Transcript 1.7 activity

Epic

A long narrative about the deeds of
heroes or gods.
Connotation

An idea or quality that a word makes
you think about, in addition to its
meaning.
Before Reading Questions
1.
What does initiation mean? How have
you heard it used? What is the
connotation?

One definition of initiation is the act of
starting something or the beginning of
something

The word initiation connotes the beginning
stages of something (the hero’s journey).
Before Reading Questions
2. Why would Joseph Campbell use
initiation to label the middle stage of the
Hero’s Journey?

In this case, the initiation refers to the
period of the journey in which the hero is
beginning to be tested for his worthiness or
fitness as a hero.
Before Reading Questions
3. Mythical heroes are archetypal characters.
What are some characteristics of these
characters?
 Mental
○ clever, quick-witted, strong, positive, decisive,
resourceful
 Physical
○ agile, quick, strong
Before Reading Questions
4. What type of conflicts do these
characters typically face?
 Heroes must out-wit monsters or natural
forces that threaten to physically overwhelm
them.
The Odyssey

One of many events or challenges that
Odysseus faces on the Road of Trials.

Take a look at each subheading. What
point of view is the story told in?
During Reading Questions
5. As you read an excerpt from the Odyssey, use
the chart below to make observations and
inferences about Odysseus’s character:
 analyze his appearance, words, actions,
thought, and feelings, and others’ reactions
(characterization).
 Mark the textual evidence and annotate the
text in the margins to record your analysis.
 Take notes on his physical and mental
challenges as they occur.
Key Idea & Details
6. How does the setting prepare the reader
for a conflict with Phyphemus, the
Cyclops?
 The setting establishes that Polyphemus is a
monster and an outsider: “ giant,” “lived in
lawless solitude,” “born a monster,” and lives
in a cave.
Key Idea & Details
7. What does the following quote reveal about
Odysseus’s character? “But I would not listen
though it would have been best, wishing to see
the giant himself, and test his hospitality. When
did he appear he proved no joy to my men?”
 Odysseus admits that his judgment was poor; he
takes responsibility for the harm done to his men.
Key Idea & Details
8. Based on the words and actions of the
Cyclops, how would you describe his
character and his perspective?
 The Cyclops sees himself as superior to the
gods and is monstrous in his eagerness to
eat the strangers.
Key Idea & Details
9. Analyze Odysseus’s thoughts. What does the
reflection below reveal about his character?
“His words were designed to fool men, but failed. I
was too wise for that, and answered him with
cunning words”
 Odysseus is smart and self-confident. He understand
that the Cyclops may attack his ship and so answers
with a lie.
Key Idea & Details
10. Which visual techniques would you use to
capture this event? How could you visually
represent the descriptive and figurative imagery?

HA, LA, LS, CU, ECU, etc.

Example: HA depicts the weakness for the
Cyclops compared to Odysseus.
Key Idea & Details
11. Highlight the verbs used in the blinding
of the Cyclops. What effect do these
verbs have on the pacing of the event?
 Verbs: thrust, glowing, twisted, poured out,
scorched, burning, crackled, hissing.
 The effect of these words is to speed up the
action and the intensity of it.
Key Idea & Details
12. What does this dialogue reveal about
the character of the Cyclops?
 The Cyclops is self-pitying; he has no
remorse; he wants revenge; he loves his
sheep.
Key Idea & Details
13. The adventure on the “Road of Trials”
concludes with Odysseus having the last
word of dialogue. Is this an effective way to
end? Why or why not?
 The hero is able to show the superiority of himself
and his men who are supported by the gods
against monsters like the Cyclops.
After Reading Questions
14. Which step in the Initiation stage would best
describe these chapters from The Odyssey?
 These chapters/book 9 represent one incident in
the Road of Trials.
After Reading Questions
15. Analyze the structure of the narrative. Map out
the sequence of events. What is the turning point
for Odysseus and his men?
 Odysseus prepares the meet the Cyclops; Odysseus
and his men are trapped in the cave.
 Rather than offering hospitality, the monster eats two of
his men.
 After he eats two more men, the next morning
Odysseus devices a plan to poke out his eye.
 Odysseus gets the Cyclops drunk, and then the men
poke a burning stick into the monsters eye, blinding him.
 The turning point comes when Polyphemus tries to
get help from his fellow Cyclops, but, because he is
tricked into using the word “nobody,” his fellow
monsters do not believe he has been attacked.
 The next day, the remaining men and Odysseus
escape by riding under and in between sheep as they
leave the case for their pasture.
After Reading Questions
16. Analyze the transitions used in the
storytelling. How does the author use
transitions to convey sequence and
signal shifts?
 The story includes transitions of time, such
as “As soon as rosy-fingered Dawn
appeared […]” “At this time […]” and “He
returned at evening […]”
 Any others?
After Reading Questions
17. What is the mood of this adventure?
How does the author create mood?
 The mood represents outrage, disgust,
terror, and fear.
 The author creates these moods by
describing events and the characters’
reactions to these events.
The Road of Trials

