The Odyssey Essay Assignment



The Odyssey Literary Analysis Essay

Name___________________________________________ Per____ Prompt Chosen_____ Due:________________________

Purpose, Definitions and Online Links:

• The purpose of this paper is to help you practice the skills of literary analysis and to teach you the Effect Statement technique for writing a Literary Analysis thesis.

• A Literary Analysis Essay A) introduces a debatable thesis on a particular feature of a literary text; then proceeds to B) explain and defend this thesis in the body of the paper by B1) clarifying key terms, B2) exploring supporting ideas and textual support; and finally C) synthesizing the argument in a conclusion that C1) reminds the audience of the thesis; C2) pulls together the supporting points from the body of the paper in a way that answers the question “So what?”; and C3) brings a sense of closure to the discussion.

• A thesis is a debatable point that functions as the central argument of the essay. The thesis points to the features of the text that the author will ANALYZE—not merely describe. The thesis for this assignment will consist of an Effect Statement (see THESIS REQUIREMENT below for more detail).

• To analyze, in this context, means to study a literary feature or features closely by:

o breaking it down into its components and/or

o exposing the underlying structure or assumptions involved…

o …in order to show how this feature functions in the literary text.

For this assignment, doing analysis also means:

o showing specifically how the feature arises in the text through supportive text references (text refs), and

o adopting an over-all Critical Strategy of analysis—i.e., a set of assumptions and practices—from either the school of Reader-Response Criticism or New Criticism (see below + attached handout for more details, or the links below).

• Online Help:

For more help on writing a Literary Analysis Essay:





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For more details about Reader-Response Criticism see:





For more details about New Criticism see the first link under Reader Response above, as well as:





NOTE: For ease of navigation, an electronic copy of these instructions is archived here:

Directions and Prompts: In the form of a well-supported, coherent Literary Analysis Essay, use the assumptions and practices of New Criticism or Reader-Response Criticism to address one of the prompts below. In addressing the prompt, students will need to organize their discussion around a central thesis modeled after the “Effect Statement” explained below in the THESIS REQUIREMENT.

A. One of the most important cultural values in The Odyssey is that of XENIA (loving care shown to strangers), a Greek concept encompassing the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home—or what we generally refer to as “hospitality.” How is hospitality established as a key value in the epic? Why might hospitality have held more significance in Homer’s time than it does in today’s world? (Your essay should answer both questions, beginning with a thesis

B. How does Homer use “divine intervention” to portray the relationship between gods and men in the Odyssey? What emotional or intellectual effects does this portrayal have on either ancient or modern readers of The Odyssey?

C. Why is Odysseus considered a heroic figure? Does the character of Odysseus portray the qualities of a hero that we find important in a hero today? Explain and reach a conclusion that incorporates your personal and cultural understanding of heroism.

D. Choose one major character from The Odyssey whose choices or behavior illustrates the theme of HUBRIS (excessive pride, self-confidence, disdainful and patronizing arrogance, or wonton violence—often resulting in fatal retribution). How does Homer use techniques of characterization to explore this theme?

E. Student-proposed prompt equivalent to those above based on a concisely-stated theme from The Odyssey

THESIS REQUIREMENT: Notice how the above four prompts all have a central idea, or theme, in bold. What follows is a basic formula—called an “Effect Statement”—that is often helpful for interpreting key passages of literature where such ideas or themes are revealed in the text. It’s also a great way to come up with a clear thesis for a Literary Analysis Essay where the assignment allows you to focus on one or more key passages. Remember: this is only one strategy for making sense of key passages of literature. It’s not a tool that’s applicable to all writing assignments about literature. Here it is: I (Idea/theme)+T (literary Technique)=E (emotional or intellectual Effect)

1. First, you need to find in The Odyssey a central IDEA or THEME the text develops, based on repeated patterns and/or key passages where crucial clues are revealed. You need to find EVIDENCE of this idea or theme by reading closely, by finding repeated patterns or crucial clues in key passages that develop the theme. NOTE: The idea/theme is given to you in the prompts for this assignment, so finding the idea is done, but you still need to hunt for evidence.

2. Second, by looking even closer at the key passages you’ve found that show thematic elements, try to discern what literary TECHNIQUE the author uses to convey this central idea or theme. Here’s where your “Literary Terms” handout, plus your reading journals, plus your in-class notes will come in handy. As you develop as a reader, you will also be able to rely on the annotations you take in the margins of your texts. See the note below ( [1] ) for sample literary techniques and online help. It’s a good idea to discuss with a colleague your initial sense of how the theme and technique work. Try to be as specific as possible when you write these down.

3. Third, once you work out the central theme and the technique which conveys it, you want to examine your own and other readers’ emotional and intellectual responses. So what? What emotional or intellectual EFFECT(S) does this theme and technique create for readers? (HINT: Don’t confuse Theme with Effect. Whereas the first two elements—theme and technique—are to be found IN the text, the Effect element is to be found in the way readers respond to the text. Keep in mind that sometimes you need to think long and hard about what this Effect element is.) Again, take time to be crystal clear about the wording of these elements—be concise and precise.

