a free choice or are most things destined by fate?
Turn
in vocabulary journal and essay.
Homer
Main
character: Odysseus
(Roman version of Ulysses) Journey
home from Trojan War Home:
Ithaca, a Greek island Wife:
Penelope Sin
of PRIDE Encounters
unusual obstacles on his way home Cyclops
(one-eyed monster) Poked
in the eye with a stick Lotus
Eaters: mesmerizing, drug-like effect Sirens
(women) bathing on the rocks by the water, seduces/hypnotizes w/ song Odysseus�
son doesn�t recognize him when he gets home Odysseus
changes/grows up during the journey OTHER: |
Book title
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