Hello, everyone! Below is your prompt to our first class blog, which will help tie up our reading of The Odyssey.
On page 711 of your literature book is one of my all-time favorite poems, "Ithaca." Take the time to read it, but as you do, keep in mind Odysseus's journey for home. Did he take a long time to get home after the Trojan War? Sure. Did he get a little sidetracked? Who wouldn't, when confronted with a goddess and an enchantress? After all, Odysseus is only human....but he never loses sight of his ultimate destination.
Read the poem in your literature book. What do you think "arriving in Ithaca" could mean for you? For all of us? What types of life experiences have you already had, which are mentioned in the poem? What kinds of life experiences do you hope to have in the future- 5, 10, 20, even 50 years from now?
Lastly, it is often said that "life is a journey, not a destination." Do you believe in this phrase? What journey do you hope to have, and where do you hope to end up? When you look back upon your life as an elderly person (yes, we ALL get old) will you be satisfied with your memories? How do you know?
I look forward to reading your responses.
“Arriving in Ithaca” for means that you take your time to get back to Ithaca, you hope that it will be a long journey filled with many memories and exuberant journeys. A life experience that was mentioned in here was that you always keep Ithaca on your mind. So Odysseus keeps his hometown on his mind while I also keep my hometown my mind. In the distant future, I hope to travel a long journey and stop at any trading post to buy fine things and bring them back to my home. With the phrase “life is a journey, not a destination”, I believe that it is true. I’d like to end up anywhere that makes me and everyone around me happy. Once I get elderly and look back at my memories, I have a feeling that I will be satisfied with what I have done in my life.
ReplyDeleteArriving in Ithaca for me it means that you have to take your time wisley and take your time slowly not in such much of a rush to get back to Ithaca but also a trip that would be unremberable to you. And a life experience that said that he couldnt stop thinking about that special person or his surroundings or where he misses im the same way i always keep that special person in mind or my surroundings,place i miss in mind. I absoultley agree with that phrase because you dont have to do something you dont want too for me i think that between a destination and a journey is that a destination is somewhere you have to go and a journey is like where you wanted to end up to be. I hope to go around the world and meet different kinds of ethics and traditions people have around the world. I want to end up where its all surroundings are postive and know I would becomes somebody successful. Some life experience I want to do in the future are like getting out of high school and college being someone successful and doing something what I do the best and try certain places around the world. Yes i would be satisfied of my memories because i would know I done so many good things and did whats best for me and the others.
ReplyDeleteI think arriving in Ithaca for me means that you have to take your time before you get where you want to because that way you have the pleasure of meeting people and seeing new places you have never seen. A life experience that was mentioned in the poem was that he misses his wife and family and his hometown just like me, i miss my parents when I'm far away from them and I miss my hometown because I haven't been there since yrs. Some life experiences I hope to have in the future is to meet new people and visit places I have never gone. Another is to learn from the mistakes I make so in the future I would know whats good and bad for me. In the phrase "Life is a journey, not a destination" i think its true because you have to go through many things in life in order to get where you want to. I hope to end up in a place where I know i could grow up and be somebody in life and be a successful person with no problems. When I get elderly and look back in the past I would be satisfied with my memories and what I did because I made my choices of what i wanted. I am responsible for my own actions, nobody else.
ReplyDeleteI THINK ARRIVING IN ITHCAA MEANS YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR TIME WHEN YOU GO HERE BECAUSE YOU GET THE CHANCE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND NEW THINGS. THE POEM RELATES TO ME BECAUSE HE MISSES HIS FAMILY AND ITS THE SAME WAY TO ME BECAUSE I REALLY MISS MY REAL MOM BUT WE COULDNT BE TOGETHERE BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD. SOME EXPERIENCES IN MY LIFE I WOULD LOVE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND SEE NEW THINGS,AND FOR THE QUOTE IT MEANS TO ME THAT YOU NEED TO TRY NEW THINGS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. PLUS I THINK ITS TRUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH HARD CHOICES THROUGHOUT LIFE AND THAT IS WHAT LIFE REALLY IS. LIKE I TELL MYSELF EVERDAY IN THE MIRROR.... I AM RESPONSIBE FOR WHAT I DO NEXT. NO ONE CAN CHANGE MY MIND OR THE WAY I DO THINGS!!!!
