Patterns and Symbols in The Odyssey 2A by Sl Carlson https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A Working with at least one partner on a shared Google Doc, discuss two patterns you see emerging in the selection of The Odyssey that you read. Then, identify two symbols that appear in the selection, and explain their significance. Include a level-2 claim. Be sure to add the names of all group members in a comment. en-us 2022-04-01 00:57:20 UTC 2022-04-07 13:59:32 UTC hello@padlet.com Olivia C + Olivia T Book 10 cha20251 https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134583530 Throughout book ten, Odysseus goes through and overcomes numerous obstacles, including the curse from Poseidon, Circes roadblocks, and the winds escaping. Through and through, there are several patterns that occur during his trials. At the end of each event and obstacle that Odyessus and his crew concurs, Odysseus always comes to a conclusion about the previous event. After something goes wrong or they make it to the other side, Odysseus never fails to come to a conclusion about what he needed to do in order to make a better change, showing some self reflection. Another pattern that is evident within the text is when Odyessus refers to Ithaca or the road back home over and over again. During his struggles, the ultimate goal at the end of the journey was to get back to Ithaca, because this location was so prominent and important to their journey, which leads us into the symbols embedded in book ten. Ithaca becomes an important symbol to this story, for it was a cornerstone and a shoulder to all who were going through the journey. At the end of the day, they knew they still had this location to fall abc one when all else went wrong. It all relies on Ithaca. Having that place to rely on gives the crew a sense of security, safety, and reassurance, but also empowers them to persevere even more. The closer they got to Ithaca, the harder it became, but they know how everything will fall back into place once they get home. Each time they got closer to home, another obstacle would arise, which could weaken them and make them give up, however, they took that feeling of being so defeated and put that into persevering even more in order to get home. Another symbol that was evident was the pigs because they represent how the goddess Circe perceived Odyseuss and his men. Odysseus and his crew were invited into the goddess’s house  knowing that she could be dangerous, however, they went in anyway. The men that dared to go in were given a drink that transformed their physical appearance to pigs. The pigs can demonstrate how Odysseus is not perfect. The men that went into Circe's domain were the ones who didn't obey Odysseus, and they were the ones that also got hurt in the end. The pig can show how it can be concluded that the men were thought to be selfish, after their encounters with Circe. After all of these obstacles, Odysseus and his crew grow as a whole, and gain more knowledge than ever, and at the end of their day, they realize what they want and need most, home.  All in all, Odysseus realizes that finding the appreciation for home drives the desire to persevere. ]]> 2022-04-07 13:27:33 UTC https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134583530 Patterns and Symbols in the Odyssey - Maggie and Sam she20252 https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134601866 A pattern that we noticed is that all of the ghosts tell Odysseus that he has a good life and to go home to Ithaca and Penelope and Telemachus. This is also exemplified in Gilgamesh when Utnapishtim and Shikaturi the Tavern Keeper tell him to go home. 
Another pattern that we noticed in the Odyssey is that sacrifice is required to achieve rewards. We saw that Odysseus had to slaughter animals to be able to hear the ghosts. We also see Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea practically sacrificing himself to hold onto a fish. He was injured and dying from hunger and fatigue by the time he caught it. 
A symbol I detected in the Odyssey is Odysseus’ mother and how she represents him trying to go home. She seems out of reach, and he doesn’t know she’s dead. He cannot reach her no matter how hard he tries. He just keeps hugging the air. This symbolizes how no matter how hard he tries or how close he gets, he just cannot seem to find his way home. There’s always another obstacle in the way of him returning home to Ithaca and Penelope. 
Finally, another symbol in the Odyssey is the ghosts of the dead drinking blood to be able to talk to Odysseus. To be able to talk to the ghosts for advice, Odysseus kills sheep and drains their blood into a pit for them to drink. Blood, historically, represents life, because of the way our blood gives us life by spreading nutrients throughout our bodies. When the ghosts drink blood it makes them symbolically alive, so they can talk to Odysseus. 
Throughout this journey, Odysseus realizes that deserving home requires great sacrifices, but is worth it in the end.


