Persi's Blog

    In ELA, we talked about the Hero's Journey, a common cycle seen in many books and stories. One detail we did not go over as much happens at the end of the journey. The purpose of a hero's journey is to get to achieve something in the end. Maybe it's a cure for their little sister(The Last Book in the Universe). Or winning a fatal competition(The Hunger Games). In the Odyssey, I believe that what Odysseus is hoping to get back is his wife, Penelope. During the course of his journey, he is reminded of her and this spurs him onwards towards home. Rather than become rich or famous, Odysseus just wants to get back home and see his wife once more. Pretty romantic guy.

       When Penelope asks Odysseus' old nurse Eurycleia, to wash his feet, Odysseus becomes extremely nervous. He knows that as Eurycleia is his old nurse, she will recognize an old scar that his has above his knee. Of course, he is correct in assuming this, and once Eurycleia recognizes Odysseus, she becomes joyful at having found her old charge again. But he doesn't seem as happy to see her. Penelope is in the room at the time, although she has been distracted by Athena and does not notice the exchange. The nurse tries to explain to her who the old beggar truly is, until he grabs her around the neck. "Do you want to destroy me?" he asks.        Odysseus needs to disguise his identity so that he can both find those who are disloyal, and so that he will be able to rid his home of the suitors. In order to make sure those who know his true identity do not slip up, he uses force to scare them into keeping quiet. It's a wise tactic, and Odysseus is c...