ReplyDelete"Life is a Journey not a Destination"... is a very good phrase. i think in life you do go through many journies to reach your destination. Ithaca for him means his hometown and where his heart is. I feel the same way when it comes to my hometown, and when i miss my home. When I look back on my life i want to remember all the adventures i have done and the ones still yet to be done. I want to remember my life as a life full of journies and not a boring life. im the one who can make the journey, and i can begin now...
ReplyDeleteJawanBullock
ReplyDeleteI think this poem is telling you to go places and take risk but, always keep your home in mind, because home is where you belong
Ithata for me and everyone is the chillplace.It is where we go when all our goals are accomplished.Where we go when our life work is done.
ReplyDeleteI have had some experices,already but not many for example i have travled across the united states.Some experices that odysseus went through is he went and had to deal with the clops and he got into a phyiscal relationship with a godness . His life has been full.
Well in the future i see myself having lots of experices. I plan to travel around the world .I would like to be a nurse but befor i am a nurse i wont to help with world disters.
Yes, i belive in that phrase because you never stop exploring. no matter what you are doing you always are learning something new . I would love to be a nurse. When i look back at my life and my experices i will be happy, because i will have helped people and also had a fun and exicting life.
For me and in my opinion for everyone else, arriving in Ithaca would be the time in my life when I’m probably an elderly person and I’ve accomplishing all of my many life goals and knowing that I have lived my life to the fullest. I can take a break from the fast life and rest. One of my life experiences so far have been visiting the mountains in Utah and experiencing the great nature there. I’ve also figured out my real passion is life which is to dance. I the poem Ithaca Odysseus traveling to see the cities in Egypt is like, when I went to Utah. Ten years from now one the main life experiences I would like to have accomplished would be to become an accomplished dancer who owns her own studio and is prospering in her life. I also see me having a family and a bright future to look forward to. “Life is a journey not a destination” is a great phrase that I strongly believe in. I believe that life will take you where ever it wants to even, if that rode is a bumpy one. I would hope that my journey is a productive one that takes me through wonderful life full of adventures. I think when I look back on my life as an elderly person I will be very happy because I plan to live life as it comes and be happy with whatever I do or become.
ReplyDeleteIthaca, to me, seems as though it were a paradise. The poem describes the road to it in such a manner that, if taken, you may not wish to return home. But, be weary, if home is not kept in your heart, you won't be able to return once you arrive in Ithaca. You must take your time when traveling to Ithaca, because though you will gain no riches, you will recieve much wisdom.
ReplyDeleteLife is a journey, but it doesnt come easy. And you can either accept that sooner or later or you can give in and become nothingness and that was what odysseus was afraid of, so he chose to face the challenges and live on to feel the warm embrace of his wife, his son, and his glorious city.
ReplyDeleteI think ariving in "Ithaca" means for you, and for all of us that you will have many different life eperiences a head of you. In about 20, 50, years from now I would like my life exeperiences to be great! I see my self as becoming the best vet that i can be, beacause i love animals all types. I have already had life exeperiences that will help me become a great vet, hopley ill make it to become that. The one's that I saw in the poem are trying to tell you that you should'nt be scared to try new things in your life. I do believe that life is a jounery, I hope to have a good jounery in life. I hope to end up at my dream job of becoming the greatest vet. When I get old yes, I think i'll be satisfied with my memories as I look back. Because I would know that I have succeeded in what I wont'ed to become in life.
ReplyDeleteI think ariving in "Ithaca" means for you to keep your mind open, and make sure that you have everything planed out. What I mean by having everything planed out is your goal in life, what you wont to do, and make sure that you will not do anything to mess that up. Ithaca means to make sure that you know who you are and what all you stand for in life.
ReplyDeleteI think arriving in Ithaca mean to me is to never be scared to travel to new destinations and explorer the outside of the state you live in but don’t forget the place you have come from. I have experienced alot of places as a kid like when we go to Baltimore when I was little I use to be scared because so much of my family has been killed there. But now that I have got older I am not as scared anymore an I love to go there. In the future I plan on going to college and graduating then moving to Baltimore with my family. Yes I think that life is a journey not a destination because in life there is something you can always learn or explorer.
