10th Grade: H.W.#31, Due Friday, 10/28

1. Watch the following video introduction to Homer’s Odyssey. As you do so, write down into your notebook key pieces of information (How many lines? How many books? What do we know of Homer? How was the Odyssey originally composed/”read”? What are some key features of this poem? What does rhapsody mean literally? How did rhapsodes remember the lines? What is Xenia? What’s the situation Odysseus faces? etc.). You will share this out in small groups. The video itself is less than five minutes long. It may take you another five to ten minutes writing down key facts.
2. Continue working on the thesis essay. Suggested procedure: First reflect on what interests you–what you want to know more about/want others to know how you see your interest (i.e. religion, culture, immigration, politics, psychology, morality, literature etc.). Second, narrow it down to something specific (I’m interested in how immigrants fit into a majority culture, how others see them/how immigrants see the majority culture, how religion helps/prevents one from XYZ). Third, write a series of questions about it (i.e. are all immigrants form all cultures feel “this” way? Has it changed over time? etc.). Lastly, see how the questions can be applied to Sophocles and Shamsie and write it out. After all this, you are ready to begin to work on a thesis statement. Work at least 15-20 minutes on this essay today.