SUMMER READING - Blog Four

Tales from the Odyssey
By Mary Pope Osborne
Prompt(s) -
* Describe the main character.
* What were some problems the characters faced? How did the character overcome the problems? Explain.
Page: Finished Book

     The main character is Odyssey, he is the king of Ithaca. Ithaca is an island in Ancient Greece. He enjoyed tending his fields and orchards, working as a craftsman, and carpenter. Odyssey was tall. strong, brave, brave, courageous, and clever. He had auburn hair and bright eyes. The twenty years of war he was the only man that lived, all his soldiers died. He was held captive at the Calypso Island and he just wanted to go home to his family and friends. He eventually found his way home after all the hardships he had to face.

     Telemachus, the son of Odyssey problem was he had to get home. His mothers suitors plan to kill him though. He can't sail home because the suitors wait for him on the Island of Samos, which is rights before Ithaca. He sails through the island but cannot be near the shore. The gods then send a wind to speed his ship on a safe port. He then makes it home not killed.

     Odyssey and Telemachus must defeat Penelope's suitors. They asked for the help of Zeus and Athena, and they do help. The next morning Telemachus goes home alone and Odyssey disguises himself as a beggar and travels to the palace. Then Athene whispers to Odyssey that it is time to fight he nods to Telemachus and then they took all the swords, spears, and shields from the hall. Then hide them upstairs in a room.

SUMMER READING - Blog Three

Tales from the Odyssey
By Mary Pope Osborne
Prompt(s) -
* Explain how you have been surprised by what you are reading.
* Think of a problem that a character had to face. Write the problem and how the
character solved it or is working to solve it. If you were that character, what
would you do differently?
Page: 0 - 136

    One way I have been surprised by my reading is since Odyssey, the king of Ithaca, has been gone for over two decades there are suitors who invade his home and crops. They want to marry the queen, but she waits till her husband comes home. The suitors slaughter his oxen, cows, horses, and etc. They also drink his best wine and best bread. The servants there are treated horribly by the suitors. The demand to marry the Queen, the suitors come from many lands and try and take his land, money and power. I just find it unbelievable that these men ruin his home and demand to marry his wife after he survived the war and is captive.

    One problem Odyssey had to face was how he was going to defeat Troy, since they were in war. They solved it by him and his workers making a huge wooden horse as a gift to Troy. The people in Troy thought it was a gift and it showed they had won the war, but Odyssey and his best soldiers were in the horse. Later that night they all got out and they defeated Troy. Which was a great idea.

     If I were that character I wouldn't of even thought of an idea like that. He had to find a way in the only way he could was to be unseen and he was unseen in that huge wooden horse. Since Troy was guarded by huge walls they couldn't climb over them so they did what was smart. I probably would of just went through the front doors, I thought it was the only way. 

SUMMER READING - Blog Two

My Side of the Mountain
By Jean Craighead George
Prompt(s) -
* Describe what was either believable or unbelievable about your reading.
Defend your opinion.
*What were some problems the characters faced? How did the character overcome the problems? Explain.
Page: Finished book

His fishhook

   What was unbelievable to me was that Sam had actually survived in the wild for over a year. He used all the resources around him to make a life in a forest. He made fires, fishing rods, pancakes, a home inside a tree, and etc. I don't think just any regular kid can make any of the things Sam Gribley had done on his own. He even tamed a falcon on his own. That falcon got him food and was  a companion, just like a dog. That was unbelievable to me.

     One problem the character faced was the harsh winter. In the fall he was thinking ahead and hunted deer. He got one so out of the skin he made a blanket and clothes so that he would be warm in the winter. He also got another deer and used that to make a door so the wind wouldn't blow in his tree home. What he also did was he gathered a lot of food so that he would have enough food throughout the winter. He made a "fridge" sort of thing so he can store all the fish he got.

   


     Another problem he faced was people hiking and camping in the woods. Many people came in the mountains and if they found Sam their they would call the police to take him back home. He didn't want to do that at all, so he would hide in his tree home when he heard people. Sometimes he wasn't close to his home so he was seen. He just made up lies so the people wouldn't call the police. He did meet this one guy that saw he had made a home in the mountains but they became friends and he visited him a lot.