Tory’s Comments (group member since Aug 29, 2011)

Tory’s comments from the 2012 - Ms. Richardson L.A. group.

Odyessus embraces the archetypical hero’s journey. Odyessus starts out in the mundane world with the goddess Calypso. His world is mundane because Odyessus is unsatisfied although he is staying in a beautiful world, a place fit for a goddess. Even Hermes notices this beauty when he is sent to deliver a message to Calypso from the gods. Odyessus wishes to return to his family and home land. All day Odyessus longs for his mortal wife. In reality this can teach the lesson those moments in one’s life where that individual will be unsatisfied and one must leave to find what fulfills one’s life. This suggests that in order for one to be a hero an adventure must be calling for an individual, that a hero must espier and want more.
Odyessus is both called to adventure and leaves for the adventure. When Hermes is sent by the gods to deliver a message to Calypso that she needs to let Odyessus go that is when Odyessus is called to the adventure. This is because after Hermes delivers the message, Calypso obeys and helps Odyessus build a boat that ha can sale on to get home. Odysseus leaves for the adventure because although Calypso is told by the gods to let Odyessus free Calypso asks Odyessus if he would like to leave or stay and he leaves. In reality this can teach that at times one must leave in order to find what makes that individual happy. But this does not caution one in anyway.
Odyessus crosses the threshold when he wants to go home to his family. This is crossing the threshold because when one crosses the threshold into man hood it is as if there is no going back. Odyessus does not want to be in war anymore or voyage the sea, but be home with his family. In reality the message that can be taken from this is that ounce an individual leaves something behind it may be difficult to return to it. This also shows that in order to be a hero one must grow and mature from the time and lessons that individual faces. The warnings that come from this is that before you except the call to adventure one must consider what is to be left behind and what is to lay ahead and make the best choice because there one may not be able to return.
During the path of trials Odyessus comes upon the Cyclopes a brute violent beast. While facing this trail Odyessus obtains no new friends, this is because Odyessus only obtained a new enemy, the Cyclopes. In a sense Odyessus does have new mentors because Odysseus’s men give him the advice to just take the sheep and leave, but Odyessus ignores his men. The challenge that Odyessus must face is escaping from the Cyclopes before himself and the rest of his men are brained and eaten by the Cyclopes. Odyessus handles this challenge by stabbing the Cyclopes in the eye and blinding him. Then in the morning when the Cyclopes lets the sheep out Odyessus and his men hide under the sheep in order to escape the cave. Odyessus and his men only ended up in the cave and several of Odysseus men eaten because of Odysseus being hubris. Odyessus felt the need to prove to himself and his men that he was the best. The Cyclopes represents that thing in reality that is bigger than one’s self, that thing that every individual must overcome. This is because the Cyclopes is bigger than Odyessus and Odyessus feels he must overcome the Cyclopes, to humiliate the Cyclopes. This teaches that when facing a challenge one must go into the challenge with humility, because hubris puts not only themselves but others in danger. This cautions one not to be hubris but to have confidence and humility. Odyessus gains no new skills from overcoming the Cyclops, Odyessus uses the skills he had gained over the other challenges Odyessus has overcome. Odyessus does obtain new knowledge; Odyessus learns that hubris gets his men killed. Also that the Cyclopes are bigger than him and Odyessus cannot always use strength to fight his enemies but knowledge as well.
Odyessus is the master of two worlds because ounce he returns home Odyessus is reunited with his son and wife. This is only after being disguised as a beggar and seeing all of the damage the men have done to Odysseus’s wife and servants. Odyessus kills all of the men that have defiled his house. Odyessus does this by asking for his bow when all of the men are going to attempt to string Odysseus’s bow in exchange for Odysseus’s wife. After Odyessus returns to Penelope in Odysseus’s young form he makes Penelope believe that he is Odyessus. Odyessus does this by observing the missing piece to the bed Odyessus made for him and Penelope. Penelope had removed this piece to know when Odyessus returned only Odyessus would notice the missing piece. Odyessus and Penelope live happily ever after. The lesson one can learn from this is that if an individual has enough passion for something one must fight for it and never stray or allow anything to come into the way of obtaining what drives that individual forward. To never give up because persistency and resilience is what will get one what that individual wants.

