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Two symbols we noticed in book 11 of the Odyssey is the armor of Achilles and the importance of rituals.

The armor of Achilles. In the text, Odysseus saw the ghost of Ajax, a person who he had fought and killed to win the armor. Odysseus expresses grief when he sees Ajax and calls out to him. Saying that the armor was a curse. The armor of Achilles is magical in the fact that anyone who wears it wins whatever fight they are in. Meaning that the fight was doomed from the beginning due to the greed of mankind. Foreshadowing for the next, book where Odysseus's men eat the sun god, Helios, sheep because they felt as though they deserved it after eating fish for so long. The beginning of book 11 mentions the ritual to summon and draw the dead towards Odysseus. The offerings to help with the completion of the ritual, saying, are two sheep blood mixed with honey and wine. The offering is made to attract the dead so that he can talk to the blind prophet, Tiresias. Later on, Tiresias mentions another ritual to appease Poseidon and get back into his in good graces. And the ritual is to walk inland to a place where people have never been to the sea with an oar over his shoulder. When someone asks about the oar, Odysseus must place it down and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and a boar. Rituals keep showing up, showing how influential rituals are to their culture.  As well, showing that to appease Poseidon, Odysseus has to humble himself by spreading Poseidon's fame instead of his own.

Two patterns we had noticed is how Odysseus wept for everyone he talked to, and his concern with fame and how it changed over time. Every time Odysseus talks to the dead, mostly for those he knows, the text says that he weeps for them, showing his sorrow. Even for Ajax, a person who he fought for the armor of Achilles. Now, this relates to how Odysseus expresses his emotions, typically when he has a mention of the emotions crying or weeping is mentioned. It shows sensitivity, as well, opposes the stereotype that men do not cry nor do they feel deep sorrow and grief. Throughout the text, Odysseus in more concerned with his own fame and his  riches. Rather than being concerned with how his journey is going. It’s the first of the thing that Odysseus mentions when talking to his mother, who had passed away. He does ask about his wife and whether the rumors that she has taken another husband are, true or not. To which his mother says no Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, had actually tricked the suitors and was still waiting for his return or news of his death. Odysseus later on in the epic goes into his own city as a beggar to see, what is happening. Not caring about his riches and fame and putting it aside to check in on his wife and his country, and how it’s changed during his absence.

Having a respect for life produces limitless possibilities.

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In book 12, Odysseus encounters many challenges on his journey home from Circe’s island. His only goal was return home safe and to do what was in the best interest of his crew. For instance, when they were forced to pass the sirens, Odysseus let his curiosity take hold of him. He made his crew tie him to the ship, while he made sure the rest of them had beeswax to seal their ears from the deadly siren song. Odysseus wanted to listen for his own inquiring mind, which made him such a good leader. Although Odysseus showed his crew guidance and protection, they still found a way to betray him. They did this by eating Helios’ cattle after Odysseus had made them swear an oath not to. They knew the dangers of doing it but still went against his rule.

Helios’ cattle is so important because it symbolizes temptation and ownership. In addition to this, the cattle also provided control to Helios. The monster, Scylla, symbolized one of the challenges that Odysseus and his men faced. It also exposed their perseverance and strength. It was also the first time they discovered grief. Lastly, the storm that Zeus conjured that destroyed Odysseus' boat and stalled him from returning home, symbolized the disobedience  of Odsseus’ men and the power that the gods held. This makes us realize that resisting temptation encourages the discovery of inner wisdom.

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A pattern throughout this book is Odysseus having to prove himself because he is a stranger after 20 years. When he meets his father he has to prove he is Odysseus by reciting a story of injuring his foot in his childhood. Later in the book Odysseus’s son Telemacus has to prove himself to Odysseus before a battle with the suitors' families as a true warrior that will bring honor to their family. This cycle of having to prove yourself is a common theme and introduces the need for renewal for family.

The symbolism throughout Book 24 in “The Odyssey” by Homer shows Odysseus going through the renewal of his life at his father’s farmland. Odysseus, Laertis, and Telemachus, plus the workers of the farm, all have a feast eating and drinking as much as they wish. This feast shows all of them celebrating the return of Odysseus. This reunion of the family presents how they have waited for this prolonged moment. It symbolizes the importance of Odysseus’s return making us think that the

Laertis is very emotional throughout the book because of the return of Odysseus. When Odysseus finds his father he looks old and worn down wearing a filthy tunic with patches all over. When Odysseus reveals himself, Athena gives Laertes a bath to refresh him in honor of his son's return. When Laertes returns he looks like a god himself with larger arms and a beautiful tunic. This symbol of renewal happens now that the father and son have reunited, and he becomes a new man with purpose and family, showing us that facing challenges to identity brings forth the renewal of personality.

