The Lotus Eaters Literary Analysis

Odysseus is tested for his loyalty by Calypso and his crew members, who are victimized by the lotus plant. The protagonist practically

There comes a point in one’s life when they must recognize the hardships placed upon them, and instead of being ignorant of those hardships, they must confront them head-on. In “Marigolds”, a short story by Eugenia Collier, the main protagonist, Lizabeth, encounters various struggles that come with living in a poor town in rural Maryland during the Depression, allowing her to learn more about growing up and accepting reality with all its flaws. Lizabeth is a 14-year-old girl who feels a conflict between her inner child and her inner woman, as she is unable to do anything that satisfies both sides of her. She feels too old to be a child, yet too young to be a

The next episode that Odysseus shows loyalty is on the Island of Lotus Eaters. Odysseus sends three of his men on the island, and they soon get addicted to the Lotus Eaters. Which this plant makes them lose memory, and lose hope

“One person's craziness is another person's reality.” – Tim Burton. We people have a tendency to live our life in suffer for the past because it’s terrifying to face the truth. Unaware that it affects our fellow human beings. Stephen King’s short story “The man who loved flowers” manages to blur the lines between normality and insanity while digging down in the fear of love.

Many of the challenges Odysseus faces in Homer’s epic were modernized in the film adaptation. One of the first trying scenarios that Odysseus and his crew face is their encounter with the Lotus-Eaters. This episode is made modern in O Brother, Where Art Thou? by replacing the relaxed, apathetic flower-eating race with an entranced congregation walking to the river to be baptized. These groups are similar in that they

Odysseus’ support to his crew through every situation and hardship, throughout The Odyssey, is one main sign that the Ancient Greeks valued loyalty. In the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus, “...drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, / tied them down under their rowing benches / and called the rest…”(9.48-50). Through this difficult situation, Odysseus is shown supporting his crew as their leader and keeping them on the right path by taking control of those who were possessed by the magic of Lotus plants. When his crew members struggled to stay on course, Odysseus was able to take responsibility by supporting and guiding them. Another event that showed this is Odysseus and his crew’s encounter with the sirens. According to the text, "Going forward / I carried wax along the line, and laid it / thick on their ears." (12.115-17). Here, Odysseus shows his support to his crew by contributing to protecting them from being hypnotized by the tempting sounds of the sirens by preparing wax to plug their ears with. Again, Odysseus and his crew know they will face the challenge of staying on course, and Odysseus takes these actions to support them and secure their safety. Odysseus’ support in both situations that put him and his crew in danger, reveal the Greeks’ value of

Out to sea again!’ My men were mutinous fools, on stores of wine … -while fugitives went inland running to call arms to the main forces of the Cicones.” Odysseus is wise enough to realize that the enemy would slaughter him and his men if they stayed. His wisdom is also evident when he landed on the where the Lotus-Eaters live. The Lotus-Eaters are people whose only concern is to eat an addicting plant called the lotus. If one happens to eat the lotus, one becomes obsessed with browsing on the lotus. Odysseus does not send the entire crew out to this land; he sends small party of men to explore the land. When they do not return, Odysseus realizes something detrimental to their journey is on the land.

Power and control plays a big role in the lives many. When power is used as a form of control, it leads to depression and misery in the relationship. This is proven through the themes and symbolism used in the stories Lesson before Dying, The fun they had, The strangers that came to town, and Dolls house through the median of three major unsuccessful relationship: racial tension between the African Americans and the caucasians in the novel Lesson before Dying, Doll’s House demonstrates a controlling relationship can be detrimental for both individuals and The Stranger That Came To Town along with The Fun They Had show that when an individual is suppressed by majority they become despondent.

Did you ever want to see the truth about everyone and understand what they mean? In the novel Tangerine by Edward Bloor the themes seeing and truth is expressed. "But I can see. I can see everything. I can see things that Mom and Dad can't. Or won't." These are Paul's words and they foreshadow what's to come. In other words, Paul’s parents are underestimating his eyesight and believe that Paul is only a handicap kid that needs assistance with everything. In addition to that Paul has an older brother named Erik, he’s the star of the show. Paul’s parents think of Erik as the golden child, but in reality Erik is a psychopath that wants to kill Paul, sadly only Paul sees Erik’s inner demon. All in all, Paul isn’t relevant in his family and his

In the section, “Lotus Eaters”, the Lotus Eaters are a peaceful group of people; however, the threat lies within their intent to keep Odysseus and his men from wanting to return home after feeding them hallucinogenic lotus flowers.

In the book Everything I Never Told You, there are many different elements and techniques used within the book. The technique that I want to go into more depth on is the use of symbolism. I specifically want to focus on the symbolism in regards to Lydia, Hannah, and Nath’s love of astronauts and space.

In past years, as well as, in the twenty-first century, African Americans are being oppressed and judged based on the color of their skin. In, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, this is the primary conflict that plagues Jefferson’s as well as Grant’s everyday life. By pleading guilty to a murder that he did not commit, Jefferson has to choose to die just as he is, a hog in the white’s eyes, or die a man. On the other hand, Grant, who is his teacher, is faced with being looked down upon by his community all because of his race and status. He is graced with the challenge of turning Jefferson into a man before his execution date. It is only a matter of time before they both realize that they cannot change the past and they have

Shortly after escaping the Cicones, the men are presented with another temptation, but their folly blinds them to the consequences of trying to escape from their present worries. Odysseus’ shipmates, unable to resist the temptation, ate the lotus and as a result forget about their journey home where their loved ones and community are waiting for them. They are tempted by the idea that they could stay there forever and never return home. Much like drug users, the Lotus-eaters and anyone who shared in their activity forgot their troubles and earthly concerns for the time being. As the men “grazed on lotus” their “memory of the journey home dissolved forever” (Od.9.109-10). The real temptation was the ability to detach from the world and forget their worries. Ultimately, if they had stayed, not only would life become a

For millions of immigrants, America has been seen as the land of opportunity where anyone could become anything he or she wanted to be. A family that believes strongly in the American dream can be found in Amy Tan’s short story, “Two Kinds.” The story centers around the daughter of a Chinese immigrant who desperately wants her daughter to become successful. In the story, the author shows the difficult lives immigrants face when moving to a new culture. In this short story, the theme shows the protagonist’s conflict with her mother on the type of daughter her mother wants her to be. The author establishes the theme of how difficult mother-daughter relationships can be through characterization, setting, and symbolism.

“To realize the American Dream, the most important thing to understand is that it belongs to everybody. It is a human dream. If you understand this and work very hard it is possible.” However it is not always guaranteed. A Raisin in The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a story about a family who continues to struggle while reaching towards The American Dream. The American Dream is described as “The ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” The Youngers are a hard-working family who all have different interpretations of the American Dream. Mama, Walter, and Beneatha’s shared powerful dreams that give the a look into The American Dream. Despite