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What Are The Similarities Between O Brother Where Art Thou And The Odyssey

868 Words4 Pages

Shiven Sood
1/24/23
English 9, Section 1
The Odyssey/O’ Brother Where Art Thou? Essay
Although they seem like two completely unrelated stories with no references between them, The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou? are very much alike, as they have similar characters who have the same determined, selfish, and loving personalities and learn the importance of loyalty throughout their respective journeys.
To a reader who doesn’t have experience with The Odyssey, O’ Brother Where Art Thou? understandably seems dissimilar to The Odyssey, as the two stories contain characters with different emotional dynamics and utilize contrasting character backgrounds to build the protagonists’ personalities. While running away from the prison camp, Everett …show more content…

and The Odyssey both convey the grander theme of loyalty, and use characters with confident and affectionate personalities. After breaking Pete out of jail, Everett tells him and Delmar that there was no treasure, and that he was taking the two of them on this journey to win his wife, Penny, back. Pete and Everett start to fight, but then see their friend Tommy nearly get executed: “I do apologize about that, Pete. That's Tommy. They got Tommy. Sweet Jesus, we got to save him.” (Coen). Everett’s decisions to take Pete and Delmar on this journey for the “treasure” demonstrate his selfishness, as he simply wanted their help and moral support to benefit himself. Everett’s loyalty is displayed when saves Tommy, as he has only known him for less than 48 hours. This proves his loyalty to not only his friends, but to anyone with whom he has developed a strong affection. Though he might be putting himself in danger, the fact that Everett attempts to save Tommy proves his loyalty but also establishes confidence and determination, as he trusts himself to get Tommy out safely of the situation. Odysseus has the same affectionate and loyal personality, and he exhibits it when he finally embraces Penelope after 20 long years of separation: “The more she spoke, the more a deep desire for tears welled up inside his breast—he wept as he held the wife he loved, the soul of loyalty, in his arms at last” (Fagles, 388). Upon reuniting with Penelope, Odysseus’s reaction suggests that he was loyal to her throughout his journey. Odysseus only seems to be experiencing his love for Penelope in their moment of embrace, not a feeling of guilt one would get from breaking their partner’s trust or dwelling on his selfishness towards his now deceased crewmates. His loyalty is established by the fact that he is embracing Penelope with none of these thoughts or memories of guilt. If he had not been loyal to

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