Reading Journal: Odyssey, Book 9 to 16

What mainly caught my attention on chapters 9 to 16, was the conflicts that Odysseus encountered, but was able to overcome. For instance, one of the predicaments that Odysseus overcame was when Polyphemus, who is Poseidon’s son captured Odysseus and his companions. Polyphemus ate Odysseus companions, “he clutched my companions…dismembered them and made them his meal” (Book 9, lines 12-15). This was a conflict for Odysseus because his companions were put in danger and he did not know how to save them. Not only that, but Odysseus himself was also put in danger, “Nohbody’s my meat, then after I eat his friend. Others come first” (Book 9, lines 400). Polyphemus was interpreting how he will eat Odysseus friends first, and then him. He refers to Odysseus as “Nohbody” because Odysseus told him that is his name, for a clever reason. This is a conflict because Odysseus is going to be eaten and killed. What caught my attention the most , was how Oddyseus overcame this conflict, he used a very clever technique. Instead of saying his real name when he escaped, he said his name was “nohbody” and he tricked Polyphemus because when people ask who is doing something to him, he will say “nohbody” which contains different meanings. For example, “Nobody, Nohbody’s tricked me, Nohbody’s ruined me” (Book 9, line 442). This caught my attention because it clearly depicted how Odysseus is clever, and is capable of overcoming obstacles that come his way. Also, it was intriguing how Polyphemus did not catch on to the trick.

Another factor that caught my attention was the significance that the disguises obtain in the Odyssey. The disguises are used to transport messages. As an example, “a boy, spoke as though he knew me… he bent down glittering me for the magic plant” (Book 10, 309 & 340). This boy was Hermes disguised to instruct him to eat the plant to protect himself from Circes’s drugs  and be prepared to fight back. This caught my attention because it delineates the significance that these disguises represent throughout each circumstance. It mainly represented a communication to warn the others.