Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

Reality is very comparable to the Odyssey in multiple ways. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus faced trials that tested his character and that challenged him. When Odysseus was in the cave of the cyclops, Polyphemus, he was trapped and had to find a clever way to escape. On his way home to Ithaca Odysseus stopped on an island where Helios’ cattle graze. He and his men there would be consequences if they ate any of the cattle. Odysseus was hungry but he did not eat the cattle, his men did not have as much self-control. Sometimes life gives us temptations that might be hard to resist even though we know there are consequences and sometimes there are times where our brains might need to be used to get out of a sticky situation.

First, Odysseus wanted to return to his home in Ithaca to his loved ones. On the way home Odysseus and men landed on the land of the cyclops. Polyphemus, the cyclops on the island refused to let Odysseus and his men leave once they arrived in his cave.

When Odysseus told the cyclops about his problem, “Neither reply nor pity came from him” (pg 869). Odysseus now had to figure his own way out. I think there are times in our lives that are problematic and we think it is going to be impossible to solve. We would feel defeated because no one could help us. I bet Odysseus felt defeated at first but then he put that feeling aside and focused on what could working instead of what was not going to work. In human nature people tend to lose hope when the situation is not simple to solve. Odysseus had to used his brain and come up with a sequence of events that led to the solution of his problem. “[Polyphemus] So with our brand we bored hat great eye socket while blood ran out around the red-hot bar” (pg 871).
Second, also on his way back to Ithaca Odysseus stops on an island that Helios’ cattle graze on.

Odysseus and his men had already been warned that if they ate the cattle they would have to face consequences. They were getting hungry because their food supply was running low. Odysseus was going to use his willpower and resist and he was going to try to help the others resist but he fell asleep. While he was asleep he men ate the cattle and as soon as Odysseus woke up he found out what they had done and still would not take part in it. Every once in awhile we all face the temptation of something that we are craving. It may be fitting in, so we do whatever it takes. It may be starvation, so we take what we need even if it is not the right thing to do. We know there will be consequences but for some reason we only think in the moment and not about the future. For the case of Odysseus’ men their consequence for eating the cattle was death, “... and all the men were flung into the sea” (pg

890).
Third, I remember this one time in seventh grade I went to winter camp in the mountains. Everyone stayed in cabins in groups of eight. There would be seven girls in a cabin and one group leader. One of the nights we were at camp six of the girls wanted to sneak out and just go exploring. I was really tempted to go with them because I could not sleep and I thought there was no point of staying up all night. Before we were about to leave I started thinking about it and I realized I was doing the wrong thing because we were not allowed to leave the cabin without a group leader. I ending up being the only one staying behind and I actually fell asleep. The next morning our group leader found out about my cabin mates night time adventure and they were punishing with kitchen duty for the rest of camp. There was this other time when one of my friends was having a really hard time at home. I could tell she was not feeling happy all the time like she usually was. I had to rack my brain and use all my knowledge about making someone feel better to make her feel close to her old self again. It was not easy to help her because she is such a complicated person.
The most important lesson the Odyssey can teach is persistence. Throughout the whole story nothing could stop Odysseus from returning home. Most people in our generation give up when the can not find the fastest and simplest solution to their problem. Odysseus also persisted his decision not to eat the cattle when the rest of his men were. Through persistence we will eventually reach our goal and alse be satisfied with our effort we put in to reach it. Though it will not always be easy persistence will be worth it at the end of the day.