Author Archives: veyjustin

Week 3 Illiad

1.What are differences and similarities between Achilles’s relationship with his fellow Achaeans and Hector’s relationship with his fellow Trojans? Outline not only how these two warriors relate to those around them but to each other.

Achilles and Hector are similar to each other in skill level. They are both the best warriors of their time, but what makes these two legends different is the reasons for which they fight. Achilles fights for bragging rights and would rather let fellow companions die so that he can be a hero. Achilles was a one man team. Hector fought for his wife and kids and was in my opinion more honorable than Achilles, but unfortunately Hector made many costly decisions in battle that would cause many of his warriors to fall. Both Achilles and Hector were great warriors but awful leaders.

2. The excerpt from Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried gives context for those of you who have not been in battle. It speaks to the breaking down of all known boundaries, such as good and evil, that occurs in war. Achilles breaks the Greek standard and religious observance of respect for the dead by dragging Hector’s body around. Even though Hector is his enemy, his acts would have been seen by a B.C. Greek soldier as sacrilege. What is it that brings Achilles back to balance after his berserk episode, and what significance can this transformation have, what does it communicate?

When Hectors father King Priam sought out Achilles after Hectors fall. King Priam prayed to let him bury his son, and when King Priam asked Achilles to think about his father something snaps Achilles back to reality and he lets Priam give his son a burial. This transformation in Achilles communicates that Achilles is becoming less self absorbed and that forgiveness can happen even under the most harsh conditions

3. Achilles spends the first 18 books of the epic Refusing the Call. He even refuses the Embassy’s offer, a scene in which he proclaims an interest in a domestic life. This proclamation is interesting when compared to the circumstances of Hector in Book 22 when, as we he waits for Achilles to arrive for the final battle he knows he will ever fight, his father Priam and his mother Hecuba call to him from the gates of Troy. This scenes speaks to the inner-tug these warriors feel between two distinct codes of behavior: 1. The Warrior Code and 2. The Familial Code. The first code is dependent upon Honor and and Victory; the second on responsibility for offspring and spouse. Are these two codes mutually exclusive? Why or why not?

I feel that someone cannot be fully committed to both codes at the same time. One can only be exclusive to one of the codes. However I do think that in different times of someones life they can switch which code they are committed to. A young soldier can commit himself to the Warrior Code until he has served his time and is ready to start a family, and then commit to the Familial Code. That same soldier cannot be committed to both codes without neglecting one or the other, if that soldier is off fighting a war than his children and wife are being neglected as he is no longer around, and if that soldier is with his family then he is not fighting in the heat of battle for the war. There is no full commitment to both Codes.

A Hero’s Journey

  1. The films that first come to mind to follow the thread of The Hero’s Journey are the Lord  of the Rings trilogy. I believe these movies followed the Hero’s Journey to a T. Your hero Frodo Baggins is called to destroy the ring of Sauron, and is aided by the fellowship which includes Gimley, Legolas, Sam, Aragon, Gandolf, and so on. Frodo is faced with the temptation of the rings power which gets him into trouble throughout the journey. Frodo Eventually realizes his strength is through his courage which then transforms him into this dedicated carrier of an extremely large burden where nothing can stray him from his one task to destroy the ring. Towards the end of the film he destroys the ring and is rewarded with living in peace at his home in the shire. One of the scenes that match the step of supernatural aid and guardians is when Frodo is in the Elven kingdom and everyone is arguing over who will destroy the ring. Frodo Stands up saying that he will take on the burden and then everyone else contributes to the journey as his protectors.

 

  1. I believe current cinema meets the needs expressed in the four functions of mythology. There always has to be some sort of mystery in the movies to keep those that are watching the movies intrigued and processing and unraveling the mystery in their own minds as the movie plays through. The need for a picture of the universe in which human beings belong, the need for a picture of our society in which each person belongs and the need for a picture of our own psychology that helps the transitions of human life are always being portrayed in movies because those are what allow the viewer to relate themselves to the main character in the movies.

Hello there peeps

Hello,

My name is Justin Vey, I am 20years old. I was born and raised in the frozen interior of Fairbanks Alaska. I am a business student focused more on marketing and sales. It’s actually nice to know that Popa is our professor for this online course, as I had the pleasure of having her my previous semester on campus. Had to give her a quick shout out, she is the best!

While I continue towards my bachelor’s degree I currently work for Lithia of Fairbanks selling cars. So by all means if you need one because you’re new to Alaska don’t be shy and stop by. I look forward to class with you all.

-Justin Vey