Homer's Odyssey and Dr. Seuss’ You're Only Old Once Essay

In the article entitled, “This Old Man” Roger Angell shows readers the struggle of a man growing old. Throughout the article, the 93 year old man displays all the struggles he has faced. Angell is trying to illustrate to readers that growing old is not all fun and games. It comes with saddness, heart-break, goodbyes, and many other sad things. Another struggle that is depited throughout the auricle is that young people tend not to listen to elderly people. He feels that elderly people in a way become invisible. Angell states, “when I mention the phenomenon to anyone around my age, I get back nods and smiles. Yes, we're invisible. Honored, respected, even loved, but not quite worth listening to anymore” (Angell 17). From his life experiences

In reading the first four books of "The Odyssey" we see a lot of different struggles going on but once we focus on Telemachus we begin to capture a more metal picture of this main character. Odysseus's son, Telemachus has lost his father, suitors are pursuing his mother, and he is learning how to grow up without the legendary guidance of his great father. Telemachus appears to be a young, lost boy who is trapped in a world that he has no control over. Feelings of being left behind and not getting the recognition he so rightfully deserves to take over the throne, Telemachus will set out on a journey to find the answers he needs.

I have always admired the senior citizens who are wondering how they have passed such long journeys of their lives. They not only have accomplished achievements, but also have done memorable works that deserve admiration, respect, and priority in today’s society. These old people may look incompetent and unexciting in somebody’s eyes and thoughts, but not everyone realizes that they are the people with greatest knowledge and experiences beyond their masters of life. From my own experience, whenever I see an old mister or mistress looking for help or in need of help, I can never ignore him or

A hero isn’t shaped by his strengths but by the values he possesses. Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, reveals the moral and ethical constitution of the ancient Greeks. Over time, certain cultures have grown to value a number of human characteristics. Those who acquire such values become respected heroes. After the fall of Troy, the protagonist of the epic, Odysseus, set sail for his home, Ithaca, where his faithful wife and son were waiting for him. Over the course of his journey, Odysseus faced some of the most ferocious opponents known to the Greeks. Even through this formidable journey, Odysseus and his family have stayed true to the diverse aspects of the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey exemplifies the human ideals of hospitality, loyalty and

The relationship we have with our elders is one of the most important relationships we can have. We can learn a great deal about life from elders who have already experienced some of what we’re going through. Rudolfo Anaya, the author of the essay “A Celebration of Grandfathers”, warns that part of humanity will be lessened if we don’t have close relationships with the elderly, and this phrase holds a lot of meaning. The amount that the elderly can teach us not just about life, but about challenges we will face, is incomparable. We learn morals, manners, and life lessons that will stick with us until we ourselves become elderly. Humanity will lessen if we lose our relationship with the elderly in the sense that we have lost the connection to

    Long-tried royal Odysseus is tested for devotion and trust through the absence of his loved ones. His character can be seen through the actions and voice of his very own son Telemachus. Since Telemachus and Odysseus have been away from each other

The monsters of Homer’s The Odyssey as written by Robert Fitzgerald all share traits in common, but there is always the small differences which make each close encounter more gripping than the last. When the not-so-glorious Odysseus, son of Laertes just manages to elude the cannibalistic clutches of the blinded Kyklops (IX) and takes to the high seas, he becomes arrogant and taunts his nemesis. He does not realize this, but the very words he uttered then sets the holy executioner upon the necks of his crew. Every island he passes or makes port at, his men become feasts for native monsters; however upon the beautiful island of Aiolia his men are not eaten, nor do they die at the hands of any mortal or immortal foe. What is so significant

During, Homer’s, The Odyssey many strengths were tested throughout the entire book. This book was a mythological Greek folk tale that was created between the eleventh and eighth century B.C, therefore it is filled with many exaggerated stories about the Gods and treacherous adventures Odysseus had ventured on. He encounters a cyclops and after battles a six-headed monster. His crew discovers their talent for making mistakes such as being turned into pigs by Circe and letting strong winds out of the bag sending them farther from home. Odysseus experiences battles with his emotional stamina as well. His depression about his travels are shown through his lamentation on Calypsos’ island and his will power to discover the loyalty of his house mates is tested by Odysseus disguising himself as a beggar in his own home. Throughout, Homer’s, The Odyssey perseverance holds significance emotionally, physically, and mentally when enduring the battles and setbacks he experiences.

