Miguel (Mikey) Munoz

Per.1 English 1P

Mrs. Parrot/Mulvey

June, 1 2017

Collection 6: Summative Essay

Journeys can affect different people's perspectives in life. Journeys are taken for many

reasons and could even change a person. The character Odysseus in The Odyssey changes by

having too much pride at the beginning of the story. The character Kira Salak in The

Cruelest Journey changes by going on journeys for the danger to going because she wants a new

experience.

Odysseus shows a change in the end of the story when he stops having do much pride. In

book nine his true identity to the cyclops. "Cyclops, if any mortal human being asks about the

injury that blinded you tell them Odysseus destroyed your eye, a sacker of cities, Laertes son, a

man from Ithaca." This quote means Odysseus told the Cyclops his real name because

his pride lead him too. This quote matters because he got Poseidon as an enemy

When he could have left without saying anything. As the journey continues Odysseus learns to

become a better leader and his pride isn't as big as before. In The Odyssey it says, So he
spoke, trying me out, but I knew too much and was not deceived, but answered him in turn, and

my words were crafty Poseidon, Shaker of the Earth, has shattered my vessel. He drove it against

the rocks on the outer coast of your country, cracked on a cliff, it is gone, the wind on the sea

took it. This quote means he lied to people about where his ship was located. This matters

because his pride didn't lead him to tell them where the ship was and fight them for it. Odysseus

changes and his pride isn't as big as it was in the beginning of the journey.

In the story, The Cruelest Journey by Kira Salak the main character goes through a

change as the story progresses. In the text it states, My guide from town He says he will pray

for me. Its the best he can do. To his knowledge, no man has ever completed such a trip, though

a few have tried. (Salak 17-20). This quote means no one has accomplished such a trip and she

would be the first. This matters because she is taking this journey because of the danger it

presents and knowing she will be the first to complete it makes her want to go on this trip even

more. Salak changes at the end of the story by knowing why she actually take journeys. The

story states I know now, with the utter conviction of my heart, that I want to avoid that stagnant

life. I want the the world to always be offering me the new, the grace of the unfamiliar. (Salak

226-228). This quote means that she figured out why she goes on journeys and what she wants

the world to offer her. This matters because in the beginning she was going on journeys for the

danger and now it changed. Salak changed by knowing what type of journeys she wants and why

she takes them.

 I learned in this unit that journeys change people as life goes on and they can help people

and teach them new things about themselves. In my opinion i have changed very little in my first

year in high school but it has taught me valuable lessons and helped me in life. Journeys can

change people by teaching them new things they didn't know about themselves and using that to

become a better person.