ReplyDeleteIt's telling you to go out in life and hope that the road that your onw is right. Don't be scared of people that are taking the smae path or worng ones. Just keep beleving in your slef and you can do it. Dont rush take your time it takes u till your 30 years old you will have all that you will need don't do what everyone else is doing. That's what arriving in Ithaca menas to me.
ReplyDeleteI think this story is about going on what you hope it to be, a long journey because life is full of exciting adventures and you want to see them all. It also means once you reach Ithaca, you will not expect all richest but instead you will glorify all you have seen on your adventure. Reaching Ithaca is not only a journey to a destination, but also a life experience and adventure.
ReplyDeleteJesse White
ReplyDeleteI think that if I had traveled all that way and all that time, and finally got to Ithaca, T would be happy to see that the travel was not a waste of time. You should always take your time when dealing with that kind of situations. I relate to the poem because he is far from his home. He misses his home and his family. Im a people person and so is Odysseus. You should always take any chance you get to met new people and try new things.
The poem "Ithaca" means to me to make life a journey and an adventure. To not let anything stop you along the way. Yes I do agree with the phrase "life is a journey not a destination". Reason being that life is a journey and theres no proof of a final destination. However a journey is the paths you take to reach your destination. The type of journey I would like to have is a journey that I could have fun in. Also a journey that would give my some callenges in life. I hope to end up with a nice house, a husband, and 2 kids. I hope I will be in the air force as well. So don't let anything stop you from reaching your destination.
ReplyDelete"Life is a journey, not a destination" is a phase that I personally believe in because we determine our destiny by the directions we take dealing with the choices we choose to take.Every journey has it's own destination so I feel life is an endless journey until we die.I hope to have an adventurous journey but yet a journey where i'll end up successful."Arriving to Ithaca means to me that life is a road with a lot of directions you can take and as years past and you get older you'll be more cautious on whats better for you. For a life experience I would like to travel around the world to see what I haven't seen.I would be satisfied with my memories when I get old because whether if they are good or bad, they will have taught me something.
ReplyDeleteWhat the poem "Ithaca" means to me is a journey and or an adventure that you can incounter through your life. The life experience that i have already had relating to this is going to new places and learning more about other things while im there . The life experience that I hope to have in the future would be exploring more countries and cities and learning about different cultures. Yes, I do believe that life is a journey not a destination because everyday your learning new things and your just trying to find your place in the world and become what you want to be in your life. You havent arrived to that place yet,but your working on achieving that goal. The journey I hope to have would be making it big in the music industry doing what i love , which is singing or becoming a professional dancer. When i look back on my life as i get older , i think i will be satisfied because nothing is going to stop me from achieving my goals and you only have one life to live so make the best out of it.
ReplyDeleteArriving in Ithaca means to me that as you mature in life and make more decisions you will take more precatious on what life brings.15 years from now I would like to be married,settle in a nice house and just enjoy what life brings." Life is a journey,not a destination" is a phrase i believe in becasue you have to try diffrent things and try very hard to accomplish.Every journey can be useful and helpful, the path I choose will help me later in life to acccomplish my dreams.
ReplyDeleteI think that arriving in ithaca mean that life is a journey and there are many thing that will stop you from getting you to your goal, like odyssey when he was put he had thing in his way from making his way home which was his goal. Everyone has a goal in life like me in 5 or 10 years from now I want to have my own place and family also to become a successful chef. If I work hard and had have hope in myself then it will happen.
ReplyDeleteArriving to Ithica means to me that on the road you choose to go down, you already know there is goiong to be something there to tyr to stop you, so therefore you should already begin with the end of mind. Like even thought things may try to stop you, you should already have an backup plan, So that you dont let the things that come to stop you. stop you. Have faith and it will take you along the way.
