Civil Peace

1.  Jonathan is respectable and optimistic.

He exchanges the Biafrin money for Nigerian money.

This money was stolen.

3.  The story is optimistic and shows that Jonathan appreciates what he has.

His family is important to him and he supports them before, during, and after the war.

When he deals with the thieves he is calm.

Jon says that losing the money isn't a big deal; he didn't have it yesterday and he was doing fine, then he doesn't need it today.

4.  Everything happens for a reason.

5.  It says that ordinary civilians had to fend for themselves and somehow they made it.

7.  If Jon was in Obi's position in "Dead Men's Path" he would have handled the conflict with the priest a lot better.  He would have listened and probably solved the conflict.

Michael Obi's Job Performance Evaluation

Compromising Skills:  Epic Fail  [F---]
Enthusiasm:  Dude Chill. (you're jumping over the moon with all that enthusiasm)  [A++++]
Leadership:  Eh Not Too Bad  [C]
Keeping School Maintained:  Wow.... Major Fail  [F---]
Kindness:  Dunderhead.  [D]
Communication Skills:  Needs Major Improvement  [D]
Comprehension:  Needs A New Brain; Comprehends Nothing  [F]
Listening Skills:  They Are Nonexistent  [F--]


I would not be proud of these marks on my evaluation.

Dead Men's Path

1. After the supervisor files his report I think Michael Obi will be fired.

The path that goes through the school grounds connects the village shrine with their place of burial.

After Obi refuses to reopen the passage the school's grounds ruined.

2.  I think the villagers were both justified and not in their actions because they had a right to be mad at Obi for closes a path that is extremely important to them, but they have no right in destroying the school property.

3.  Michael Obi's performance as headmaster of the village school receives a 7 out of 10 from me because he had good ideas, was enthusiastic, seems to care about the students, but he doesn't care about the villagers' beliefs, and he creates huge amounts of tension between the school and the village.

5. The relationship between Michael Obi and his wife Nancy is newly wedish.  Nancy wants to help and please Michael; she even picks up on some of his habits and be.liefs.

6.  I don't think anything would have happened to the school grounds if the young village woman had not died.

The Ramayana

Rama fighting Ravana

1. I don't have a reaction to the battle between Rama and Ravana. Rama and Ravana use bows and arrows, but also supernatural powers.  Rama used the Brahmasthra, invoked all its power, and sent it at Ravana's heart; his most vulnerable spot.  Rama treated Ravana with honor and respect after killing him.

2.  I think Rama is able to defeat Ravana because Ravana is too full of rage to realize he hadn't strengthened his heart; he left a vulnerable spot and didn't stay level headed, therefore he was careless.

4.  Rama respects others, even his enemies; gives Ravana a chance to heal after he fainted.  Rama stays calm and level headed in times of war.  After Rama kills Ravana he tells Ravana's brother to honor Ravana and cherish his memory.  Rama's heroic code is to honor the dead, enemies or not, respect others, and stay level headed and calm at all times.

5.  I don't think Ravana is heroic; I think he's short tempered and rather arrogant. Those are not heroic qualities.

7.  Rama and Arjuna from the "Mahabarata" are both focused and level headed when necessary, for example when Arjuna must focus solely on his target that's all he sees, he is completely focused, as is Rama when he's fighting Ravana.

New Year's Resolutions (epithet form ohh yeah!)

angela the:
1. waist shrinking woman
2. internal joy keeper
3. smiley cheerleader on off days
4. relaxed calm being
5. overcomer of the small petty things
6. confident owner of a license
7. hard working car owner
8. successful prom putter togetherer
9. genius with the straight a's
10. kind treater of Dee?

The Illiad Book 24

Priam kissing the hands of Achilles

1. My opinion of Achilles has not really changed as a result of his reception of Priam.  I still think he's a selfish, egotistical, jerk, only now I see that Achilles does indeed have a soft spot. When Priam asks for pity he asks Achilles to remember Peleus, Achilles father.  Priam and Achilles cry for their losses, Achilles for Patroclus and Priam for Hector. Achilles shows Priam hospitality to Priam by giving Priam food and a bed; he also has Hector's body cleaned and anointed before letting Priam see it. Besides returning the body of Hector to Priam Achilles also agrees to hold off from fighting for twelve days or as long as the funeral process would take.

2.  I feel more sympathetic towards Priam, because he has to beg Achilles for his son's body back and kiss Achilles' hands, the hands by which the spear that killed his son was thrust into Hector's throat, killing him. 

3. Achilles' human emotions are shown with his episode with Priam.  He shows compassion towards Priam and love for his father.  He shows kindness and concern towards Priam by providing Priam with food and a bed, also he's concerned for Priam's safety if Priam makes him mad.

4. I know that the Greek's view fate as something that can't be changed; they're born with it and they just have to accept it.  That's all I know though, I'm not sure what the passage where Zeus is talking about jars means.

7. I believe that "The Illiad" does have a theme that relates to life today.  One theme is that even in war against your worst enemy, the utmost respect should be shown toward the dead. By returning Hector's body to Priam, Achilles is showing great respect toward not necessarily Hector, but Priam. I think this still applies today, with prisoners of war.  Prisoners of war should be returned, dead or alive to their country, preferably alive, but you can't get everything you want.

Book 22 of The Illiad

 

The Death of Hector

1.  Achilles insults Hector by refusing to give his body back to the Trojans if Hector dies; Achilles refuses to give Hector an honorable funeral.

2.  Hector's character in this excerpt shows his flaws.  He runs away from Achilles, he shows fear, a natural human emotion. On the other hand Hector also stays out of the city walls and faces Achilles, which shows either his bravery or insanity.  He is also persuaded and deceived by Athena, who was disguised as one of Hector's allies, to stop running and fight Achilles. He is tricked; this is very human like.

3.  The gods can completely control human life, they can even possibly change fate if they desire.  In the excerpt Zeus was pondering whether or not he should save Hector's life, changing his fate.  Athena convinces her father, Zeus, not to change fate for whatever reason.  Her words in the end change Hector's life, he dies basically because of her.  Apollo on the other hand helps Hector; he helps Hector to run away from Achilles, trying to save Hector's life.

4.  No I definitely do not think the ways Achilles treated Hector's corpse was justified at all.  Hector promised to treat Achilles corpse with respect and return it to the Greeks, the least Achilles could do would be the same and respect Hector.   Achilles had no reason to tie up and drag Hector's corpse across town.

5.  I believe that Homer (as much as I dislike him right now) included Priam's and Hecuba's reactions to Achilles' treatment of their son's body to show how much Hector's parents cared about him and to add more sorrow to the poem.