"We have not to even risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us." This can be presumed to mean that, the battles that are face others have faced as well. That all of the heroes and people who will be remembered have faced the same path or a path similar as another. It can also mean that although a person may think they are the only one that have faced such high barriers and fought threw them, they are not. I agree that not one person has faced a challenge that another has not. Although every human in different from each other, all of humanity must overcome predicaments. "The labyrinth is thoroughly known." This sentence means that the journey one is about to take has not only taken by that person, but others have too. There for creating it to be known by many and one has to face a journey that no one has faced before. It can be agreed that this is true because a person never has to face anything another has not. This is because if not a majority than at least one other individual has experienced the same situation. "We have only to fallow the thread of the hero path." When Joseph Cambelle wrote this he meant that an individual has only begun to face the things that the great have. It also means that average people and people who are more remembered may also proceed to come upon the same battles in life. Just because one person has more on their plate does not mean that they will not fall upon the same battles as each other. It is possible to agree with this because even though some may seem to have it all everyone is still human there for providing every individual
"And where we have thought to have found an abomination, we shall find god." This means that when a person expects to face the worst, they will find a gift there. Every problem a person shall face will come with a lesson as well. A person can learn for that and it will be gifts that will benefits there life. This is true because in some cases a person does not knowledge the greater things until they are faced with a challenge."And where we have thought to slay another we shall slay ourselves." When a person attempts to tear another down it can be for multiple reasons, but it can be assumed that what they say about that person is really what they think of themselves. One may point attention on another to pull it away from their self’s. When a person brings down another they are truly bringing down themselves. "Where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence." This means that when an individual finds that they are losing their self’s, they will truly find who they are and what they are meant for. A person will find their place in this world. This can be true because when an individual is faced with challenges it can show them who they are. “And where we have thought to be alone, we shall be with the entire world.” What Joseph Cambelle meant was that no one person is ever alone. And when an individual expects to be abandoned plenty of people are there to support that individual. All a person has to do is ask for help and they shall receive it. This is almost as if it is saying to have faith in other people along with humanity.
This quote relates to mythology because in myths this is all true. Hero’s appear to always start off finding themselves alone, not realizing all of the help around them. Also the path they are about to fallow has already been taken or attempted to be taken. Myths are created to provide reasoning for things that are hard to understand. Such as death, or where one belongs in this world. Myths give people peace of mind about the things that scare them. Myths also give humanity a sense of wrong of right. This quote sums up many myths there for connecting it reality.

Much of what Dickens writes can be used for self-reflection. One can reflect by acknowledging what actions they have or have not done which will contribute to their fate. Which accumulates the question, has a person been selfish and ignorant, or selfless and kind? Dickens writes “we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”(pg1) One may reflect on themselves from the characters of A Tale of Two Cities. Such as Madame Defarge whose thirst for justice blinds soon blinds her with revenge for the death of her sister that was defiled by an Evermonde. When revenge takes control of her there are no limits and she will never find justice. It even comes to the act of wanting to murder lucies child, an innocent five year old. One might look at themselves threw lucie, a kind loving nurturing woman who is capable of forgiveness, such a character that can see past anyone’s faults. May one even find themselves in the place of Sydney carton, an alcoholic who seeks to redeem himself and does so by taking Charles Draney’s place in death. Dickens writes of unjust acts, violence, and starvation. What type of Character must one possess to be going direct to heaven? How may one redeem themselves?
A Tale of Two Cities is relevant to a modern audience because Dickens novel can be used to reflect on oneself threw the characters. Though how does one put value on their own life? If a person is not proud of what actions they have preceded with then what may they do to gain redemption? “Remember these words to-marrow: change the course, or delay in it-for any reason- and no life can possibly be saved, and many lives must inevitably be sacrificed.” (pg268) Sydney Carton was almost specking of himself in this quote. He thought that in order to regain himself he would stand in line awaiting death for Charles Draney. He felt that Darney was of more value than himself and that the happiness of those he cared for relied on his life. A person in the modern day may find themselves reflecting on Sydney Carton ifs they have made choices they are not so proud of.
Madame Defarge is a ruthless woman who starts of fighting for justice, but threw out the novel her actions become more extreme. She was seeking justice and the blood of ever Evermonde would still not be enough to easy her burning vengeance. Even though Madame Defarge was seeking justice she gave none to anyone else. “Much influence around him, has that doctor? Murdered Madame Defarge, smiling to The Vengeance. Save him now my doctor, save him!” (pg285) Charles Darney had renounced his title but Madame Defarge was ignorant to that and wished for his death anyways. A modern reader can reflect upon this by determining whether their actions are justified or if they are being cruel with their actions. When Dickens wrote the novel he wrote it one hundred years after the French revolution. He wrote it so people can reflect on their actions. Even today and another one hundred years from now the novel will relate to a modern day in this way.