Review: What is the Road of Trials?

The story develops the rising action as
the hero faces a series of challenges
that become increasingly difficult as the
story unfolds.
18.) Check your understanding
Think about the hero you created in the
pervious activity.
 What might the hero experience in the
Initiation Stage of his/her journey?

Draft an event using your understanding
of the Road of Trials to guide your
structure and development.
Be sure to:

Use narrative techniques such as dialog,
pacing, and description to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use detail, dialog, and imagery to create the
mood.

Sequence the event logically and use
transitions to connect ideas.
Exit Ticket!
On a note card please answer the
following:
 Based on the definition of initiation, why is
the middle of the Hero’s Journey the
Initiation Stage?

Check the scale on your desk, write a
1,2,3, or 4 on the note card, and place it
in the exit ticket folder.
During Reading Questions
5. As you read an excerpt from the Odyssey, use
the chart below to make observations and
inferences about Odysseus’s character:
 analyze his appearance, words, actions,
thought, and feelings, and others’ reactions
(characterization).
 Mark the textual evidence and annotate the
text in the margins to record your analysis.
 Take notes on his physical and mental
challenges as they occur.
Characterization

Is the process by which the writer
reveals the personality of a character.

It is revealed through direct and indirect
characterization.
Direct Characterization

Tells the audience what the personality of the
character is.

Example
 “The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered
and did not disobey their mother.”

Directly tells you the personality of the children.
 Boy=patient
 Girl=quiet
Indirect Characterization

shows things that reveal the personality of the
character.

There are 5 different methods…
Remember STEAL
Type
Explanation
Speech
What does the character say? How does the character
speak?
Thoughts
What is revealed through the character’s private
thoughts and feelings?
Effect on
others
toward the
character
What is revealed through the character’s effect on other
people? How do others 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?
The analysis answers the questions of, “What are some of
Odysseus’s character traits that are revealed?”
Characterization of Odysseus

Appearance (looks)
 There is no mention of his appearance.
 It is implied that he is very strong.

Actions (same in STEAL)
 Makes most of his men wait on the ship but takes the
12 best.
 He confronts the Cyclops.
 Creates the stake and drives into the Cyclops’s eye.
 Comes up with the plan to escape by using the sheep.
Characterization Continued

Words (Speech in STEAL)
 Speaks with the Cyclops and tries to rationalize with
him first before harming him.
 Tells the Cyclops “Nobody,” is his name so that
when the Cyclops is hurt, he tells his friends that
“Nobody,” hurt him.

Thoughts/Feelings (same in STEAL)
 Odysseus is outrages that the giant would deny him
and his men hospitality and actually harm them.
 He plans and carries out revenge.
Characterization Continued

Others’ Reactions (Effect toward others)
 Little evidence of others’ reactions except
that his men follow him without question.