Actor Christopher Reeve once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” That quote is especially true when one thinks about Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo, Santiago from The Alchemist, and Odysseus from The Odyssey. Edmond, Santiago, and Odysseus each sustained their share of challenges and temptations, and were able to fight through them to attain their dreams and goals. Santiago, from the book The Alchemist, encountered many problems on the journey to achieve his dream of going to the pyramids. His most important challenge was harnessing the wind, that being the only way he and the alchemist could escape tribesmen in the desert. He didn’t think he could do it, then realized that “he, a boy, could perform miracles,” and he had to believe in what he had learned from the people he encountered on his journey, one being the crystal merchant. Santiago’s time with the crystal merchant was a challenge because he desired to go to the pyramids as soon as he could, but he needed money. It was hard for him to stay there for a year. Still, he had “...learned things from crystal,” making the time with the merchant very valuable. Santiago’s abyss was the attack on the camp at the oasis. He was able to warn the chieftains, but was doubted by others, …show more content…
Santiago and Edmond had to go through their fair share of challenges and temptations, however Odysseus’ were far more significant and was more of a hero. It took him about ten years of hardships to get home, only to find another challenge waiting for him. He never gave up and kept fighting through, with hopes he would one day see his wife again. Odysseus is the epitome of Christopher Reeve’s quote, as he truly is “an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming
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Show MoreImagine going on a journey and not knowing the potential obstacles that will come up along the way. Characters or real human beings do not always know what is going to happen on their journeys nor do they know the consequences that may arise. A journey sometimes results in losing loved ones for a single chance for something good to come out of it. The people that complete a goal during these journeys have to be strong and brave. Two people that relate to this type of journey are Odysseus in the story of The Odyssey written by Homer, and John Kuol from the story “Escaping Death”.
In the odyssey, the king of ithica aka odysseus is on his way home, but on his way home he faces many challenges, some include the cyclops, and many different monsters. Eventually after a long hard fight, odysseus makes his way home. The odyssey gives a perfect example of what a hero is, and how easily it is for a person to change. At first, Odysseus may seem like a hero due to his courage and strength, but later on in the story things take a turn for the worse for him and his reputation,
Both Odysseus and John Kuol overcame their obstacles because they worked hard to survive. Life is a
Menelaus states, “No one took on so much, went through so much as Odysseus.” The epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, is the story of an ancient war hero’s 10 year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus faces the wrath of the gods, and fights battles against many mythical creatures such as Polyphemus, and the his grueling mental battle with the sirens. Across Odysseus’s journey, he shows many characteristics of a hero such as his resiliency, and his tactileness. For example, Odysseus shows his ability as a tactician through his encounters with Gods and monsters, such as his seven year time span on calypso’s island.
The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the Greek writer Homer, and it recounts the story of a man named Odysseus and his journey to return to his home. Throughout his journey, Odysseus encounters many obstacles, including cyclops, giants, and he even has dealings with the gods. As Odysseus tries to return home, his son Telemachus has to deal with a group of suitors who in the absence of Odysseus, are trying to marry Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. In Homer’s the Odyssey, the idea of how one needs courage and bravery to accomplish tasks is exemplified, especially when the tasks seem insurmountable.
Odysseus from The Odyssey is heroic because when he and his men passed through the Sirens he made his men plug their ears and he endured the pain. Homer is talking to the reader when he says ‘“Come this way,
Odysseus is a typical example of a hero. He is able to pull off miraculous things to save himself and his crew seemingly without fail. The story of his journey is well known, and a great tale of his adventures. In the two parts we have read so far, we see what he is willing to do for his crew, and his intelligence and quick thinking in difficult situations. The first challenge that waits them is the island of Cyclopes.
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.
In the epic story the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is returning from the Trojan war, and on his way home he finds many obstacles ahead of him. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and he is trying to return home to his land. Many creatures try and stop him from achieving his goal of returning home, but he and his crew have to push through and get home. Odysseus portrays bravery and courage leading his crew through these tough challenges. Odysseus heroically leads his crew and himself through dangerous obstacles, but also foolishly endangers them during the journey home.
Santiago has an epiphany when he realizes that if you never change and take risks you will never move forward. He wants to find his “personal legend,” or true desire, and to obtain this he needs to change his own nature. He must be willing to give up whatever is necessary to achieve this goal, including freedom. On Santiago’s journey he becomes employed by a crystal merchant that never achieved his personal legend. The merchant resisted change and never accomplished his dreams.
Yes, the terribly challenging circumstances in narrative in which the Odysseus finds himself is a challenge of courage and heroism of which very few would willingly volunteer. His ability to remain courageous in the face of brute beast, the actions of gods and demi-goddesses, and in almost impossible natural and supernatural circumstances certainly admirable. However, it is evident that there are circumstances where his hubris leads him to trust his intellect and wit over more reasonable course of action that not only endanger his life, but the life of his entire
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” (Bob Dylan). A modern hero is recognized by the goodness in their heart. Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s “The Odyssey”, is not a good example of a modern hero. Heroes cannot be cross cultural, and Odysseus’ heroics do not transcend time and apply to the modern world.
Although the treasure was in the very spot Santiago had the dream and not near the pyramids, through Santiago 's journey through the desert, being rob, being threaten, and meeting the women of his dreams, Santiago learns that everything in life is not easily attainable. And if you want something so much, don’t give up, because of the difficulties you face. Because in the end those same difficulties can positively shape who you are. I believe that Santiago development closely relates to Vygotsky’s theory, which states that social and cultural interaction guide cognitive development.
Heroes have always stood out in time as wondrous beings. In literature they possess certain special traits. These traits are ones such as courage, strength, selflessness and intelligence. Theseus an Athenian hero possess some of these great qualities,“... he was as compassionate as he was brave and a man of great intellect as well as great bodily strength” (133).