
![]() Choose an excerpt from Books 19-22 to analyze (no longer than 10 lines). Post the excerpt to this blog (cite page number or chapter and line #s). Beneath the passage, analyze two (2) of Homer's word choices. How do these choices relate to a character's growth and/or to the conflict. (worth 50 points)
52 Comments
Micah Locke
1/29/2015 08:01:35 am
"With that he trained a stabbing arrow on Antinous...
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:04:55 am
Excellent connections to conflict.
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Jessica Isberg
1/29/2015 08:59:34 am
" There is a land called Crete... ringed by the wine-dark sea with rolling whitecaps-handsome country, fertile, thronged with people well past coming-boasting ninety cities, language mixing with language side-by-side. Firsts come to Achaeans, then the native Cretans, hardy, gallant in action, then Cydonian clansmen, Dorians living in three tribes, and proud Pelasgians last. Central to all their cities is magnificent Cnossos, the site where Minos ruled and each ninth year
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:08:35 am
Your choice of quotation is a bit disconnected from the main plot. This leaves your connections between diction and conflict a bit of a stretch. What does the word "ring" imply? Round, circular, cyclical? You could have connected Odysseus' journey to that, rather than just saying it described the sea and Odysseus was stuck there. Gallant was not describing Odysseus in the text, but it does connect to his bravery. You should have connected it to the situation at hand to make it more relative to the quotation.
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Ariella Bourdeau
1/29/2015 09:19:11 am
"Odysseus' heart went out to his grief-stricken wife
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Mrs. Elbakry
2/3/2015 10:10:27 am
Great analysis and connection to both conflict and character. Well done.
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Alec P
1/29/2015 09:21:56 am
"While Odysseus was thus yielding himself to a very deep slumber that eased the burden of his sorrows, his admirable wife awoke, and sitting up in her bed began to cry." Homer used the word yielding, as if it was dangerous for Odysseus to sleep, that something would happen to him while he rested. Along his journey, he came in contact with so much danger that something as simple as sleep can feel like the end of your life. That is what Odysseus was feeling.
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:12:48 am
Nicely done, Alec. Very good analysis of "yielding."
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Brittany Blakeman
1/29/2015 10:16:01 am
"Dead quite. The suitors all fell silent, hushed. At last Damastor's son Agelaus rose and said, "Fair enough, my friends; when a man speaks well we have no grounds for wrangling, no cause for abuse." Book 20 Page 421 Lines 357-360
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:19:22 am
Good analysis and connection to tone - but explain a bit further about "this section." What is happening here? How could both of these words connect to the conflict?
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Rachel Lamore
1/29/2015 11:38:28 am
“Leodes now – he flung himself at Odysseus, clutched his knees.
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:00:31 am
Good analysis of "fling." Your defense of "prophet" was a bit weak. Define the word, this will help clarify who he was to the suitors and enlighten you to a deeper connection to the text.
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rocco veltri
1/29/2015 11:40:58 am
"Odysseus' heart went out to his grief-stricken wife
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Mrs. E
2/10/2015 02:01:53 am
Good choices, but you must connect each to a bigger picture idea (conflict, theme or character growth). Explain in more depth why these word choices truly capture the bigger ideas.
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Joe Welsh
1/29/2015 11:46:28 am
"He paused with a warning nod, and at that sign Prince Telemachus, son of King Odysseus, girding his sharp sword on, clamping hand to spear, took his stand by a chair that flanked his father- his bronze spearpoint glinting like fire...
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Mrs. E
2/10/2015 02:04:56 am
Your second sentence is very good in terms of analysis. Use quotations to help the chunk you are discussing ("glinting like fire") stand out from your analysis. You should have chosen one more word to connect to the bigger picture.
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Kevin Silversey
1/29/2015 11:50:30 am
"With that he trained a stabbing arrow on Antinous...just lifting a gorgeous golden loving-cup in his hands,just tilting the two-handled goblet back to his lips,about to train the wine-and slaughter the last thing on the suitor's mind: who could dream that one foe" pg 349 8-12
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:23:16 am
Good analysis of "dream." You could have gone deeper with "slaughter." What is implied with that word that is missing with the word "kill?" What does Odysseus think about these guys? Connect this to his conflict.
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Alexis Freel
1/29/2015 11:51:32 am
"So they jeered, but the prince paid no attention...