Sample Effect Statement: Through numerous tense situations involving [T] dramatic irony, Homer accentuates the [I] ideals of forethought and self-control in his heroic main characters Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope. [E] Modern readers might question whether his heroes could have survived such tension-filled tests of their virtue had they not had the help of Athena and other modes of divine intervention. (Perhaps this thesis ended an intro paragraph which opened with the question: “Were Odysseus, Telemachus and Penelope able to survive their various trials by virtue of their own forethought and self-control, or was their success more a matter of the insider information they received from Athena and other divine sources?”)

PAPER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Must be 2 pages minimum, 3 pages maximum.

2. Must be typed, double-spaced, 10-12 pt. font, with 1” margins (and no extra spaces between paragraphs!)

3. Must have a clear, well-constructed thesis statement modeled after the Effect Statement above.

4. Must contain one supporting quote from The Odyssey per body paragraph, along with other textual support.

5. Your response to the prompt must significantly incorporate insights from New Criticism OR Reader-Response Criticism on Homer’s craft of storytelling. The argument you present about the theme, techniques, and resulting effects must be clearly based on the assumptions and practices of either school. See the definitions below and the attached handout for guidance.

o New Critics treat a work of literature as if it were a self-contained, self-referential object. Rather than basing their interpretations of a text on the reader’s response, the author’s stated intentions, or parallels between the text and historical contexts (such as author’s life), New Critics perform a close reading, concentrating on the relationships within the text that give it its own distinctive character or form. New Critics emphasize that the structure of a work should not be divorced from meaning, viewing the two as constituting a quasi-organic unity. Special attention is paid to repetition, particularly of images or symbols, but also of sound effects and rhythms in poetry. New Critics especially appreciate the use of literary devices, such as irony, to achieve a balance or reconciliation between dissimilar, even conflicting, elements in a text.

o In general, the Reader-Response critic looks to ways in which a literary text affects the reader intellectually and emotionally. No longer is the reader the passive recipient of those ideas that an author has planted in a text. The act of reading is co-creative; meaning exists in the relationship between text and reader. Close reading is still an important activity; in this case the critic looks carefully at how the text stimulates the mind of the reader and shapes the reading experience. While readers are asked to closely examine their personal response to a text, they are also encouraged to relate their response to specific features of the text (i.e., literary techniques and other Elements of Fiction or Poetry) that produce the effects they experience. [TIP: The Tutorials @ VirtuaLit under both Fiction and Poetry might help you here—see links in the footnote below.]

STEPS TO PLAN AND DRAFT YOUR PAPER:

o 1. Choose your prompt (and theme), then look for key passages in The Odyssey where you find evidence of the THEME/IDEA. Record the page numbers and passages.

o 2. Next, try to discern what LITERARY TECHNIQUE the author uses to convey this central idea or theme. Ask: “How is this idea/theme conveyed? or What specifically is Homer doing in the craft of his writing to evoke this idea/theme?” Look at the list below or online, or consult your Socratic Seminar notes to nail down exactly which techniques stand out. Also, talk with your colleagues! Often, you need some feedback on articulating the specific technique Homer uses to get the theme across to readers.

o 3. Choose which kind of Critical Strategy you will use—either New Criticism OR Reader-Response Criticism. Follow the assumptions and practices of the strategy you’ve chosen (look at the attached handout plus the online guides). Make a list of things in the text to look for. Annotate the key passages where the idea/theme is revealed by specific techniques.

o 4. Gather and organize your evidence from the key passages. Brainstorm ways to group your findings.

o 5. Reflect on what the details of the text, as well as your own thoughts and feelings, might reveal. Begin brainstorming a thesis.

In drafting your thesis avoid, if possible, mechanical language like “the idea that” or “the effect of”; instead, just state it like in the above example. Also, avoid implying that there is only ONE possible effect or only ONE possible reader: “A reader will think this....” Strive to use precise and concise language.

o 6. Once you have a thesis and some organized evidence from key passages in the text, you can begin outlining:

Intro. Paragraph

o An eye-catching opening that BRIEFLY mentions enough context so your audience knows what important author, setting, situation, title, and character details that you will be discussing in this paper. EX: “What if you found yourself absolutely destitute—no shelter, no clothes, without food, lost—just like Odysseus in Book VI of Homer’s The Odyssey?”

o 2-3 sentences that focus the introduction and lead up to the thesis. First, make sure you include something specific concerning the prompt on which your paper is based. Perhaps these sentences develop the leading idea(s) from the opening sentence, or maybe you introduce the key idea, technique or effect mentioned in the thesis in a thoughtful way. GOAL: Your readers’ journey from opening sentence to thesis is smooth, not abrupt or jarring. The arrival of the thesis seems like a natural progression.

o A clear thesis statement that conveys a key idea or theme (in bold in the prompt) PLUS a specific technique used by the author to convey that idea or theme PLUS a specific emotional or intellectual effect on the audience. This thesis and intro paragraph should sufficiently present an ANSWER TO THE PROMPT and forecast the body of the essay that follows.