ReplyDeleteArriving in Ithaca means to me is that you have to know what you want to succeed in life. You can rush to what you want to be and that you have to take it slow and easy. If you rush then you might not get to where you want to go in life as fast as you want, and what I am saying is that to get to an accomplished goal or dream you have to take it slow and easy to get there faster.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs a place where one can call “home.” Home for Odysseus is Ithaca, for Ithaca has all his reasons to live including his son, his wife, and his kingdom. We should at least visit the place we call “home” whether if it was the one that gave you your birth or the one that gave you opportunities to pursue happiness. Before we do go back “home,” we should try to get riches from knowledge or material treasures back to our home. Explorers and conquerors captured land, bringing them riches and knowledge back to their homes, making history. It’s our time to make history too by driving or sailing through our journeys and we shall gain memorable experiences along the way. “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Whether it is a bumpy road, a straight path, or a labyrinth, we should all be happy from what we learn and be proud of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe that arriving in Ithaca is saying; when you leave home, do not think about the negative that could happen think of the positive that will happen because bad things only happen only because your thinking about bad things and expecting them. It’s also saying that Ithaca hasn’t anything else to give so when your away from home on your journey make sure that your away for a long time so when you do come back you can fill Ithaca with all the wealth and riches that you gained on your marvelous journey. So if Ithaca fooled you in believing it as poor then you didn’t become wise and experienced but if not then you might have learned what an Ithaca means.
ReplyDeleteTo me Ithaca means various things and its like a journey and an adventure that you choose to be in. This journey that you make should be an epic one that you make to be the adventure that you want it to possess.And to be all happy.
ReplyDeleteTo me Ithaca mean making changes and going on new adventures. Like if your life wasen't going so good You should look at your self and ask your self what can I do to make myself a better person. Don't just say what can you do to make your self a better person take action and do the thing you said you can do. And explore the world more make new friends and most of all let all of your stress out don't never let it build up because you never know how it's going to come out
ReplyDelete"Life is a journey, not a destination" is a phrase i believe in. When your living your life you do many things to keep it fun. Without fun journeys in your life your life would be boring. Every journey you go thorugh is somthing that leads you to your destination. Your destination is undefine and you will never kno! I expect to go thorugh many more journeys then I already went through! Sometimes I think about the good times and I laugh because they are funny! But there still more journeys I want to do, like travel around the world to know more stuff,cultures and the way of life.I want to learn more things about other people, places. Also I would want to get to do many wild things! If I do not get the chance to travel around the world its going to be ok because when I become older I will be satisfied with my memories because I kno I lived my life the way I wanted!:)
ReplyDeleteyes he did take a while to get back home, but who would not after fighting in a war.people always get side tracked. in my future i would like to go through similar adventure as he did, but not as bad. he showed bravery by making it back home. but would have tryed to make it back home as well. so always attempt to do some when you are ready.
ReplyDeleteTo me live is a story and do anything to have fun. Take action and do what yhu put your mind to and complete it and try to attempt to do stuff to be goo at and i would like to go thought adventure he did and the things he did.
ReplyDeleteto me Ithaca means when your searching for a new place to be dont worry about the neagative things that could happen focus on the postive so it will keep you going and you can have an Healthy PBA. When your focusing on the future you should never EVER focus on the past and what has brought you down. I want to move to Puerto Rico with my family and be a successful Vet, and to do that I have to stay postive and work towars my goals.!!!
ReplyDeleteTo me, "Arriving in Ithaca", is your life journey, what you experience, and what you pick up along the way. So far, with every situation I've faced throughout my life I've picked up either a piece or pieces of it and I've taken it with me on my journey. There are also things that I have left behind.
ReplyDeleteYou decide what you take along with you on your journey and what you leave behind, although there are some things that you will come to find you just can't release. You decide how and what you're going to use the things you chose to keep for. To me it is important that I choose carefully what I am going to take with me and also what I am going to leave behind because I know what I choose to keep hold of will either have a positive or negative effect over me whether it'd be sooner or later.
Within the next 5, 10, 20, 50 years or so, I hope to experience all that I possibly can. Life is what you make it and I choose to be open to whatever will benefit me and whatever will make me come out wiser and stronger in the end. I don't want to live a closed up life with little experiences and a short journey. Why settle for less when you can travel a lifelong journey and have a continuous growth in gifts and memories that you will pick up along the way?
