Journey As Depicted In Homer's The Odyssey

Almost everyone is aware of the common belief that the journey is more important than the destination. However, this is more applicable than imagined. Journeys can help people find themselves in more ways than one. While they can be helpful, it does not mean that they will be easy. Journeys are meant to challenge people in different ways and to help them find a better self. Whether the journey is physical, emotional, or spiritual, there will be trials and times where more effort is necessary.

The Odyssey by Homer (1989) exemplifies this truth. The Odyssey is an epic poem where the hero endures a long and perilous journey that helps him reform his inadequate behaviors. Despite the happy ending and the reformation of behaviors that occurs, there are numerous trials and hardships endured along the way. All challenges aside, the the hero and his crew was able to stay positive and persevere through all of the troubles. This story perfectly depicts how powerful a journey can be.

Another brilliant example of the journey being more important than the outcome can be displayed through a poem called “Courage” by Anna Sexton (1975).

“Courage” beautifully describes the journey of life, explaining that it doesn’t matter where the reader may end up in life, but what happens on the way there. It explains how “your courage will be shown in little ways” (Sexton, 1975, p. 671), which means that there are both great and little things that can be done during a journey to improve it. Another great thing about this poem is the use of real events that could happen and how the author includes them to state a point. The text describes how people would feel after being called “crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy” and that they were able to “drink their acid and concealed it” (Sexton, 1975, pg. 671), meaning that the reader was able to plow through that difficult time despite the

opposition.
Last of all, a great example of transformation through a journey is The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen(1843). This classic story is about a duckling who is rejected for being the ugliest duckling of them all. The duckling lets this criticizing take over his self-esteem. However, after countless hardships and struggles, he turns into a beautiful swan. The duckling says that he “never dreamed of such happiness as this, while I was an ugly duckling” (Andersen, 1843), explaining that he was happier than ever after his transformation. The journey he took, filled with torture and rejection, allowed him to witness the beauty in the world and also in himself.
To conclude. there are multiple examples that depict how one’s journey is more important than one’s destination. The kind of journey taken depends on the actions taken. Whether the journey is physical, spiritual or any other journey, there will always be difficulties and times of need for effort. The difficulties are the essence of a journey and what makes it so exhilarating. The effort needed during these times of trial may seem daunting. However, at the final destination, one can look back and see how great the journey truly is and how they have grown from it. Overall, there is much proof to share about the importance of the journey over the destination.