Self Restraint In The Odyssey

“There are no mistakes in life, only life lessons.” These words by Robin Sharma, a Christian writer, reveal the fact that lessons in life have been around for generations. In The Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus journeys for 20 years finding his way back home and overcoming many challenges. I showed these traits when it came to cross country. Odysseus and I both showed self-restraint and determination. Odysseys and I both exhibit self-restraint in many of ways. For example, Odysseus demonstrates self-restraint when battling the Cyclops. With the sharpened spear, Odysseus and his men could have killed the Cyclops in one blow, yet they did not. Odysseus fought his urge and thought “if I [kill] him we [perish] [here] as well” (903). Another time would be when

Such as, Odysseus tests his willpower when escaping from the Cyclops. He could’ve just given up and not tried at all to escape, but he was determined to think of a way to move the slab of rock “for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside” (903). As well as escaping the Cyclops, Odysseus proves his persistence when he listens to Circe’s warning. He is persistent to escape Charybdis and Scylla. “How, if possible, can I pass Charybdis or fight of Scylla when she raids my crew?” (930). Like Odysseus, I manifested a determination when it came to achieving a new PR in cross country. I worked harder in practice, started eating healthier, and fought against the pain and urge to walk at the following meet. My determination paid off because I knocked off around two minutes off of my previous PR. Along with achieving a new PR, I demonstrated determination when I wanted to start a snowmobiling youth program in the state of Iowa. I am terrified of public speaking, yet I spoke in front of tons of people and gave a presentation. In conclusion, Odysseus and I both proved our determination in numerous