Reading Period 11: November 24-30: The Odyssey

Long Read: 

The Odyssey, books 5-10

Creative Assignments:

Choose a setting to build either in Lego or Minecraft. You might portray Kalypso and her island Ogygia, or the palace of Queen Arete and King Alkinoos, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, the cave of Polyphemus (or the harbor where Odysseus made his retreat), or the island Aieia where Circe lives (Minecraft pigs, y'all!). You can use any resource packs or mods you like, but no collaborating unless each person in the collaboration has a discrete, separate part of the project which can be screenshotted individually. Post photos or screenshots to show what you made.

OR

Take any 20 line section of the Odyssey and create a 10 line poem from it which changes the meaning of the original. You can use any words or phrases you find in the original section, rearranged in whatever way you like, but ONLY words you find in the original section. Include both the original 20 lines and your new 10. 

Writing Assignments:

Book 8 introduces the blind Demodokos, a bard who some believe to represent Homer himself. But who is Homer? Do some online research and write a 300 word essay to present the reasons people have for believing two of the following theories: The Odyssey was written by a woman, who put herself in the story as Nausicaa. The Odyssey was written by Homer, who put himself in the story as Demodokos. The Iliad and the Odyssey were written by two different people. The person who "wrote" these epics was just transcribing what he was hearing from the many poets who actually "wrote" them.  Take your reader to a new place in the conclusion by asking and answering the question: Does it really matter who wrote the epics?

OR

As we have learned from reading the Iliad, Homer's heroes are glorious and noble, but they are also flawed. Achilles, for example, suffered from his own pride, and in the Odyssey we find Odysseus demonstrating the same traits. Write a 300 word essay giving one or more examples from the text that show Odysseus being prideful, and how these actions negatively affected him and his compatriots.

AP Lang:

Read in A World of Ideas, read the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and also this article which contains excerpts from Hillary Clinton's book What Happened.

Quiz:

1. How does Kalypso prepare Odysseus for his journey away from her?
2. Does Alkinoos promise Odysseus his daughter's hand or safe passage home before or after he finds out Odysseus' name?
3. Why does Odysseus cry during the songs?
4. What does Odysseus tell the Kyklops his name is, when asked, and how is that a clever trick?
5. Why is the Kyklops able to aim at Odysseus' ships even though he's blinded?
6. Why does Odysseus yell his real name at the Kyklops?
7. After visiting Aiolos, Odysseus gets within sight of his own land, but ends up back at Aiolia. Why?
8. They Laestrygonians are glad the Greeks have come to visit. Why? What do they want?
9. What did Kirke the witch do to Odysseus' men?
10. According to Kirke, where does Odysseus have to visit, if he ever wants to get home?
BONUS: What two magical foods appear in these books?