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Mrs. Elbakry
2/3/2015 11:16:57 am
Good analysis. I think you could have also said that the "jeering" showed what little respect the suitors had for Telemachus, which makes their fate that much more satisfying for both the characters and the reader. Also, "riveted" can connect to the fact that Telemachus is in awe of his father - having never really looked at him for very long. He is taking in this last moment before all hell breaks loose.
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Lucas Kaine
1/29/2015 11:58:05 am
"a black day it was when he took ship to see that cursed city... destroy,, i call it- I hate to say its name!" Book 19 page 399 The words that i chose to analyze the diction in this quote is "destroy" and "cursed". These two words show how Penelope hates the battle of troy for taking Odysseus away from her and how much see wants him back. These words are used to show how much Penelope wishes that this day never occurred and showed dislike and ruefulness. She had a dreadful tone and scared that Odysseus would never come back. Finally, these words show that overall, Penelope wants her husband back and would do anything to forget all about troy and what it did to her.
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:38:35 am
Good analysis. Be a bit more explicit when analyzing each word, though. "Destroy" could have referred to the way losing Odysseus for so long destroyed his family. Also, "cursed" was exactly what Odysseus was for 20 years, left roaming without a way home.
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Odysseus looked to his son and said,"your guest,sitting here in your house,has not disgraced you. No missing the mark,look, and no long labor spent to string the bow. My strength's not broken yet,not quite so frail as the mocking suitors thought. But the hour has come to serve our masters right-supper in broad daylight-then to other revels,song and dancing, all that crowns a feast."
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 12:01:47 pm
Good defense of "masters." Interesting analysis and perception. Has he not shown sarcasm before, though? With the men taunting him to join the games? Your defense of "disgraced" is a bit unclear or possibly unfinished.
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Hugh Devine IV
1/29/2015 11:58:23 am
Poor fools blind to the face
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:36:20 am
Good analysis of "noose." However, "dark look" needs some work. Perhaps a different choice would have produced a deeper analysis. "Blind" would have been good to analyze further.
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Zach Lanza
1/29/2015 11:58:53 am
"Odysseus, master of tactics, answered briskly, 'I and the prince will keep these brazen suitors crammed in the hall, for all their battle-furry. You two wrench Melanthius' arms and legs behind him, fling him down in the storeroom lash his back to a plank and strap a twisted cable fast to the scoundrel's body, hoist him up a column until he hits the rafters let him dangle in agony, still alive, far a good long time!'" (Homer 444 lines 178-186).
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:42:38 am
Good analysis. I do wish you had explained "scoundrel" more thoroughly.
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Katelyn Capodagli
1/29/2015 11:59:40 am
"A black day it was when he took ship to see that cursed city... Destroy, I call it-I hate to say its name!" Book 19
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:25:50 am
Great connections to bigger picture. Nice work!
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Mackenzie MCue
1/29/2015 12:00:14 pm
"This dream, Madam," replied Ulysses, "can admit but of one interpretation,
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:03:40 am
You haven't really made a connection to a bigger picture idea. How does "escape" relate to the overall conflict of the story? What is Homer's message about fate? Can we escape it? In terms of "portend" - haven't all of the omens warned of Odysseus' return and the suitors' slaughter? Those are bigger picture ideas.
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Nick Fedak
1/29/2015 12:05:39 pm
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:50:18 am
Good defense of diction. Good connections to bigger picture.
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Skylar
1/29/2015 12:08:08 pm
"So I finished it off. Against my will. They forced me.
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:11:55 am
Considering you do not know who is speaking (Penelope), this is far from accurate analysis. SHE is being pressured, as she has the entire story, to marry against her will. This relates to her conflict within - does she hold out for her husband to return (the one sitting in front of her disguised as a beggar) or does she give in? Escape alludes to the fact that she feels trapped - as trapped as Odysseus once felt on Calypso's island and how he probably feels now because he cannot tell Penelope the truth.
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Zach Falcon
1/29/2015 12:32:29 pm
"My name is nobody."
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:40:20 am
First, this is an excerpt well beyond the guidelines (Book 19-22). You made no explicit connection to conflict or character growth. You simply stated the obvious, that this was a clever trick. Connect these words to the bigger picture. Odysseus is anyone but nobody - his name is well known all over the world at this point. Legendary. Dig deeper into Homer's use of these words now.
