Monday, May 4, 2020

Blog#29 - Eva Zheng- Period 1- 5/4/2020



Blog #29 -Eva Zheng Period 1 - 5/4/2020


Eva Zheng 
5/4/2020
Period 1 
Freshman Lit #12 
Blogger #29


Aim: How can we evaluate Odysseus' leadership through his decision-making in
his encounter  with "Scylla and Charybdis" in Homer's Odyssey?


In class today, we learned about the trolley problem, which is a hypothetical situation
where we are on a train track set to kill a person, but we could pull the lever to save
those five people but kill another one instead. It is an ethical dilemma that forces us to
analyze whether the outcomes of something justifies it. We played a Kahoot where different
variables of the trolley question were changed ex) whether the five people are pregnant or
skilled surgeons. The results of these were skewed, which showed that there is no unified
answer for these. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is forced into a similar situation as he could
either stick close to Scylla(6 headed monster) and lose six men, or Charybdis and have
everyone on the ship die. Although he ultimately chooses to sail near Scylla, he still feels
guilty seeing six of his men being brutally murdered in front of him. ig


Trolley problem - Wikipedia


 Then, we also learned about allusions. Allusions are a brief reference within a literary work
to a historical, literary, biblical event. They are not meant to be explained, as the author expects
that their audience will recognize them already. Allusions can help set up the framework for a theme
and help relate the work to the audience. In the image shown below, the Simpsons referenced the
greek gods in an episode. For homework, we had to find various allusions in the work of our choosing.
I chose "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee to analyze. When Uncle Jack is eating with Atticus,
he says, "Let this cup pass from you, eh?". This is a biblical allusion, as in the bible, Jesus took the
cup from God, knowing that he was going to be sacrificed for making the right decision. This
allusion also helps contribute to the theme of doing what is right, as Atticus knew he was going
to suffer from defending a black man in a prejudiced neighborhood, but he continues the case as
he knew it is moral. 


Reflection: Today, we learned about the Trolley Problem, and what makes it ethically
significant. Like most philosophical problems, there is no definitive or correct solution,
which is what has kept it alive for so many decades. There are a lot of variables that could
influence our decisions, like whether or not you are choosing to kill your friend or someone
that is giving birth. By learning what this is, we could connect it to the Odyssey, by stepping
inside his shoes when he is faced with a similar problem. We also learned about allusions
today, which are an indirect reference to something that is not explained. There are mainly
four types of Allusions: Biblical (refers to religious work), Classical (refers to classical
literature), Literary (quotes to another literary work), and historical (relating to events in
history.) We must recognize these, as they are prevalent in literary/cinematic works.
Some examples are shown with the tv show The Simpsons, as it has alluded to many works,
including Harry Potter, Star Wars, and even Lord of the flies. They can help create a mood,
help audiences relate to their work, and contribute to a particular theme. By recognizing these
allusions, we can get a firmer grasp of the message the writer is trying to convey to us.
In the future, I could use allusion to have my reader gain a richer understanding of my
work and to have them achieve a higher perspective of events in my work. In essence, today,
our class learned about The Trolley problem and how it's alluded in The Odyssey, along with
different types of allusions and how they are used.
TV Shows - The Odyssey Allusions


I am learning that many people in the world can be very ignorant and xenophobic, due to their
reactions to the Coronvirus. Ever since the possibility that the coronavirus emerged from China
was announced, anti-Chinese sentiment and rapidly increasing world violence have been occurring.
Since February 1, New York City's Commission of Human rights says it has received around 248
complaints of discrimination spurred over fears of the virus. A specific example of this is footage
released to form an acid attack in Brooklyn. A man sneaks up on an Asian American lady and pours
a fluid that causes second-degree burns. Jeju Noodle bar was recently vandalized with racist graffiti-
someone wrote "Stop eating dogs" on the window of the restaurant. The owner describes that he is
fearful of doing the smallest actions outside, over the anxiety of racist actions. These racist attacks
are not only scary but also too close to home. While viruses don't discriminate between hosts based on their race, nationality, or ethnicity- misinformation and stigma do. 
Coronavirus pandemic triggers racist attacks against Asian ...


Working at home has been a new experience that I am adapting to. Rather than sitting at school for
around 7 hours per day, I can break up the work and plan for other days, as we get our work in a
three-day cycle. With this new time, I have taken the initiative to do other activities, which include
reading, writing, improving my Russian skills, and attempting to learn how to code. However, doing
work at home requires a certain level of responsibility. It is easy to get distracted at home and waste
time, so we have to keep track of assignments each day. I use a planner app with different categories
for my list. No one is disciplining you and reminding you about the work due daily. It can get a little
lonely sometimes because I miss my teachers and friends in real life and the exciting discussions and
interaction that we shared daily. Feelings of uncertainty and sadness can arise, as we have no idea
when the virus will end, and how many people will have to suffer from it, but all we can do is to stay
at home. The schedule and routine we once had are gone, and we have to adjust to it for the time
being. 

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