Odyssey Essay

Gracie Storie
Odyssey Essay
Sophomore English
22 May 2008

The characteristics and description of Odysseus throughout The Odyssey would fall under three main categories: ego, the bravery he portrays, and his intellect. These consist of the things he did and the emotions he felt. Odysseus is made out to be a hero, but there were multiple actions he did that were not heroic. Although he handled the obstacles well, they were ill planned out and not very wise.

Odysseus had a big ego and he liked to be the center of attention. Although there were tasks that he could barely manage, even with the help of Athena and his crew. He thinks he can do anything. Circe thinks " Prince Laertiades, Odysseus never at fault." (120). When Odysseus and his men began another part of their journey, Circe warned Odysseus. She told him that they would pass Scylla the six headed monster. She told him that the monster would kill six of his crew men and to not try and fight against Scylla. When the time came Odysseus got on his armor and was about ready to fight and he then remembered Circe’s warning. With much reluctance he walked away from the fight.
Along with Odysseus's ego is his pride. Thoughts of his family that that he missed so much always made him miserable. When he would cry, "Odysseus would cover his head again and give way to sorrow." (89). After he blinded the giant Cyclops, he proceeded to yell his name and the land of his home. Polythemus, the blinded Cyclops, was the son of Poseidon who sought vengeance upon Odysseus. Bringing tribulation and grief. Poseidon made Odysseus's journey hash and expanded the time Odysseus would be away from home for more than ten years.

To survive and complete the strenuous journey with a lot of mishap and distress that Odysseus completed, a person had to have a large amount of bravery and above all determination. The obstacles he encountered and the monsters Odysseus faced were extreme and intense, still he faced them with cunning and he was always wily Odysseus never gave up even on the verge of death. Feeble with exhaustion and about to drown, his stubbornness gave him the strength to hold on. To fight and defend is what he did best. Odysseus fought the Cyclops even though he was scared. Another heroic act the he performed was traveling to the underworld. Although he was uncomfortable he creeped, out. Odysseus traveled down below the land of the living where the land was barren and the dead dwelt. He conversed with the dead as well as the Oracle and completed the task he was sent to do. Successfully Odysseus returned from the underworld alive, which is a hard task to accomplish.

Odysseus is filled with intellect and in addition to that, some of his greatest stratagem was used throughout the challenges he faced. He finds a way out of everything. For instance, he uses the hollow horse to hide the men during the war of Ilion, in order to defeat his enemies. Odysseus likes to take charge of things; as a result he tends to be the leader of many events. Odysseus, along with his son Telamachus and Athena, the goddess, plan the death of the suitors. They hide the swords and armor so they cannot be used against them. Later on when Odysseus and his companions needed the devices to win the battle they could use them. The swineherd cried as he saw the suitors collecting the hidden armor and swords, "Look there, my beloved lord and master!" (246). Odysseus controls the people of Ithaca and his crew men. He is an authoritive leader. He convinces Circe the witch to let him and his crew after a a year of being captive. Odysseus is loved my many and he is of royal blood for this reason it seems as if he was made from birth to lead.

The Odyssey is filled with challenges that require an egotistical and proud man who is brave and wise enough to be the hero. Odysseus is the perfect man, he is adamant and unyielding. Athena the goddess of warfare and wisdom is his supernatural leader who helps him throughout his morbid and treacherous journey. All the while discovers new things and crosses his threshold of change. Although Odysseus was culpable at times when he made mistakes, no one blamed him. They accepted his mistakes, and accomplished more than he ruined. By the time Odysseus, returned he should have been haggard, but instead he was beautiful with the help of Athena. Odysseus rejoices over his return to Ithaca, and he is welcomed as the true heroic leader he is.