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Mariah Swiski
1/29/2015 12:44:55 pm
"The time had come. The goddess Athena was with her blazing eyes inspired Penelope, Icarius' daughter, wary, poised, to set the bow and the gleaming iron axes out before her suitors waiting in Odysseus' hall to test their skill and bring their slaughter on" (pg.424 lines1-5 book twenty-one)
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:06:48 am
You don't articulate your defense well. Who are "they?" Be specific, because it makes a difference in your argument. "Wary" is describing Penelope. Why would she be wary? What has caused her to feel this way? What conflict has left her in this condition? "Slaughter" pertains to the conflict yes, but in what capacity? You were on the right track in terms of animals....who is going to be slaughtered and who is doing the slaughtering? Connect to the bigger conflict at hand.
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Alexandro Saenz
1/29/2015 01:23:15 pm
"That left the great Odysseus waiting in his hall as Athena helped him plot the slaughter of the Suitors. Now we must stow the weapons of reach, my boy, all the arms and armor-and when the suitors miss them and ask you questions, put them off with a winning story" (Chapter 19) (Page390) (Lines 1-6)
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Mrs. Elbakry
2/3/2015 11:19:42 am
Okay. This is still very surface level analysis. Dig deeper - how do these words connect to a bigger picture idea - conflict perhaps. What does the word "slaughter" tell you about the upcoming conflict? Why not just use the word "kill?" What could Homer be telling the reader about Odysseus's plans for the suitors and what he thinks of them?
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jared williams
1/29/2015 01:41:29 pm
“That left the great Odysseus waiting in his hall,as Athena helped him plot the slaughter of the suitors, he turned at once to Telemachus, brisk with orders, ‘Now we must stow the weapons out of reach, my boy and ask you questions, put them off with a winning story. I stowed them away, clear of the smoke. A far cry from the arms Odysseus left when he went to Troy fire damaged equipment, black with reeking fumes and a god reminded me of something darker too. When you’re in your cups a quarrel might break out you’d wound each other, shame your feasting here, and cast a pall on your courting. Iron has powers to draw a man to ruin."
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 12:05:08 pm
Your first analysis is a bit surface-level. We know the plan is to kill them. But what does it imply about Odysseus' feelings towards these men when Homer uses "slaughter" over "kill?" What are they to him? Your analysis of "brisk" was better, but expand on it. Why is he in a hurry? Connect it to a bigger picture idea.
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Curtis Brolet
1/29/2015 02:09:25 pm
" He propped his father's weapon on the ground, tilting it up against the polished doors well-hung doors and resting a shaft aslant the bow's fine horn then went back to the seat he had left." (page 428 lines156-158)
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:32:10 am
You have made surface level connections to the text, but no deeper thinking connections. These word choices don't really lend themselves to a deeper level analysis. An different quotations would have served you better.
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Jaden Diaz
1/29/2015 02:31:56 pm
“So she dissolved in tears, streaming down her lovely cheeks, weeping for him, her husband, sitting there beside her. Odysseus’ heart went out to his grief-stricken wife but under his lids his eyes remained stock-still- they might have been horn or iron- his guile fought back his tears. And she, once she’d had her fill of grief and weeping, turned again to her guest with this reply…” (Page 397 line 240 to 247).
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 10:36:09 am
Very good analysis, Jaden!
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jake suttile
1/30/2015 04:11:06 am
'' The time had come. The goddess with her blazing eyes inspired Penelope, Icarius' daughter, wary, poised, to set the bow and the gleaming iron axes out before her suitors waiting in Odysseus' hall-to test their skill and bring their slaughter on" (Pg. 424)
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Mrs. E
2/3/2015 11:28:03 am
Good analysis of "blazing." I would go even further and say that she ignited the fight in all of the characters here. She is the reason this has culminated into this battle. "Slaughter" could have been analyzed a bit more deeply. Why not use the word "kill?" What does slaughter imply about Odysseus' feelings towards the suitors. Who are they to him?
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Matt V.
2/18/2015 12:16:11 am
"The sons of Autolycus, working over Odysseus, skillfully binding up his open wound the gallant, godlike prince chanted an old spell that stanched the blood and quickly bore him home to their father's palace. There, in no time, Autolycus and the sons of Autolycus healed him well and, showering him with splendid gifts, sped Odysseus back to his land, Ithaca, a young man filled with joy."
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Rebecca Rinaldi
2/22/2015 08:34:34 am
“My very words,
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