Odyssey log

HA English 9
OReilly
The Odyssey: Your side of the story

It is not commonly known that a few students from Soquel High were actually in the boat when Odysseus sailed the Mediterranean in search of his home.  Actually, you were on the boat, you kept a log of the entire trip, and you are going to give it to me, so I can read all about it and give you a grade on it!

The focus of your log is Odysseus. You are just not sure what kind of man he is. Do you respect him? Are you afraid of him? Do you think he is a good leader? What are his negative and positive qualities? Every step of the journey, you watch him and discover new evidence of the complexity of this hero’s character. Perhaps, you are the ship psychiatrist or priest, and you take a special interest in the psyche or soul of the leader of this hazardous enterprise.

For thirty five homework points: The Odyssey Log
 4___________Your log is typed and double-spaced, with all the usual and required formatting. Stay up to date on your logs. They will be randomly checked.
6___________There is one entry per book, and it briefly (less than a page) tells the adventures contained in that book. You may wish to focus on one part of the book to keep your pacing lively and engaging.
6___________Each entry records your insights on Odysseus as a character. What do his actions tell you about his character?  Highlight the sentences that discuss Odysseus’s character.
4___________Your log is illustrated with at least two illustrations that relate to the story. These illustrations can be maps or photos of the area or renderings of the monsters and witches Odysseus encounters.  Illustrations may be self-created or come from any source.
5___________There are no comma errors, fragments, run-ons, or errors in mechanics. (The log is in HP).
5___________ This rubric is attached to the front of your log. Your diary is also proofread by two peers. They both sign and fill out the peer edit rubric. The peer edit rubric is stapled to the back of your diary with any preliminary drafts.
5__________For each book, you will use and underline five of the vocabulary words from that book. The vocabulary words are listed at the bottom of the pages in a box labeled "Words to Know."


For 15 Writing Points: The Tasty Paragraph—A Character Analysis:
10___________ Write this paragraph in LP. At the end of the journey, using your insights gathered during the trip, you reach a conclusion about Odysseus. Describe his personality in one cohesive paragraph with a topic sentence, conclusion, at least three key ideas, and plenty of specific examples and explanations. Please staple your paragraph to the front of your log as a kind of introduction. No 1PV, 2PV, comma errors or other nasty errors or transgressions. No more than one page please!!!!!!
5 points____________ Your topic sentence is a complex sentence beginning with a subordinate clause or a compound sentence with a conjunctive adverb.

First drafts: We will periodically proofread each other’s log, and there will be occasional checks to make sure you are up-to-date on your logs. Always bring your typed log to class.


    Here is an example tasty paragraph about Hercules. Your character analysis, of course, will be out Odysseus.
    Although Hercules is gifted with strength and bravery, his stupidity and impulsiveness often get him into hot water. Clearly, Hercules is brave and strong. He never hesitates to face danger and overcome immensely powerful foes. He performs the twelve labors, facing creation’s worst and most terrifying dangers without a thought for his safety. Despite these assets, Hercules often fails to comprehend reality. He shoots arrows at the sun in an attempt to stop its heat. On another occasion, he threatens to punish waves with his fists when his boat is violently rocking in heavy seas. Most tragically, however, Hercules’ impulsiveness leads him to kill others, including his loved ones. A short list of his victims includes his wife, his children, and an innocent messenger. He always regrets his hasty actions, but that never stops him from indulging in more rash behavior. Hercules is a powerful, brave, and hardy soul, but his mythical life story is a reminder that tremendous power must be tempered with self-restraint.

Notice please that this is all written in LP because it is about literature