David Schwartzman Blog #50
6/4/20 Freshman 2020
Aim: How does Penelope’s test for Odysseus establish their fidelity toward each
other while finally providing closure for Odysseus and his journey?
Blog Content:
- What is it like working from home?
In my opinion, working from home both has positives and negatives. For example,
one positive aspect I have found is being able to do my work when and where I want it.
This means that if I am preoccupied with a different matter, or have an issue I need to
attend to, I have the option of putting off the work for later and completing it then.
Additionally, I enjoy not having to wake up early in the morning to take public transportation
in order to get to school, as I could simply wake up, turn on my iPad, and get to work. On the
other hand, there are definite negatives. The one I have had the most issues with was technical
glitches. If my WiFi were to go off at home, or if I were to have some sort of issues with my
devices, I would be barred from doing my work. Next, another downside of working from
home is communication with my teachers. Normally, I would be able to either raise my hand
if I had a question about something, or just walk up to them before or after class and ask them
about it. Nowadays, however, I have to write them an email, and due to how many other
students there are flooding their inbox, it normally takes quite a long time for them to see it and
respond. All in all, working online is a mixed bag of experiences.
- Write about your thoughts regarding the reading.
This lesson’s reading was very interesting. This section of reading from “The Odyssey” is
called “Penelope’s Test” and revolves around Penelope testing Odysseus to truly verify
her identity. Suitors pursuing Penelope’s hand in marriage had been living in her home
for 20 years, while Odysseus was away fighting in the war and later attempting to voyage
back home to her and his son. These suitors helped themselves to all of Penelope and
Odysseus’ possessions, essentially stealing from them. Thus, when the man who claimed
to be her long lost husband finally returned and slayed all of those men, she was right to
be skeptical. Her plan was simple: In order to truly confirm that it is Odysseus, he would
need to prove that he knew a secret only Odysseus could know. Thus, she told her maid
to move the bed that Odysseus had built many years ago to outside the bedchamber, which
through him into a rage in which he told her the exact details of how he constructed the bed,
and the secret sign he placed on it. After hearing this, Penelope understood that it was in fact
Odysseus who was in front of her, and she joyfully embraced him and kissed him. This
finally brought the book full circle, and Odysseus’ journey had finally come to an end.
- Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
Currently, there are mass protests and riots going on around the world, following the death of
George Floyd by the hands of a police officer. People of all races are coming together to put an
end to police brutality, and end racism once and for all. This is a very moving and inspiring notion,
as the issue had been going on for far too long. However, one concern I feel is being overlooked
is that coronavirus still exists and should still be feared. In many of the protests, people aren’t
socially distancing, nor are they wearing masks. This is very dangerous, especially in a place
like New York where issues with the virus are far from over. Hopefully, this doesn’t result in a
spike in cases, and life can finally go back to normal.
Student Reflection
- What did I learn?
In this lesson, I learned that Penelope is a very intelligent and strong woman. She was very careful
not to blindly trust Odysseus, as she had yet to know if it was truly him. Thus, she set up a test to
see if it was really him, and only after he passed did she let her guard down. This also shows that
she has become abundantly cautious, after years of uninvited suitors living in her home.
- Why did I learn it?
I learned it because it resolved the story, and truly brought it full circle. It also showed the reader
that Penelope possessed many of the same values that we had been taught to be admirable
throughout the course of the story, such as craftiness, loyalty, and love. This also elucidated the
impression that in Ancient Greek times, all of these traits were vital to succeeding and staying alive.
- How will I use what I learned?
I will certainly utilize everything that I learned from this lesson. Firstly, I will use the information to
better help me comprehend everything we read in the Odyssey, both in the past and the future.
Additionally, I learned to be more cautious and clever when dealing with dilemmas I have in the
real world, incorporating tactics used by both Penelope and, previously, Odysseus.
No comments:
Post a Comment