Body Paragraphs (for this length, figure about 5-8 body paragraphs, approximately 5-10 sentences each)

o EACH body paragraph usually deals with some key supporting evidence for, or sub-point about, your thesis. A TOPIC SENTENCE must introduce this evidence or sub-point, and the rest of the paragraph will analyze and explore its significance in The Odyssey. EX: One way in which Homer emphasizes the virtue of self-control is through the dramatic irony found in Book 12, lines 115-205, where…. (You get the idea.)

o Strive for UNITY and COHERENCE—that is, a) all topic sentences should clearly develop the case introduced by your thesis, and every sentence in a given paragraph should support that paragraph’s topic idea; and b) your discussion is reader-friendly—all sentences flow smoothly and logically from one to the next. Nothing distracts from the steady development of the case you’re making.

o CLARITY too is essential in your paragraph development. The reader never has to stop and try to guess at your meaning—i.e., no ambiguous pronouns (it, that, this, they…), no vague word choices, nor any gaps in explanation or logic. Your readers should sense a clear-cut pattern of organization as they read through the body of your paper. Your paper reads like it’s well-planned.

o In each body paragraph, be sure to rely on one or more of the following text references to develop each topic idea:

o supporting quotes from The Odyssey (1 per paragraph required) ( DON’T FORGET!

o paraphrased quotes or brief plot, character, setting, conflict, or key imagery details—but DON’T SUMMARIZE!

o all specific supporting details must be cited using MLA parenthetical citation—EX: (Book 12, L211-212)

o Make sure your paragraphs provide a complete idea, fully supported—i.e., never leave your audience hanging without a sense of closure to that paragraph’s topic idea. ( COMMON MISKTAKE!

o Transitions might helpfully link your paragraphs together. (Ex: “Furthermore…”, “On the other hand…”)

Conclusion Paragraph

o As best as you can, remind your audience of your main thesis and main points in a creative, original way—don’t just restate.

o Bring a satisfying sense of closure to the essay. Don’t leave the audience hanging. Therefore, you should never introduce new points in your conclusion; rather, wrap it up and consider: “So what? What’s significant about this discussion? How does the discussion relate to something broader—some larger idea or question perhaps?” A good conclusion should clearly and strongly synthesize the paper’s main ideas by ending on a composite insight or question that makes your readers think.

o 7. Once you have a solid outline, the paper is much easier to write! Start drafting, then revise, edit, get feedback, revise, polish…

QUALITY CRITERIA:

□ Is your thesis arguable? Does your thesis and supporting arguments and evidence ANSWER ALL of the prompt’s questions?

□ Does your paper read smoothly and develop your argument effectively? (( ( Have FIVE editors read your complete draft aloud to you? Watch their faces for signs of confusion. (( ( Stop at the end of every paragraph and ask: 1) Does this meet the outline requirements noted above? 2) How could I make and support my point more clearly, with tighter, more specific language? 3) How could I make this paragraph read more smoothly and convey my ideas more clearly? Take notes.

□ Is your paper free of typos, grammar, mechanics, and organizational errors?

Reader #1’s printed name_______________________________________________________ Signed Initials_________ Date____________ Grade Given?____

Reader #2’s printed name_______________________________________________________ Signed Initials_________ Date____________ Grade Given?____

Reader #3’s printed name_______________________________________________________ Signed Initials_________ Date____________ Grade Given?____

Reader #4’s printed name_______________________________________________________ Signed Initials_________ Date____________ Grade Given?____

Reader #5’s printed name_______________________________________________________ Signed Initials_________ Date____________ Grade Given?____

REMEMBER: Never plagiarize! Always do your own work, and credit others’ ideas in footnotes and a bibliography.[pic]

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[1] Sample Literary Techniques:

✓ Figurative Language (metaphor, simile, hyperbole, metonymy, personification, understatement, synecdoche, apostrophe, connotation/denotation…)

✓ Voice, persona, satire, irony (dramatic, verbal, situational) ( Key imagery, deliberate contrast/comparison, analogy, symbolism, stereotype, archetype

✓ Style, sentence pattern, tone, mood, atmosphere, ambiance ( Point of view (1st person, 3rd person –omniscient –limited –objective)

✓ Allusion (historical, literary, social-political, mythological, biblical, etc.) ( Foreshadowing, flashback, flash-forward, stream-of-consciousness

For more sample Literary Terms online see: See also the VirtuaLit Elements of Poetry and Fiction online:





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