Monarch High School
L.A. Dept.
Elaine Grace revised 4/2012
Name:
Date: Per.:
Journal Topics: The Odyssey
Directions: Select one topic for each week that we are reading The Odyssey. Write the week number, the date, and the topic that you have selected at the beginning of your response, and select a different topic for each week. Each response should be at least 250-300 words, but can be longer if you desire. Cite the book and page number from the L.A. text The Language of Literature, if you use quotations from the story. Don’t forget to identify the speaker of the quote as well. Remember to follow the guidelines for your Writer’s Notebook i.e. blue or black ink (if not typed), legible handwriting, and correct conventions.
Questions to consider before reading The Odyssey
1. What are important characteristics of a leader? Does a national leader need to have any certain characteristics? How does lack of
leadership affect a nation?
2. What is the effect of war on families? What are some of the things a family might have to cope with, before, during and after a war?
3. What unique challenges does a single parent face raising a son or daughter without another parent? How does a parent’s absence impact
a child?
4. What are U.S. values involving hospitality and strangers? Do we, in general, treat strangers well? Do individuals who donate to an aid
organization substitute their monetary donation for a more personal commitment? Explain.
Questions to consider while reading The Odyssey
5. What character traits does Odysseus have that make him an effective leader? What are some of his flaws? Do his positive traits
outweigh the negative? Explain.
6. Is Polyphemus a savage brute or a hapless victim? Explain your response.
7. Write some Homeric similes by comparing something unusual with something familiar.
8. Write an extended personification of some violent force of nature – from first or third person. Consider “the voice” of an earthquake, a
blizzard, a flood, avalanche or volcano. What would the force say and to whom?
9. Imitating Homer’s style of writing, retell part of the story from Poseidon’s, Athena’s or another god or goddesses perspective.
After completing The Odyssey
10. Is Odysseus a hero? Is he admirable? Why or why not?
11. Is Odysseus worthy or deserving of Penelope’s faithfulness, considering he was unfaithful to her?
13. Discuss the similarities between the journey of Odysseus and events that have occurred in your own life. (Of course, it will probably
help to think of Odysseus’s journey, and his trials, metaphorically.)
14. Discuss the women in this work of Homer’s. For what characteristics are women prized? What role do women play in the Odyssey, and
how do you think they represent the women of ancient Greece?
15. Explain how the struggles of Odysseus to reach Ithaca are a contest between Poseidon and Athena as well.
16. Select a movie in which a hero or heroine is placed in a struggle. Examples include Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Saving
Private Ryan, Cold Mountain, Alien, and many more. Describe how the director or writer make the audience feel toward the hero or
heroine and his or her opponents. Compare and contrast this to the characters in the Odyssey.
17. The ancient Greeks believed strongly in caring for strangers. Traditional voices in our culture have attempted to continue that tradition
by advising all to care for strangers in need and teaching that such assistance is particularly pleasing to God. The media is quick to praise
good Samaritans, and civic groups still award medals to humanitarians. But what forces in our time threaten to extinguish this tradition
of kindness to and care for others? What can we do to care for others in need?
OVER ►

Journal Topics: The Odyssey continued
18. Revenge as a means of obtaining justice was more acceptable in Homer’s society than in our modern society, which relies on the
criminal justice system. Even so, Homer’s idea of revenge bears qualification. Define the nature of revenge in The Odyssey that suggests
under what conditions it is an acceptable means of justice. How is that similar too, or different from our values today?
19. Write a persuasive plea to one of the gods / goddesses to help or destroy Odysseus.
20. Create an Odyssey adventure of your own.
21. What references and or allusions to The Odyssey are there in other forms of literature – books, poetry, movies, T.V. etc…? Give an
example of one or more such derivations that you have found and how it is similar and or different from the original work.
These are writing prompts to help you get started in your writer’s notebook. You have creative license to take any of these ideas and do your own variations.
Intro Study Guide Questions: The Odyssey
Directions: Read pages 886 – 893 in your text, The Language of Literature. Using blue or black ink, answer these questions in complete sentences on your own notebook paper. This is a formative assessment = 17 points.
Homer’s World pg. 887
Words to know: epic, Troy, Sparta, besieged, strategist, guile, divine interference
(+1 pt.)
1. What related epic was written before The Odyssey?
(+1 pt.)
2. How were these epic tales told?
(+1 pt.)
3. Who do they think probably wrote these stories? Why don’t they know for sure?
(+2 pts.)
4. Briefly summarize what The Iliad is about.
(+1 pt.)
5. Briefly summarize what The Odyssey is about.
(+5 pts.)
6. Know all the important places and characters listed on page 889. What current country is thought to be
Circe’s home?
(+ ½ pt.)
For what is Mt. Olympus known?
(+ ½ pt.)
List the names of the gods and goddesses, and what they rule over.
(+4 pts.)
Learning the Language of Literature pg. 890
Words to know (in addition to the terms below) : avenge
(+1 pt.)
7. What is an epic?
(+1 pt.)
8. What is the heroic tradition? Why was honor such an important characteristic?
(+1 pt.)
9. What is an epic hero? What do you learn from reading the excerpt about Circe and Odysseus?
(+1 pt.)
10. What is an epic simile?
(+1 pt.)
11. What is an epithet?
(+1 pt.)
12. In what country do archaeologists think that ancient Troy was built? Where is this country?