The overall writing process was a positive experience. I was very interested in my focus about the use of disguises in Homer. Since I teach 9th graders to close read The Odyssey I have noticed many things about Odysseus over the course of 4 years. I really wanted to elborate my ideas about him. The most important and interesting aspect I always questioned about Odysseus is what makes him able to use a disguise so often.
The biggest struggle I have with the writing process is voicing my own opinion. The peer edit helped tremendously because I still wasn't being opinionated enough. Hopefully, with the finished product, my voice will stand out.
I enjoyed updating this blog site on the findings of my research for many reasons. I feel more in touch with up-to-date tech processes, I feel at more ease throwing out ideas, and because it was very different. It also helped to do the blog site because I was able to do it at my convenience.
In regards to the specifics of my final paper, I was unsure about how to add in the factual information when the focus was about characters within an epic poem. More specifically, what influenced Homer to credit Odysseus with the idea of the Trojan Horse- the most historically well-known disguise of all time! I had to write that section over and over again because I wanted it to flow well and not derail from the main focus. I hope it proves to be coherent. This is definitely a writing piece that I enjoyed writing from beginning to end and one that I am very proud of.
Patroclus being held by Achilles
Patroclus has been stripped of Achilles' armor after he has been killed
Odysseus
Odysseus is battling the Suitors after he has relinquished his disguise
2 comments:
Congratulations on completing this project. I hope you found it instructive, and that it gave you a chance to reflect on the process of writing and research. I hope also that you will consider giving your 9th graders a chance to experiment with academic or scholarly web-journaling . . . I'm sure most of them have experience with facebook or myspace, so this won't be a difficult leap for them.
What a great job. I hadn't connected dysseus with the disguise of the Trojan horse. But that definately makes him the master of disguises does it not? I thought your point about his disguises as part of his cleverness was right on point. But there is something to be said about the help he received from Athena. It isn't as if he created the idea of disguising himself when he returned home. Nonetheless, he was able to pull off the disguise and get the outcome he sought (taking inventory of what had been happening at home in his absence). Unlike poor Patroclus whose disguise cost him his life.
Thanks Nikki -- I learned quite a lot.
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