In the Mocking Jay, the third book of the Hunger Games seriese, President Coin embrasses the villan arhetype. The villan archetype patterns are lacking mortality,driven by selfish motives, destructive,an alluring quality, and can be scarry and disfigured. President Coin is driven by her selfish motives of power and revenge. She hurts and desvese anyone and everyone to get what she desires most.
President Coin deseved Katniss in order to get her to become their Mokcing Jay, the symbol of freedom.Coin makes her believe that the war is for the freedom of the districts from the Capitol. But really she just wants the power. Katniss relaizes this after her discussion witht the improsion Snow. "My failure, says snow, Was being so slow to grasp Coin's plan. To let the capitol and districts destory one another, and than to step in to take power with thirteen barley scrathed. make no mistake, she was intending to take my place right from the begining. I shouldnt be surprized. After all, it was Thirteen that started the rebellion that led to the dark days, and than abanonded the rest of the districts when the tide turned aginsit it. But i wsnt watching Coin. I was watching you, Mocking Jay. And you were watching me. Im afraid we bothh have been played for fools." (pg357) Snow wasnt lying becuase in the end all of the evidence points to Coin. After all with the Capitol down and the districts only Thirteen would have plains to drop parachute bombs. Coin killed Prim not snow. "Trying to shout her name above the roar.Im almost there, almost to the barricade, when i think she hears me. Becuase for just a momment she catches sight of me, her lips forming my name. And thats when the rest of the parachutes go off." (pg.347) Only one person could allow someone as younge as Prim to go out into the front line and attempt to help the wounded, Coin.
Coin holds the villan archetype becuase she is selfishly motivated to be the tyrant. She kills cold bloodidly to become the President. She doesnt feel remorsful what so ever that she killed innocent children in an explosien, encluding Prim. Coin had the whole thing planned inorder for her to with hold all the power. SHe even threatens Katiss to keep her as the perfect Mockingjay.
When Coin annonces Katniss terms to becoming their mockingjay she threatns her, using the tourtured innocents she asked for immunty for against her. "It fallows that any deviance from her misson, in either motivive or deed, will be veiwed as a break in this agreement. The immunity would be terminated and the fate of the four victors determined by the law of District Thirteen. As would her own. Thankyou.- in olther words, I step out of line and were all dead"(pg.58) Coin hoped that Katniss's record for being difiant would allow her to be killed as well as the other tribunes that were took by the capital. Ounce that plan failed she sent a high jacked peeta out to fight in the Capital expecting the blood thirst need that was tourtured into him to kill Katniss. "It wount matter, Peeta tells the rest of us. the president assigned me herself.She decided the propos needed some heating up.- maybe they do. butt if coin sent peeta here, shes decided something else as well. That im of more use to her dead than alive. (pg.261) Coin knew that she would be a threat to her ounce she was in power, the mockingjay had to be killed.
Coin selfishly saw their mockingjay as a threat,her being the villan knew if she didnt keep her word and creat change Katniss would over throw her. Ruining her dream of holding all the power. Ounce everything is put together there is no dening she only allowed hundreds to be killed, tourted, and starved, to gain power and look like a hero. Thats exactly why Katniss killed her instead of snow.