The Odyssey and Flowers for Algernon Study Guide

The Odyssey and Flowers for Algernon Study Guide

The Odyssey

Cicones

1. Odysseus and his men needed food

2. Cicones attacked

3. Odysseus men wont retreat

4. The Cicones killed some of Odysseus’ men

Lotus Eaters

1. Stopped to get water and supplies

2. When someone eats the lotus flower, they want to stay on the island forever

3. A few of Odysseus’ men eat the flower and want to stay

4. Odysseus ties them down on the ship so they won’t jump off to swim to the island of the Lotus Eaters

Cyclops

1. Wants to trade the cyclops, Polyphemus, for food

2. Gets trapped in the cave with the cyclops

3. Odysseus told Polyphemus his name was “Nohbdy”

4. Odysseus loses men to Polyphemus

5. Odysseus and his remaining men in the cave stab the cyclops in the eye with a crafted wooden spear

6. When Polyphemus takes the sheep out, Odysseus and his men escape on the bellies of the sheep

7. Odysseus mocks Polyphemus and tells the cyclops his name

8. Polyphemus curses Odysseus

Aeolus

1. Aeolus gives Odysseus the bag of winds to help him back to Ithaca

2. The men were curious what was inside the bag

3. The bag releases the winds and drives them away

Laestrygonians

1. Cannibals

2. Odysseus loses all but one ship

Sirens

1. Sirens- they would sing a song to lure the person listening to them

2. Circe warns Odysseus about the sirens

3. Odysseus tells his men to tie him to the ships mast

4. Odysseus’ men stuff their ears with wax to prevent themselves to be tempted by the sirens

5. Escape unharmed

Scylla and Charybdis

1. Odysseus crew had to pass through Scylla and Charybdis on their way to Ithaca

2. Scylla- 6 headed monster

3. Charybdis- whirlpool

4. They pass through Scylla willing to lose 6 of the men rather than losing everyone

5. Odysseus does not tell his crew about Scylla to prevent fear

6. Circe told Odysseus not to fight but he did not follow her advice

7. Escape with 6 men lost

Cattle of the Sun God (Helios)

1. Odysseus crew wants to stop on the sun gods island to replenish food

2. Odysseus warns the crew not to eat the cattle

3. While Odysseus is praying to the gods, he falls asleep and his crew sacrifices some of Helios’ cattle

4. a lightning bolt from Zeus destroys Odysseus ship and kills all of his men

5. Odysseus drifts off in open sea and meets Calypso

Ithaca

1. since Odysseus was gone for 20 years, the suitors, assuming Odysseus was dead, wanted to marry his wife, Penelope

2. Athena disguises Odysseus as an old beggar

3. Antinous had a plan to kill Odysseus’ son

4. Odysseus approaches his son Telemachus and devises a plan to kill the suitors

5. Telemachus takes all of the armor in the house

6. Odysseus reveals himself by shooting an arrow through corks

7. Kills Antinous by shooting an arrow square in the chest

8. Kills the rest of the suitors

9. Proves he is Odysseus to Penelope by saying that he carved the bed himself out of an olive tree

Flowers for Algernon

Exposition: introduction to Charlie, Ms. Kinnian, Dr. Strauss, and the tests

Conflict: Man v. Self

Climax: Algernon dies and Charlie is researching the cause of the death

Resolution: Charlie (now feeble minded) moves away with hopes of restarting his new life

Part 1

1. Charlie Gordon, 37 years old

2. Dr. Strauss tells Charlie to write in a journal about what he thinks

1. Ink blot tests

2. Charlie is afraid to disappoint Dr. Strauss

3. Charlie describes his desire to be smart

1. Mrs. Kinnian tells Charlie not to worry about the tests

2. Introduces Algernon, a white mouse, and the maze Charlie has to do against Algernon

3. Charlie is disappointed that he couldn’t beat Algernon

4. Charlie is excited that they are going to use him for the test

Part 2

1. Charlie realizes that his “friends” would use him for entertainment

2. Algernon dies

3. Charlie researches the reason for algernons death

4. Charlie becomes feeble minded

5. He moves away to restart his life