Blog Post- Q3 BM Odyssey Comparison

Q3 BM Dunn

Sometimes there is a time to be big- headed and a time to just be chilled and modest. The main character in The Odyssey, named Odysseus had different ways of leading than the main character in “O, Brother Where Art Thou,” Everett. However, a leader should be modest because when people are calm and are giving the right type of direction then the plan goes smoothly. Although Everett and Odysseus have some similarities, Everett’s characteristics such as him being open-minded and modest helps to get what he wants when Odysseus can’t.

In book nine of The Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew went to the Cyclops’ Island. During their journey at the island Odysseus stabs the Cyclops in the eye and destroys it. Being that Odysseus is very prideful, he tells the Cyclops in Book 9, lines 558-559 “Cyclops if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so- say Odysseus”. Odysseus was not thinking of course because the Cyclops is Poseidon’s son. Poseidon is the god of the ocean and Odysseus was traveling in the, ocean. Even though Poseidon didn’t cause any damage to Odysseus and his crew it could have been a huge possibility. However, Everett is a different story. Even though, Odysseus and Everett both want their props for their accomplishments, Everett remains modest allowing the crew to be safe. When Everett recorded his song in the studio, the “producer” liked it a lot. He liked it so much that he was willing to pay money for it. The producer was blind, so Everett came up with a clever idea to make the producer pay for six people when it was really only four. Everett didn’t brag about this mischievous thing that he did because he was smart about it. Just imagine if he got caught; he was already in enough trouble as it was.

In the Cyclops cave, Odysseus needed a disguise to get out the cave all in one piece. He came up with a sneaky idea for him and his crewmembers to hide under the sheep from Cyclops cave. Because this was Cyclops Island and the Cyclops only had one eye, the Cyclops is kind of limited or has a disadvantage on seeing some things. Odysseus knowing this straps his crewmembers to the sheep and Odysseus and his crewmembers make it out in one piece. In book 9, lines 380-381 “Then he hoisted the huge slab of to block the door and squatted to milk his sheep and bleating goats, each in order, putting a suckling underneath each dam. Everett and his “crew” Delmar and Pete met an African American man while driving down a road. This African American man’s name was Tommy. They had lost Tommy for a little while and found him again, but spotted him in a horrible place. Everett and his “crew” spotted him at a KKK chant and were in trouble. As a result of that, the crew disguised their selves as KKK members and was in the act of trying to save him. They almost got caught, however Everett being the smart guy he is wiggled his way out of that problem and rescued him.

In “Brother Where Art Thou”, Everett is the leader of their crew. Right after the whole incident with the KKK and rescuing Tommy, they were headed to the candidate’s pep riley. Something in Delmar’s and Pete’s head clicked and they wanted to know why Everett had to be the boss of everything and take charge. Even though Everett knew he wanted to be leader because it is just an awesome title to have because you have a say in what everyone does, he explained to the crew that he needed them. He also explains that he doesn’t think that they would have made it that far without them two on the journey with them. In the Odyssey, Odysseus was also the leader of his crew. However, he didn’t have three crewmembers, he had hundreds of them. Therefore, he is not able to care for his crewmembers like Everett is able to. For example in book 12, lines 280-282, Odysseus says “Of all the pitiful things I’ve witnessed, suffering, searching out the pathways of the sea, the wrenched my heart the most”. He was saying he needed his men but couldn’t really sit there and pity too much because he had other things to worry about.

Everett and Odysseus have similarities, but their differences ended up not helping Odysseus in the end. During their journey at the island Odysseus stabs the Cyclops in the eye and destroys it. Odysseus being prideful causes him to say something that wasn’t smart, when Everett does something sneaky and manages to keep his mouth shut. Also, Odysseus and Everett disguise their selves to get them out of trouble. Finally, Everett cares about his men and lets them know that and Odysseus does also, however he has too many men to really show it. This shows you that Odysseus and Everett has different ways of leading and Everett’s way pays off in the end.