Poem

Gracie Storie
Poem


The air outside is cool,
Feel the breeze that is light and mellow
and the sun is bright and yellow.
Without reason, the birds sing sweetly,
Chirp, Chirp, Cheap.
Smell the pale blossoms
Softly scenting the air,
their fragrance spreading silently.
Watch Spring slowly changes to Summer.
Tree leaves rustle as calmly as
A burrowing mouse in the soft,
silky green moss by a river bank
Taste the sweet fruits
Of summer and
Listen to the river rushing smoothly
smooth as the bark on a tree.
Summer slowly fades as the Fall season enters.
Animals run wild but the air is quiet mild.
Grass slowly stops growing.
Tree leaves fall fast, lying freshly on the soft ground.
The bee's buzz,
Busily as they make honey for the winter season.
The bright sun fades behind the clouds
And slowly lowers itself behind the snow-capped mountains.
Animals lay down to rest,
As some lay down to wait out the cold.
As birds fly South,
Frost settles in.

movie &/ or book essay

Gracie Storie
Movie Essay
Sophomore English
22 January 2008

The Princess Bride is the best movie because there is action, romance, and fantasy. There are multiple types of imaginary places and creatures. Wesley is the farm boy who is in love with Buttercup, the farmers' daughter. If someone does not like movies or are not allowed to watch them, no worries there is still the book. It is as good as the movie. Throughout Princess Bride there is violence, betrayal, and unpredictable encounters.

The era this is set in is when there were still kings and queens, pirates and giants. Fighting involves suspense and there is sword fighting and wrestling. Buttercup gets captured after Prince Humperdink becomes her fiance. She is held captive against her will, by a genius , and a skilled swordsman. Her savior is the pirate captain Robinson who is actually her long lost lover, who was supposed to be dead. It turns out Wesley got mixed up with the pirates and soon became one. In the beginning when Wesley saves Buttercup, she is very bitter towards him. Believing he was the pirate that killed her beloved Wesley, Buttercup pushes him down a steep hill. He had always said as "As You Wish" to her in the past or in other words it meant " I Love You", that is what he yelled as he rolled down the hill.

After they had reunited they ran through the Fire Swamp trying to escape from Prince Humperdink. Now that Buttercup knew her Wesley was alive Prince Humperdink had some competition in convincing her to still marry him. The only reason why he wants her is so that he can frame someone of killing her so he has a reason to start a war. Buttercup does not know of this. Wesley get killed by prince Humperdink. The giant and the skilled swords man find his body and bring it to the medicine man. The medicine man told them that he was only mostly dead and not all dead. After Wesley was revived the three of them went to save Buttercup. The journey through Fire Swamps, the Cliffs of Insanity, R-U-S ' and other imaginary places are behind them.

THE SECOND HALF

I have gotton past the 2nd part in the book "Things Fall Apart". Okonkwo's son has turned away from his father and the white man are changing the beleifs of the villagers and tradittion of their ancestors. The views have changed. They do not focus on Okonkwo and his family as much, but of the other events that are occuring.

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart

I really enjoy this novel. It is very interesting and at time it can be intense. I have heard that it is boring and it doesn't pick up till the second part, but really it is good from the begining. There are many emotions and thoughts that run through the pages. It has a sence of style and originality. The chracters have unique personalitys. There is differnt religion although it doesn't preach about it they tell you about it as events occur. Irelly like this book.

silly sentances

These are my silly sentances created on my palm.
We used adjectives, adverbs, nouns,propistional phrases.

The pretty tub slipped happily in to the floor.
A round broom jumped manly around the floor.
A round toilet slipped happily under the sea.
A pretty table crawled slowly into the wall.
A curly Elsa slipped happily in the toilet.
Those are my silly sentances.

My response to Shirlry Jackson's " The Lottery"

I thought that story was interesting and differnt. It was actually demeanted. Kind of sick and
I am pretty glad im not in that community. So dont't kill people, especially with rocks. It doesn't have character background much, it was secretive an interesting. To some who are not accustomed to that kind of life style they may consider it to be barbaric and cruel, especially if the one who is chosen to be stoned doesn't want to die. It is actually sad.