Cool Connector

Name: Javison Guzman

Text: Books 9-12
Date: August 15, 2010
Books: The Odyssey

Cool Connector: Homer's The Odyssey has helped set the blueprint for modern
literature and archetypal characters. Your challenge is to connect the text to current
or past real world events (WORLD), your personal experiences (SELF), or to other
forms of literature, music, art and/or media (TEXT) (Indicate the Book # ). Once
you have shared your connection to the text, each member of your group will also
relate their own connection to the book, although they may refer to a different
passage.

Real World Connections (WORLD): Relate text to real situations.

1) The text can be connected to the real world because most of us

turn into proud, pompous assess when we are victorious. As a result,
we only end up infuriating those we have beaten due to our
disgraceful behavior and we ultimately pay the price for our
arrogance. This is very similar to what happened to Odysseus when he
gloated and had to pay dearly.

2) We always try to ensure that the people we deal with won't double-
cross us. This is seen numerous times in the story when Odysseus
prompts the divinity/person he is dealing with to make an oath. This
was the case with Kalypso and more recently with Circe when he was
recalling his tale.

Personal Experiences (SELF): Relate text to real experiences

you’ve had.

1) When my group mates in a project decided to undermine my

authority as leader and refused to listen to my suggestions because
they felt it was a little too difficult, and as a result, they decided to do
things the easy way. This is very similar to when Eurylochos swayed
the crew to go against Odysseus' warnings about Helios' sacred flock
because eating the fattened sheep was the most convenient way to
end their hunger.

Literature and Media (TEXT): Relate text to other books, movies,

art, and media.

1) Moses (from the Bible) - Moses and his people were supposed to
reach the promise land sooner, had they not angered God by going
against what he said about drawing water from the rock and as a
result had to wander around the desert for 40 years due to their
insolence. This is very much similar to what happened to Odysseus
and his men, had they not insulted Poseidon by blinding Polyphemos
and had they heeded the advice of Circe and Teiresias', about leaving
Helios' sacred flock alone, then they would have never suffered all
those set backs.

2) Dorothy's Ruby Slippers (from the Wizard of Oz) - Dorothy's Ruby

Slippers were very much like the bag of winds Odysseus had received.
Both, if used properly, would ensure the users/owners safe return
home. However, Odysseus' treacherous crew decided to open it out of
greed, and as a result, they were completely set off course, just as
Ithaka was coming into sight.

3) Darth Bane (from Star Wars, Darth Bane: Path of Destruction) -

Darth Bane, who was still a miner known as Dessel, got into a fight a
drunken miner, who used to abuse him alongside his father when he
was a boy. Darth Bane was extremely exhausted since he had worked
for 6 consecutive hours and when he collapsed during their fight, he
was taunted by the miner. In the end, an enraged Darth Bane bit the
miner's finger off. This was very similar to what happened to
Odysseus when he faced Polyphemos. Since his victory over the
cyclops had greatly inflated his ego, he gloated the monster and in
the process he revealed his true name. This would prove to be a grave
mistake since it resulted in Poseidon cursing his voyage home.

LITERATURE CIRCLES