The Heroic Qualities of Odysseus (The Odyssey) and Everett (O Brother, Where Art Thou)

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Odysseus and Ullysseus Everett McGill are similar characters because of their perseverance, cleverness, and their leadership abilities.

In The Odyssey, Odysseus portrays an important trait to the story, perseverance. His perseverance really stands out as something that he has and always will have. On his long journey home, he never gives up and just stays where he is, no matter how tempting. He always manages to push through and keep getting closer to his goal of returning home. An example of when he does this is when he is faced with the challenge of getting past Skylla and Kharybdis. He knows that either path will kill at least some of his men and possibly him, but he knows he has to keep going. "And all this time,/ in travail, sobbing, gaining on the current,/ we rowed into the strait---Skylla to port/ and on our starboard beam Kharybdis, dire/ gorge of the salt sea tide." (Homer, 12. 301-305). In O Brother, Where Art Thou, Everett also showed his perseverance. While trying to get back to his wife, he also faces many obstacles that he must get through. There were many people and things keeping him from where he was going, but he pushed through and got there anyway. His greatest obstacle to get through was when he came upon the sirens. He went down to the river and the sirens got the men drunk enough to fall asleep. While asleep, Pete was turned in by the sirens, but the other men hadn't been turned in yet. They woke up and were forced to get out of there as fast as they could with a frog they thought was Pete. Delmar wanted to stay and try to change Pete back but Everett told him they needed to persevere and keep going, and they did. Another trait that both of these men show in their stories is their cleverness. Odysseus show...

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...Nothing but fatal trouble shall we find here./ Pull away, then, and put the land astern.'" (Homer, 12. 350-355). Everett is also a great leader of his men. Being the only smart person of the group, he was forced to tell the other 2 exactly what to do, and he does a great job of it. This is especially shown when the trio comes upon a meeting of the KKK. Everett sees their friend Tommy and devises a plan, which he executes with the other 2 men helping him in order to save Tommy. His leadership in executing this plan was the only reason it worked, since the other men did their part and he did more than his. Both of these men are great leaders.

All of the qualities shown in these men are important in showing heroism. Heroism is having qualities that highlight someone's unique and noble abilities. Both of these men portray a massive amount of heroism in their stories.

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