Conflict is everywhere we look. People constantly clash against each other.

Conflict can be small like an argument about whos turn it is with the front seat or enormous like nuclear warfare. The cold truth is, conflict will exist as long as life exists. Conflict is a part of my life as well. It usually happens at home when my brother and I get hot under the collar with each other. It happens at school when I have to fix my mistakes. Conflict also makes life exciting. Being pitted up against a challenge is breathtaking. It helps us grow, it makes us stronger, or it breaks us. Literature is an example of this. Without conflict in writing, literature would be droll and a devoid of depth. The Iliad, one of my favorite pieces of literature, has many conflicts. Its one of the attributes I enjoy about the Iliad. The book wouldnt be the same without it. When I often explore deeper into books, I usually look at the conflicts. In ancient Mongolia, the tribes of the steppe constantly vied for supremacy. This was mirrored in Greece with the city- states, China during the Warring States Period, and in mid evil Europe. A struggle can bring people together. When the colonies of the U.S under the harsh leadership of the British, banded together and threw off the fetters of oppression. Conflict isnt always war or bloodshed. It can be conflicts within your self too. People have internal conflicts like deciding what to do about someone who you simply loathe, trying to conquer a great fear, or to overcome an addiction. Literature and history can come together. Try as you will, no one can abolish conflict. Sometimes conflicts in writing and past events can merge together to form a mind- blowing tale.

Homers Odyssey delves into all sorts of conflicts, both spiritual mental, small and large. When Odysseus departed from Troy he thinks hell come home smoothly. That is until he meets Polymephus, a cyclops who will turn him and his crew into his meals. Odysseus blinds the cyclops and then sails away. In his victory, he tells the cyclops his name and then his life is turned upside down. It turns out the cyclops daddy is Poseidon. For the pain Odysseus caused his son, he makes it so Odysseuss life his miserable. Odysseus is clever and crafty, but often lets his arrogance get the better of him. If he hadnt had told Polymephus his name, he would have made it home safely. Odysseus also is easily distracted and lets his temptations overcome his goals. He originally planned to leave Circes island as soon as he could but then he decided that he and his crew would stay there for a year, leaving his son and wife to deal with the pandemonium of his absence in Ithaca. Not only did he stay with Circe for a year he also slept with her, cheating on his wife who remained faithful to him for the years he was gone. In truth, Odysseus is not the hero that people make him out to be. Many men have died under his leadership, he cheated on his wife with multiple women, he purposely put himself in a position where he could die, and he angered Poseidon. He also has good qualities like being clever enough to escape the Cyclops, knowing which is the lesser of two evils between Scylla and Charybdis, and plotting the suitors demise. Odysseus isnt a saint or a knight in shining armor but he is crafty, good natured, The Odyssey, written in the times of ancient Greece, is not only an entertaining story but a window into the values of ancient Greece. Some of the values emphasized are hospitality, strength, and honor. Hospitality plays a large

part in the Odyssey. In the story, the loyal swineherd gave Odysseus wine, bread, and shelter. He gave him a skin to lay on and a bed by the fire. Based on how the swineherd acted, we can see that the ancient Greeks believed that all people should be treated well. Even when Odysseus was disguised as a beggar, the swineherd treated him well. When the wooers said that fighting in the house of Odysseus was a shame, it signifies that people had respect for other peoples households. Another concept heavily emphasized is strength. When Odysseus is the land of Phoenicians, he was insulted about how weak he was. To prove his strength, he flung the heaviest weight across the room. After that the Phoenicians respected him. This illustrates that the ancient Greeks respected and admired physical prowess. They often settled matters with physical competition, as seen with Irus and Odysseus. Honor was important in ancieng Greece as well. Those who werent honorable were hated and often punished severely. Helioss cattle can be used as an example. Because the crew betrayed their oath to Odysseus and killed the cows, they all died. They died for killing the cows but they also did not honor their promise so in a sense, they died for breaking their oath. Homers Odyssey is a book that enchanted people through out the ages and continues to do so now.