Comparing The Odyssey And The Cruelest Journey

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When having an adventure in mind, an individual also has factors that go along with the quest. In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey and Kira Salak’s travel memoir, The Cruelest Journey, readers learn that people take on quests for various reasons. Homer’s writing revolves around a protagonist Odysseus, who goes on a 10 year voyage back to his home in Ithaca. Similarly, in Salak’s excerpt, the explorer goes on a 600-mile journey down the Niger River. Both texts provide a purpose for a journey by having a sense of adventure, receiving respect, and proving others wrong.
Having a sense of adventure means having a thirst for knowledge. Kira Salak is preparing to go on her expedition, but a thunderstorm is passing by. The morning after the storm, …show more content…

When in Phaiacia, Odysseus is made fun of by the athletes for not looking the part of a sportsman. Odysseus gets angry and tells the Phaicians “you have put my back up, and I don’t care what it is−─box, wrestle, run, any one you like except only Laodamas,” (Homer 92). The immense man Odysseus, wants respect from the athletes for he is good at sports and is accused of not being. Likewise, at all parts of Odysseus’ voyages, many people or gods have been telling him what is to happen next. At the Kingdom of the Dead, Theban Teiresias tells Odysseus, “God will make your voyage hard and dangerous; for I do not think the Earthshaker will fail to see you,” (126). Throughout The Odyssey, Poseidon (also known as the Earthshaker), has been making Odysseus’ voyages difficult to handle, and Odysseus just wants him to stop his doings and be mindful of him. On the other hand, in the modern day society, men are the ones who are known to do dangerous things, but not even men can sail 600 miles on a kayak. Before leaving for her odyssey, Salak announces that “no man has ever completed such a trip, though a few have tried. And certainly no woman has done such a thing,” (Salak 422). After Kira Salak finishes her journey, she knows people are going to credit her, and that is her motivation to finish. Odysseus and Salak are galvanized to continue their odysseys for notoriety, but they also …show more content…

Before Salak’s quest, many people doubt her and tell her that she will not be able to go down the Niger River. The people of Old Ségou say that Kira is crazy, and she responds “when a person tells me I can’t do something, I’ll want to do it all the more,” (Salak 422). Kira Salak’s desire to continue her quest, was knowing that when she is done, she can look her egoists in their eyes and tell them that she can, and did. Nevertheless, the Scottish explorer, Mungo Park set out on the same trip as Salak, but died on the river. While carrying her inflatable kayak through the narrow passageways of Old Ségou, Salak mentions, “Park is my benefactor of sorts…of course Park also died on this river,” (422). Even though Mungo Park was not a bad person, Salak wants to prove to everyone that even though this tremendous man cannot, she can. In addition, after Odysseus finishes his expedition, he comes home to a household full of suitors wanting to marry his wife. When Odysseus confronts the suitors he tells them, “Dogs! You thought I would never come back from Troy, so you have been carving up my substance, forcing the women to lie with you, courting my wife,” (Homer 243). Odysseus proves the men wrong and points out their bad behaviors. Validating a journey is very significant because it lets people know what is

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