The Odyssey, an epic by Homer, narrates the journey of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, returning home from the Trojan War. This epic should remain in Hopkins' education because of its ability to illustrate more than just a story but teach students about leadership. Furthermore, The Odyssey teaches the readers about ancient Greek life and culture.
In a 6th grade class, taught by Marcia Worth-Baker, she tells us her personal experience with this epic. In her article SOAPBOX; An Odyssey, she writes about how Homer displays traits of leadership in his character Odysseus. “When my students learn to see this in themselves, they will become -- at last -- good leaders” (Worth Baker). The Odyssey is essential for students as it nurtures leadership which isn’t often grown within a classroom. Since The Odyssey gives readers such a strong leader-like character, it encourages students to integrate Odysseus’s strong leadership traits into themselves. The Odyssey helped Macia Worth-Baker’s class by developing students' leadership with a powerful leadership character. Hopkins Education should keep this epic within our English curriculum as it has been proven to help grow leadership.
The Odyssey should also be taught in Hopkins Education for its significance to the past. In a New York Times article by Bryan Doerries, he writes about how Homer’s work reflects the Greeks in the past. The Odyssey, “illuminates [s] our personal struggles and interrogates [s] our understanding of human history” (Doerries). Similarly to the islands that Odysseus visits in The Odyssey, the epic allows us to understand the Greek people, specifically regarding their beliefs, fears, daily lives, etc. The Odyssey allows us to connect with people from thousands of years ago and makes us realize that the Greeks aren’t as distant as we think.
The Odyssey should stay in the Hopkins Education system. This epic goes beyond storytelling, as it explores ideas including leadership as highlighted by Marcia Worth-Baker and her 6th grade class. The Odyssey isn’t just a typical novel as it contains the ability to teach students leadership through a story and educate students on past Greek ideologies, traditions, religion, and culture making it vital to stay in Hopkins’ education.