Blog #29 - Wilson Wang - Period 1 - 12/19/2020 - Day A - Freshmen 2021

Blog #29 - Wilson Wang - Period 1 - 12/19/2020 - Day A - Freshmen 2021

Aim: How does “Sailing From Troy” and “The Lotus Eaters” (BOOK IX) establish Odysseus’ role as a leader?

Do Now: Consider the fact that Odysseus has been trying to return to his home in Ithaca for 10 years. Imagine being away from your home for that long. What would you miss the most and why? Why do we have sayings like the ones below?

    Before we started the do now, we were put into breakout rooms to change our team names. We have to keep our team names relevant to what we are doing. Our team decided to name ourselves the Olive Trees because we couldn't think up a better name.

    Then we moved on to the do now. Most of the class said they would miss their bed because it’s really comfortable and the food at home the most. We have sayings such as “Homesick,” Home Sweet Home,” and “There’s no place like home” because no matter where you are, you will eventually miss your home. Your friends and family are all there and being away from them will make you worry and homesick. 

Notes:

Characterization

- Direct Characterization: The author makes direct statements about the character (can be revealed through a narrator or through another character in the story. The author TELLS the reader what they want them to know.

- Indirect Characterization: Indirectly started from Character’s actions, choice they make, dialogue/relationships with others, thoughts, feelings. The author SHOWS the reader what they want them to know.

The STEAL method for Indirect Characterization

- Speech- What does the character say? How does the character speak?

- Thoughts- What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?

- Effect- What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?

- Actions- What does the character do? How does the character behave?

- Looks- What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

Dynamic change - The character changes throughout the story.

Static change - The character stays the same throughout the story.

    After taking some notes, we read “Sailing from Troy.” In this chapter, Odysseus tells us how he misses his home and he’s trying his best to get home. We were put into groups to answer a question.

    Then we read “Lotus Eaters.” In this chapter, Odysseus and his men came across an island after drifting in the sea due to a storm. He sent 2 men to scout the island but they ate the lotus and became trapped on the island in a hallucination for eternity. Odysseus immediately turned around and sailed away to avoid being trapped there. Then we were put into groups to answer 3 questions.

Reflection:

Today we learned about how to characterize someone using the STEAL method. We precede to use the STEAL method to analyze Odysseus again. We kind of all changed our opinion about Odysseus, he is shown as a great leader and he is determined to get home. He warns everyone to get aboard to avoid being drugged by the lotus eaters, he could’ve just left without some of them and his sense of judgement was key to their survival. Odysseus shows dynamic change within 3 chapters of the Odyssey. We can keep using the STEAL method to analyze any character we come across and to see if Odysseus changes again..