Lies In The Odyssey

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The idea of whether there is a good lie and whether a lie can be justified has a different answer depending on the situation. This idea can be explored through the texts of Old School and The Odyssey. In Old School, the protagonist deceives his elite school and Ernest Hemingway by plagiarizing a story that wasn’t his and submitting it to a story contest. Odysseus from The Odyssey also deceives his family and the suitors by pretending to be a beggar. However, the motives of each character are different and that plays an important role on whether their lies are justified. Although both the narrator of Old School and Odysseus both lied and deceived those around them, Odysseus’s deception is justified because he lied to protect his family, whereas …show more content…

If Odysseus came to his palace unannounced with no support, he would definitely lose to the hundreds of suitors. So, Athena “ shriveled the supple skin on his lithe limbs, stripped the russet curls from his head, covered his body top to toe with the wrinkled hide of an old man and dimmed the fire in his eyes…”(Homer 14.493-496). Despite Odysseus deceiving the suitors, Telemachus, and Penelope, he did it for the noble act of protecting his family. The suitors were making plans to have one of them marry Penelope and kill Telemachus, so it was essential for Odysseus to prove his masculinity by keeping his loved ones away from danger. Unlike plagiarism, Odysseus committed a selfless act that was best for others around him. Having a noble and pure intention, his deception can be seen as justified and more ethical than that of Old School’s narrator. Both Telemachus and Penelope convey pure joy and happiness to be reunited with an important male in their lives: for Telemachus, a chance to have a father figure that he can look up to, and Penelope, having her loving and adoring husband back to protect her. The deception and lies that Odysseus commits increase his awareness of himself rather than developing him. After many years wasted on his mistakes, he realized that the priority was getting his family back and he was ready to do whatever it took. Yes, Odysseus had to lie, but that led to him being surrounded by his loving family and “pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to

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