"Are the old real human beings? Judging by the way our society treats them, the question is open to doubt. Since it denies them what they conceive the necessary minimum, and since it deliberately condemns them to the utmost poverty, to the slums, to ill health, loneliness and despair, it affirms that they hold neither the same needs nor the same rights as other members of the community. In order to soothe its conscience, our society's ideologists have invented a certain number of myths - myths that contradict one another, by the way - which induce those in the prime of life to see the aged not as fellow beings but as another kind of being altogether" (Perrin, & Polowy 2008).

Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, starts off in the book The Odyssey by Homer as an inexperienced, scared young boy due to the lack of presence of a father figure in his life. After many tough experiences, Telemachus develops into a strong, courageous young man. Athena is the most important character who influenced the growth of Telemachus among many other individuals in the book. She helps Telemachus by teaching him, encouraging him, and also enlightening him of what to do. The powerful goddess with “flashing sea-gray eyes” (Homer 2.476), Athena, has had the greatest influence on Telemachus’ growth.

“Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.” – Anonymous (Thinkexist.com). Maturity is a key theme during the journeys of Telemachus and Odysseus. In Homer’s Odyssey the journeys of Telemachus and Odysseus have many similarities and differences such as their common goal and the lessons they learn; and only by overcoming these obstacles are they able to become emotionally stronger and find success in Ithaca.

The conclusion made by the authors is that society’s treatment of ageism should become “prime research topic across multiple social sciences”. They also

Through his journey to Pylos and Sparta, Telemachus, who was born into a very privileged and high ranking family, learns how to use his inherited social status and connections for his own interests, which will help him mature into manhood. Telemachus was never old enough to remember what it was like when his father was around. Since Odysseus left, he has lived with his mom and nurse. However, for three years, he has been overwhelmed by suitors, who have taken over his house. Odysseus was never able to show Telemachus how to stand up for himself. Telemachus has been less than passive when going about doing things to get what he wants. When Athena comes and tells him that his father is going to come home, he realizes he has been ignoring what he knows is wrong, such as the suitors throwing parties every night, and that he needs to stop them. He doesn’t have any idea of how he is going to find his father when Athena comes, but he along his way finds that he has many resources and connections at hand that will allow him to find out what happened to his dad. Athena, disguised as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus, encourages Telemachus to talk to Nestor. "Telemachus, no more shyness, this is not the time!/ We sailed the seas for this, for news of your father —// So go right up to Nestor...// Press him yourself to tell the whole truth:/ he'll never lie — the man is far too wise"(3.16-22) Here, Athena is encouraging Telemachus to be assertive, to get what the needs to know to find his father. Telemachus responds, "How can I greet him, Mentor, even approach the king?/ I'm hardly adept at subtle conversation./ Someone my age might feel shy, what's more,/ interrogating an older man."/ (3.23-27) He is intimidated. The irony is that he himself is of the higher class, and if Odysseus had been home, he would be accustomed to these interactions. This is Odysseus learning that he has high social status and can enjoy the privileges he was born with, such as being able to talk to the king. While there, Telemachus learns of the fate of the family of Agamemnon. Agamemnon came home to find his wife in love with Aegisthus, and together they kill him. Orestes, one of Agamemnon’s sons, avenges his father’s murder and kills

Another supporter of changing the way aging is conveyed is author, Margaret Cruiksbank, of the book, Learning to be Old. In her book she is a proponent of changing the way the aging process is described. Her position is that the underlying meaning of popular terms to describe aging weakens its value. She denotes that the term “successful aging” is a false phrase for the elderly as it “masks both the wish to continue mid-life indefinitely and the white, Middle-class, Western values of researchers, causing them to emphasize productivity, effectiveness and independence” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2). She also concludes that the term “productive” aging symbolizes “economic usefulness and social conformity” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2), especially for the female gender. More importantly, these terms can be used to measure. This ability to measure is subjective to the questioner and an individual’s self-worth. She suggests the term “aging comfortably” as it signifies easiness, and a “faint hint” of pleasurable self-indulgence which may not have been possible in younger years (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 3).

Drawing on their own experiences and the wisdom of older tutors, they reason that the elder years can be a period of aging and collect as opposed to stagnation and gloom. Their art includes surely understood individuals, for example, feminist Betty Friedan and potter Beatrice Wood, and in addition companions, neighbors, relatives and themselves (Alice and Richard, 2009). Both artists discover a wellspring of inventiveness in the older nude body. This plentifully represented book contains an abundance of motivation, particularly for those going to enter their later years (Alice and Richard, 2009). In this way, both artists have presented the factor of aging in a positive way. The difference of facts about aging in my analysis and the analysis presented by artists in video is that both artists have explored the different positive aspects of being an old in regard of physical, psychological and mental characteristics which appears at old age. Most of TV ads and magazine represent the fact of aging in somewhat negative way. This is the main difference of representing the factor of aging.