The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou: Comparison Essay Oettel/Moore Honors English I 2013‐2014 For this essay, you will write a comparison analysis examining the archetypal elements of the hero’s journey present in both The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou. This will be a full‐length essay. Use your archetype chart to help you identify the archetypes and parallels between the film and epic poem. Read and follow the directions below carefully. Example paragraphs are provided. I.
Introduction Paragraph‐ identify two archetypes of the hero’s journey represented in O’ Brother Where Art Thou and The Odyssey. Your introduction should identify the work of literature being discussed, name the author, and briefly present the issue that the body of your essay will more fully develop (your thesis). Your thesis statement should be the last sentence of your introduction paragraph. Review the HATMAT formula we learned 1st semester. II.
Body Paragraph 1‐ Identification 1 Explain how one archetype of the hero’s journey is represented in both The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou. Explain how the representation of this archetype contributes to the hero’s overall journey. Include one quote from The Odyssey. *Use the format explained on the back of this page to develop each of your body paragraphs. III.
Body Paragraph 2‐ Analysis 1 Analyze the representation of this archetype in both The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou in terms of the universal message related. What do both of these representations reveal about human nature and the world? IV.
Body Paragraph 3‐ Identification 2 Explain how another archetype of the hero’s journey is represented in both The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou. Explain how the representation of this archetype contributes to the hero’s overall journey. Include one quote from The Odyssey. V.
Body Paragraph 4‐ Analysis 2 Analyze the representation of this archetype in both The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou in terms of the universal message related. What do both of these representations reveal about human nature and the world? VI.
Conclusion Paragraph The last paragraph where you are given one last chance to convince the reader of your argument and provide a sense of closure. a. Summarize your argument AND extend your argument. b. A sophisticated conclusion does not simply restate the thesis of the introduction or summarize the logic presented in the body of the essay. Your conclusion, most often, will try to suggest the broader significance of your discussion – why is it important? In other words, suggest in your introduction that some literary phenomenon is occurring. In the body of your essay, use examples and fully developed logic to prove that the literary phenomenon takes place. Finally, in your conclusion suggest why such a phenomenon is significant. Other essay requirements: •
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A title MLA formatting‐ heading, Times New Roman, size 12 font, double‐spaced, 1‐ inch margins, left‐justified. You must turn your essay in using Turnitin.com by Monday February 24th. No paper copies of your essay will be accepted. Do not use 1st or 2nd person pronouns. Failing to consistently use 3rd person pronouns will severely affect your mechanics score. Quotes must be correctly and seamlessly incorporated into your writing. Body Paragraph Format: The body of your paper should logically and fully develop and support your thesis. These paragraphs should include: 1. A topic sentence – a topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph: it serves as a mini‐thesis for the paragraph. You might think of it as a signpost for your readers—or a headline—something that alerts them to the most important, interpretive points in your essay. It might be helpful to think of a topic sentence as working in two directions simultaneously. It relates the paragraph to the essay's thesis, and thereby acts as a signpost for the argument of the paper as a whole, but it also defines the scope of the paragraph itself. 2. Context for the quote Who says it? What is happening in the text when they say it? This prepares the reader for the quote by introducing the speaker, setting, and/or situation. 3. Quote/Concrete details ‐ a specific example from the work used to provide evidence for your topic sentence/support thesis. Integrate your quote into your writing. Quotes should not stand alone as their own sentence. 4. Commentary ‐ your explanation and interpretation of the concrete detail. Commentary explains how the concrete detail proves the thesis. 5. Clincher/Concluding Sentence ‐ last sentence of the body paragraph. It concludes the paragraph by tying the concrete details and commentary back to the major thesis. Writing Your Thesis Statement Remember, your thesis statement is the controlling idea and most important sentence of your paper. Carefully craft it, making revisions if needed. You can use these templates to help you. 1. In _____________ and ____________(titles of work), ____________ and _____________(author, director) portray the archetypal elements of _____________________ and ___________________ to _____________ (verb e.g.‐ express, reveal, convey, explore, suggest, portray etc.) the universal message of ________________________. 2. The archetypal elements of _____________and _____________ in _________and __________(titles and authors of work) ________________________________(verb e.g.‐ express, reveal, convey, explore, suggest, portray etc.) the universal message of ____________________________________________ (depending on your archetype and analysis, there may be two universal messages). Thesis Statement First Draft (Due Tuesday February 18) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Use this checklist to guide your revisions to your Thesis Statement: ______ Clearly identifiable topic? ______ Succinct summary of what you have to say about the topic? ______ Does it provide analysis? Answers the “why” and “how” questions? ______ Contains NO 1st or 2nd person POV or past tense verbs? ______Does it contain organization cues for the reader? a roadmap? ______Can you support the thesis with evidence from the movie/epic poem? Writing Your Outline (Due Tuesday February 18) Body Paragraph 1 Archetype: __________________ Body Paragraph 2 Body Paragraph 3 Archetype: ___________________ Body Paragraph 4 Representation in The Odyssey:
Representation in O’Brother: Analysis of the archetype in both The Odyssey and O’Brother: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________ Representation in The Odyssey:
Representation in O’Brother: Analysis of the archetype in both The Odyssey and O’Brother: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________ Example Identification and Analysis (You cannot use the same example in your essay): Epic Poem and Film Parallel: Wear beards/disguises to sneak into political rally so Everett can talk to Penny.: Odysseus is disguised by Athena so he may talk to Penelope at his house without the suitors knowing. Both of these situations are representations of the archetype of transformation. Identification/Summary: Both Odysseus and Everett undergo a physical transformation during the course of their hero’s journey. When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, he could not rush home to Penelope because the suitors there would have quickly defeated him. Instead Athena disguises him to allow him entrance into his palace. Homer relates, “In Ithaca, Athena appears to the hero. Because his home is full of enemies, she advises him to proceed disguised as a beggar. Now Odysseus must succeed not only by physical power but also by intelligence” (The Odyssey Part Two: Coming Home p. 790). As the beggar, he is able to walk among the suitors, compete and win the bow contest, and as a result, defeat the suitors and reclaim his wife and throne. This episode demonstrates Odysseus’s cunning intelligence as well as physical strength. Similarly, Everett knows that if they are found at the political rally, they will be arrested and sent back to jail, leaving him with no opportunity to plead for Penny’s hand. He and Pete and Delmar dress up like musicians to enter the rally and get to Penny. They end up winning over the crowd with their talent, eliminating the threat of arrest and allowing Everett to win Penny back. Analysis: Everett and Odysseus undergo physical changes as they seek and obtain the apotheosis of their journey. This physical change reflects the more significant change in character that takes place when undergoing extreme physical and psychological challenges. All of the obstacles that Everett and Odysseus faced throughout their journey changed their character because conflict changes and shapes character. Odysseus and Everett both return home after enduring physical strain from foes, homesickness, temptresses, the emotional loss of his men, and the threat of losing their family. It is impossible for anyone to encounter such conflict without being changed in some way. The physical transformation that each hero undergoes at the end of their journey represents the alterations made to their character as a result of the quest and conflict they must face.