Theme Projects 2016 discussion

The Odyssey by Homer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am currently reading The Odyssey for my reading partnership. (view spoiler)My theme is that all things change and end, and that whatever you have now, you might not have in the future. (view spoiler)

The poem that I chose is Robert Frost’s Reluctance because I think it relates to my theme quite well. The first verse describes the paths he had walked, and the experiences that he had gone through. Now, these paths are behind him, his only keepsake his memory. I think that it relates to my theme about how nothing lasts, and that whatever you have now, you might not have in the future. This poem’s first verse talks about how much they went through and experienced, yet at the end, it ends. This is parallel to my theme that things will not last, and will end eventually. However, I also think that this verse talks about how he went full circle, and returned to where he started. He traveled far and saw much, but in the end, he still returned home.

The second and third verses give the impression of loss and loneliness. I think that the the second verse is a good example of my theme. The oak is keeping it’s leaves for now, but they will eventually fall down all alone, when everything else is gone. I think that the author used the mention of snow towards the end of verse two in order to give a sense of lifelessness and emptiness. This connects to my theme because even though the leaves the oak kept is still there, they will fall eventually.

I think that the third verse really impresses the image of desolation and sadness. I think that the author uses the dead leaves, withered witch-hazel, and the loss of the lone aster to describe the feeling of sadness and solitude. The snow in the second verse gives the idea that it is winter, which is supported by the other phrases such as the witch-hazel withering. This has to do with my theme because it used to be summer, and everything was alive and abundant. Yet as seasons turn and time passes, summer turns to winter, and everything that was full of life and energy became lifeless and cold as winter came. This relates to my theme because even though everything was lively during the summer, it still ended when winter came.

The end of verse three is about his soul longing for adventure or a sense of not being fully fulfilled in his life. But his body is already tired from his life and doesn’t want or know where to go. The heart is still youthful and wandering, yet his body is weighed down by time. (view spoiler)

In the last and final verse, it talks about the stubbornness of man, and how we always try to create our own path and manipulate our own destiny. Similar to my theme, no matter how much we try to control our fate, some things are going to happen and is unable to be influenced by us. We try to keep everything in order, instead of “going with the drift of things”. We let our emotions and ambitions rule us, instead of “yielding with a grace to reason”. (view spoiler)

The poem ends with view that really contains my theme. Instead of fighting our fate, just go with the flow and accept whatever change comes. With loss comes opportunity, and accepting that things change will keep your mind open to new opportunities. The book deals a lot with end and loss. (view spoiler)

I feel that this poem is very interesting and also relates to my theme. It represents the sadder and lonelier parts of life that people are afraid of. When winter comes, things are cold and lifeless, but spring brings new life. Things change for good or bad, and there is not much we can do about it.



Out through the fields and the woods

And over the walls I have wended;

I have climbed the hills of view

And looked at the world and descended;

I have come by the highway home,

And lo, it is ended.

The leaves are all dead on the ground,

Save those that the oak is keeping

To ravel them one by one

And let them go scraping and creeping

Out over the crusted snow,

When others are sleeping.

And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,

No longer blown hither and thither;

The last lone aster is gone;

The flowers of the witch-hazel wither;

The heart is still aching to seek,

But the feet question ‘Whither?’

Ah, when to the heart of man

Was it ever less than a treason

To go with the drift of things,

To yield with a grace to reason,

And bow and accept the end

Of a love or a season?




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I like how many levels you were able to connect the poem with your theme on. Something to consider next time is maybe post it in a review, so that you can see what the spoilers are about. In here, you can't click on it so I wasn't able to read the entire thing.

I liked how you explained each verse of the poem and with your opinion

I wonder if you agree to this theme

Have you considered expressing your own opinions on this theme?

I really like the comparisons between the poem and the book.

I really like how you described every single part of the poem. I also really like the comparisons that you made :D

Each verse's explanation & how it connects to the book really helped us understand the poem & the theme better. There was thorough explanation, and pulling content strait out of the poem helped add evidence to your claim & argument.