Response for Jessica T.

Why do you think Odysseus takes the blame along with his crew for wasting the gift of the wind? How do you think we should view Odysseus?
Odysseus knows that to keep moral up he must take part of the blame, to entirely tell the crew would led them to anger, our view of Odysseus should be positive.

How do foreshadowing and imagery add to the story and how, if they do, add to the understanding of the story?

Foreshadowing and imagery do not add to the story, they take away from it by perplexing the reader into never knowing whats going on.

Why do you think temptation is an important theme for book 10 or if you don't feel that way why not?

Shows that how much the men truly want to get home, or if they want temptation to be their new home.

Captains post includes a connection to a song, and uses first person a lot.

Response for Maddy S.

To what extent is Odysseus to blame for the trouble he and his crew find themselves in? Does he redeem himself at all by being the one to help them eventually escape?
         Obviously Odysseus is not entirely to blame, his crew members could have stepped up etc. He makes up for this unusual occurrence by making the best decision and carries it out flawlessly.

Why is it easier to attribute Odysseus’ troubles at sea to one single cause—Poseidon avenging his son—than to acknowledge that it might just be a series of unrelated events (bad weather, inept navigation, etc.)? Is it possible that our own modern religions serve a similar purpose in our lives?
            I don't think this makes a case for atheism at all personally, but casting blame on one singular item is quicker and easier. Odysseus is truly a war hero and tough nut, he could have made up for small incidents.  

If you had witnessed someone kill people that were close to you, like what the Cyclops had done, would you seek revenge? How would you react? Would you be hotheaded like Odysseus or respond calmly and sail away without a word?
           I would seek revenge, it's easy  to say you would be calm under pressure but if someone killed a person you cared a lot for everyone would show anger. 

 Do you think what the Cyclops said will come true? Do you believe that if Odysseus never revealed his name to the Cyclops, none of this would have ever happened? Why or why not?
           The Cyclops would have realized the man was Odysseus but it would have been too late. Odysseus would have left the island.

Do you think Odysseus’ pride will continue to be a problem? Will his fate continue to stay the same or will he be able to return home safely?
        Odysseus will return home, it wouldn't be a good story otherwise.

Captains perspective is different offers several movie and book i do not agree at all with her view of the patriot movie.
         

Trent S response

          What is the "moral" of the story that Demodocus sings about Ares and Aphrodite? Why might Homer choose to include this story? How might this story be related to the larger theme(s) of The Odyssey?
          Homer wishes to add more to the legendary gods and how they deal with human's every day lives.
          Why do you think Alcinous wanted Odysseus to watch them dance so much? What does this say about the society they live in?
           When Alcinous saw Odysseus destroy all the youths at the games he wished to restore honor back to his people. The society is very proud and is desperate to impress
           Why did Laodamas urge Odysseus to participate in the games so much?
           Once again Laodamas' people are very proud. Laodamas saw that Odysseus was very athletic and wished to best him to gain honor.
           Why did Odysseus ask for the bard to play the song about Troy? What does this say about Odysseus?
           Odysseus asked for the song because the battle still rages in his mind. He cannot run away from Troy, yet he cannot come and face it. He ends up crying as a direct result of this. Writer seemed on point, strangely he decided to make three posts instead of one big one.

Jarret S. response for part 2,3

          Why do you believe Homer puts such a strong emphasis on how beautiful Phaeacia and King Alcinous's palace is?
           Homer wishes to have the reader been drawn back with the awe of the mystic, wonderful palace. This description helps add to the creative writing and interacts with the reader.
           Do you think that the King and Queen would still have given Odysseus safe passage home if the story he told them didn't have so many hardships in it?
          Good question, raises equality issues, would we feed a homeless man that was hungry or would we feed someone we know. Sometimes certain people exaggerate what feats they have or haven't done, but body language never lies. I believe the King and Queen would not have given Odysseus safe passage if he did not tell his whole story.

Book 7 response

          Everything seems to go so smoothly for Odysseus when he reaches the Kingdom, do you think if he had not ran into nausicaa and had her tell him what to do he would have still easily been given refuge and safe passage home by king alcinous?  
          If Odysseus played his cards right I believe the king would have believed his stranger a god and would have given him safe passage home. Though i'm not sure if the gods put it in the kings mind that he was entertaining a god. Captians perspective has grammer errors but is also short and brief.

Christmas tree and toys

          Richard Le Gallienne once said, "Be it whim or emergency, the modern laboratory is equally at the service of romance, equally ready to gratify mankind with a torpedo or a toy." the short story, "A Dolls House" is a perfect example of this. Nora is a toy, no different than a Christmas tree, just a possession, nothing more. Nora's own husband calls her "it" never giving her proper respect.
          A Christmas tree, festive, fun to look at, something no one takes seriously. As with Nora both are just treated as toys never taken seriously. Never being taken seriously takes it's toll on Nora who amasses a great amount of debt. It seem silly to compare a human being with a Christmas tree but it's true their the same, just a toy nothing more nothing less in her husband's eyes. .

Honesty vs Integrity

          Spencer Johnson once said, “Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people." In the short story, "A Doll's House," Nora the main character at first has neither. However throughout the piece she changes her thought process and at the end faces her fears. 

          Even now hundreds of years after "A Doll's House" was written Nora's troubles have never been more alive. Legends such as John Wooden swear by this advice. Often we tell ourselves that we are giving our best when in reality we have a little bit more in the tank that we could give. At the end of the story Nora 'cowboys up' and has enough Integrity to confront her fears by confronting her husband and gains honesty, perhaps the most important virtue. 

   

Light

          Martin Luther King Jr. once said that, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” In the short story, “A Doll’s House,” this has never been truer. A big symbol in the short story is the candle which reflects the light symbolizing truth. But in the stage directions the outdoors are completely dark just the candle lets Nora go about her daily chores.

          Many times today people try to ‘fight fire with fire’ desperately trying to pound something into another’s head, school being a perfect example. Nora simply attempts to ignore the bleeding issue at hand, her debt. If she tells her husband, she may be divorced, or maybe just maybe by trying walk on a different path she may save her marriage and her sanity.  

Finance

“To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest” unknown author. Ask practically any relevant billionaire nowadays how they got his money; the outstanding majority will all say one thing: the determination to do and go places where others wouldn’t. In, “A Doll’s House”, by Henrik Ibsen Nora ends up with a broken marriage because she was too afraid to persevere.

          As one of the greatest American inventors Thomas Alva Edison once said, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” These words were never truer than with Nora and her big-time husband, Torvald. Nora is so terrified of what Torvald might whisper that it cripples her and causes her to live in fear, and eventually that fear causes divorce. Today the number one reason for divorce is finance and it is clear that if everyone just had to guts to tell their spouses about money there would be a lot less divorces.