 



]]> 2022-04-07 13:36:50 UTC https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134601866 Elsa and Owen - Book 12 gia2025 https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134610785 In book 12 of The Odyssey, we found two significant symbols. We identified the cows of Helios and how they represented giving into greed and temptation when Odysseus’ men killed and ate them after being told not to, but how Odysseus listened to what Circe had told him and didn’t kill the cows. He was the only one who made it out alive after that, and it shows how his will is very strong. The other symbol we noticed was the sea, and how it represented how life contains good experiences and bad experiences, and having good luck and bad luck. For example, it was good when it brought Odysseus and his men to Circe’s island, where they feasted and got advice, but it was bad when they were thrown into the danger of the monsters Scylla and Charybdis. Along with these symbols, book 12 in The Odyssey has multiple patterns to show the importance of recognition, learning, and listening. In multiple cases of him speaking directly to his crew, he states “Dear friends, you have suffered much,” which shows that he is a good leader and he cares about the lives of his fellow crewmates. Another pattern shown in this book is that through all of these hardships that he encounters on his way home, he uses what he learned to survive, but his crew did not listen to what he was saying and did not learn, eventually leading them to death. This pattern shows how he is always thinking, and learning to prepare for what is to come. With these symbols and patterns shown throughout Odysseus’ journey, we are able to see that having a strong will to survive provokes a person to be better at listening and acting on what they’re told.]]> 2022-04-07 13:41:18 UTC https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134610785 Book 9 mue2025 https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134612531 Two symbols I thought were significant in Book 9 of the Odyssey are Polyphemus and his spear and his sheep. When talking about his spear, Polyphemus represents Odysseus, and Odysseus represents the suitors, corrupted and rampant. He travels to the cyclops’s island, steals his food, insists on being praised with gifts, and stabs the giant’s eye out. When speaking of Polyphemus’s sheep, they represent order and supernatural aid. You have both Odysseus and Polyphemus on either side of it, both struggling against each other, while the sheep guide Odysseus and his remaining crew to an escape. Two patterns I noticed in the book were how he cried often for his lost comrades, and Polyphemus’s orderly life. In Book 9, Odysseus mentions three times how he and his remaining crew cried for their lost friends, even though it was Odysseus who caused their deaths. When Polyphemus’ lifestyle is described by Odysseus, he is made out to be barbaric and lawless, when in fact he has a very structured and put-together way of life. He wakes up, takes his herd out to graze, mils them in the afternoon, eats, and goes to bed. This shows just how corrupt Odysseus was at this point in the story, that he doesn’t truly see what he is looking at, and lets his emotions get in the way of his judgment. These symbols, hardships, and patterns show that lack of foresight undermines safety and well-being.

]]> 2022-04-07 13:42:10 UTC https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134612531 Grace and Ailyn Book 23 and 24 tiu2025 https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134645721 In books 23 and 24 of The Odyssey, we observed a series of patterns and symbols that conveyed the central theme of trust in two books. In book 23, Odysseus meets with Penelope as himself for the first time after 20 years. Instead of accepting that it’s him right away, she tests him by asking him about the story of their bed. Their bedroom and whole house is built around the bed, which is carved directly into an olive tree, representing the strong foundation of friendship and peace that the two have in their marriage. When Odysseus first returns, he has a disguise around the palace and in front of Penelope, to make sure everything is alright for him to truly come back as himself. This is part of his road to regain trust, checking that he hasn’t moved on before he came back. Furthermore, when meeting again with his father, Laertes, Odysseus disguises himself also. He tells him a fake story about meeting Odysseus, giving his father hope for his arrival. This pattern of arriving in disguise and telling them lies is Odysseus’ way of making sure that he’s able to trust them again before fully coming back. Both Laertes and Penelope’s determination to ensure that it’s truly Odysseus emphasizes how much they truly care and love for Odysseus. Throughout both books, Athena repeatedly helps Odysseus to regain his place in Ithaca. As the goddess of wisdom and war of practical reason, Athena’s pattern of aid to Odysseus reveals the end to chaos in Ithaca that she is trying to achieve. By providing Odysseus with disguises and advice, she’s trusting his actions and shows her full support for them. This emphasizes the importance of Odysseus and his role in Ithaca. These themes of trust and rebuilding suggest that rebuilding strong relationships requires renewing trust.]]> 2022-04-07 13:59:32 UTC https://padlet.com/imsandycarlson/OdysseyPatternsandSymbols2A/wish/2134645721