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Odysseus is being thrown many obstacles on his way home, but he keeps figuring out how to be smarter and get out of it. For example, Odysseus is telling the story of how Posiden threw him and his men’s boat off course multiple times, and eventually landed them on Cíconés City Ismarus, on the seacoast. Storytelling is a prevalent pattern throughout the entire book, Odysseus often humbles brags about his treacherous adventures.

After they were all trapped in a cave with the Cyclops, Polyphemus, with no way out, Odysseus spent days figuring out a plan.  It took almost all of his strengths, and his men, to trick the Cyclops into drinking wine, which was a popular pattern in this book because it showed the importance of gift giving.  He took a big spear, a symbol of power, since Oddyseus had started to lose his strength being trapped in the cave, but got it back when he stabbed the cyclops in the eye and got his men out of the cave. While piercing the cyclops with the spear represented the unbalanced life Odyssus was leading and his uncontrollable and blinding power. Odysseus' journey throughout book 9 showed that using intelligence in times of desperation produces new found strength and power.

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The first pattern in book 23 of the Odyssey is when Penelope constantly denies Odysseus is back home until he proves himself with evidence showing that she can trust him. Even after Telemachus and Nanny, people who she trusted, tried to convince her it was really Odysseus, she still was unsure. She made excuses and reasons as to why someone like Odysseus would be sent down by the gods to help her, but she still couldn't believe it was actually him. Since Odysseus had been gone for so long and so many suitors had tried to take over the throne, she had grown distrustful of Odysseus really returning. People had been trying to take the throne from her and Odysseus for years and she was fearful that Odysseus was really an imposter. She had always held hope that he would come back but it was hard for her to accept it was really true. Another example of patterns in the Odyssey is to prove the man was actually Odysseus, Penelope put him through a series of tests to see if he was her husband. Odysseus partly proved himself before they met face to face by killing the suitors, something that Odysseus is very capable of doing. But this didn't prove if he was a god in disguise or some random person, so she had to make it personal. By using the bed only her and Odysseus knew how it worked she was able to draw out the real Odysseus and only then did she realize it was her long lost husband. Throughout the whole book Odysseus has to face tests like these when trying to return home. He had to journey to the underworld, deceive Polyphemus, and was trapped on Calypso’s island. But even when it seems hopeless, Odysseus always proves himself.

One symbol in the Odyssey is when Penelope tests Odysseus by telling him his bed had been moved to another room which caused Odysseus to question how it was possible. Odysseus explained how immovable the bed was, because the bottom was connected to the roots of a tree and it would take a monumental amount of strength in order to move it. After hearing this Penelope realizes she is actually talking to her husband, since only Odysseus and her knew how the bed was built. The bed represents their bond and by testing Odysseus he proves they are meant to be together again. The second symbol in the book is after Odysseus and Penelope finally accept each other and are reunited, Athena let dawn appear to start a new day. Now that Penelope and Odysseus have forgiven and balanced each other out, they have to move on to the next trial they need to face. This means that Athena represents the wisdom that comes from having a whole and healthy relationship. Once reunited, Odysseus and Penelope become stronger because they are able to confide in each other and understand the others' struggles. Odysseus has endured countless trials on his way home while Penelope has had to fight off the many suitors to continue being loyal to Odysseus. Throughout the whole book, Athena has guided both of them and helped them be with each other knowing that they would be happier and work harder once they were together. The fact that she only started a new day until after Penelope and Odysseus were at peace with one another shows that she thinks that their connection holds more power than what they can do alone. Realizing compatibility with others establishes peace and balance.

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One of the patterns we noticed was that after every challenge Odysseus kept encouraging his men to keep going to get back to Ithaka, for example he started at Aeolia then got blown away just to make it back to the same place. Then they left and ended up at the Laestrygonian city and there a bunch of his men were being slaughtered so they left and ended up at Aetes.

Another pattern we noticed is that Odysseus is always trying to impress the gods. For example, when he went back to Circe to save his men, he could have listened to advice that his friend gave him to continue to move on but he wanted to impress the gods and go back in to prove his strength and that he was powerful enough to save them.

An important symbol in book 10 is the moly herb that only gods can pull from the ground. This symbolizes power and strength because only gods can pick it up and they are really powerful. If a moral were to get it out of the ground it would be dangerous. Symbolizes strength because after taking it Odysseus is now able to resist Circe's drugs. Another symbol is the islands that Odysseus and his men stop at along the way symbolize the lessons that you learn in life because after he left Circe’s island he realizes that you have to have a plan before walking into something. If Hermes hadn’t been there then he would have been walking in blind. Circe also symbolizes truth because she shows Odysseus and his men who they really are. After book 10 Odysseus and his men realized that persevering through lessons produces strength and self discovery.