I believe in the quote, "life is a journey, not a destination", because I believe that you don't live life to find this one place alone to settle in. I believe that we are meant to go out and explore and experience everything to the best of our abilities. Also, your journey is your story. You are the writer, the path chooser, and the main character. Only you have complete power over your life and only you make the final decision with where you take it. I will not live an empty life and stop at a single destination. I will cherish every memory and endure life as I continue on with my journey.
I truly think that when I am elderly and I am sitting back looking upon my journey I will be satisfied with the decisions I made and the memories that I will have. I have always known that everything happens for a reason so I know that dwelling upon all of the "what if's" won't change anything, therefore, I chose to think positively about my outcome with life and my overall experience because it will be what I made it.
To me Itcha means when You have to decide what you look at things along with you on your journey and what you leave behind, although there are some things that you will come to find to be diffcult You decide how and what you're going to do to fix these problems and stay postive. To me this is imporant beacuse i want to become a successful RN and to do this i have to be postive and strong.
ReplyDeleteIthaca means to me that your looking for that new place.As you begin to seacrh for it don't have that neagitive thinking mine that something dangerous is going to tagg you along the way.Have self confidence that you will make it there safely.Experience i've had like the poem is when im nerves about something i ten to worry my self about instead of think about the positive things behind I just worry myself. In the future I hope to worry less about this person or that thing just focus on me and things that I have to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteI do beleave in this pharse because it's true life is a journey and i feel you should never take it for granted because you never know what would happen.Just be your self and live life to the fullest.When I become an elder person i hope to be satisfied because by that time I would have fullfied all my goals that I have set for my self in life.
Arriving in Ithaca to me means a lonq and interstinq journey, no fears, worries or anything. For everyone I think it means the same, hopefully everyone will have a lonq journey and won't have any worries or problems. Some problems i've had were the ones like don't be scared of cyclops or poseidon or in my case don't fear anything. When I was younqer I used to be scared of this biq black qirl because she was biq and black! One day I had the quts to tell her im not scared of you anymore and we ended up fiqhtinq, and I won, but the point is I faced my fear and I felt better about myself and from that day on I haven't been scared of anybody since. In the future I want to experience a new life like having a child. Yes I do believe in that phrase because if life was a destination life wouldn't really have any meaning like knowing what your qonna do next or what's qonna happen next. I mean who want's to know that ! I don't. I hope to have a journey of beinq a qreat psycholoqist and I hope to end up with tons of rewards and money! Yes, I'd be satisfied because I don't regret anything i've done or do. =)
ReplyDeletei think this means that only you are in control of your life. Not anyone else can control it. You might come to hard decisions but still, no one can control your decision making.
ReplyDeleteI think arriving in Ithaca means to me is to never be scared to travel to new destinations and explorer the outside of the state you live in.For everyone I think it means the same, hopefully everyone will have a lonq journey and won't have any worries or problems.When your focusing on the future you should never ever focus on the past and what has brought you down.Should always think bout future and what gud things happened.
ReplyDeleteTo me arriving in ithica mean mean like taking your time and dont be worry that something will happen and to just think good thoughts
ReplyDeleteTo me Ithica means searching for a new place and while searching for that new place negative thinking is not the best way to go, me personally I will say stay with positive thoughts.For everyone I think it means the same, hopefully everyone will have a lonq journey and won't have any worries or problems. i'll say that make your choices instead of letting other people make for you.
ReplyDeleteI think that arriving in Ithaca means to me is that Ithaca means to live a dream of traveling to new fantastic places and never being scared of what you meet and a place that you never think of horrible things. For all of us i think that we all probably wouldn't survive because every one has diffren emotion and thoughts. Some of the life experience i have already had, is planning a good destiny. I hope to have good relationships with people in the next 50 years. I really don't believe in Ithaca. I hope to have a peaceful and rewarding journey and most likely i will be sastified with my memories because Im going to be what I always dream for.......
ReplyDeleteArriving in Ithiaca means a completion. A reward for seeking. No they aren't metioned. Going places. Yes Idon't know. Yes i know won't have no regrets.
ReplyDelete