Compare how Homer and Zemeckis highlight the ways in which key characters survive through the challenges of their life.
Entertaining survival genre texts like playwright Homer’s Greek mock-epic mythological poem, the Odyssey and director Robert Zemeckis’s American epic film, Cast Away portray the support mechanisms that even Herculean individuals rely on in every society. Noting that Homer starts the Odyssey in media res after his previous poem, the Iliad while Zemeckis starts from the beginning. Homer skilfully uses dactylic hexameter, epithets and repetition with ‘earth-shaking Poseidon’, and epic similes such as ‘Odysseys melted… as a women weeps, lying over the body of her husband, who fell fighting for her city… while men hit her… Such …show more content…
In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus leaves his home to fight for ‘kleos’ or glory which is a standard problem. On this note, Homer often uses hyperbole to characterise Odysseus’ pride and self-importance which the antagonist, Poseidon punishes him for; he says, ‘I am Odysseus… known to all men, and my fame goes up to the heavens’ and ‘not a soul in the crowd can match Odysseus’. Homer also shifts between a serious and unforgiving tone to a lighter tone where he uses satirical humour and irony to mock exaggerated heroic qualities in characters like Odysseus. Nonetheless, Homer ultimately develops Odysseus to become increasingly ‘wise’, ‘crafty’, and most importantly, modest and family orientated which results in the resolution, or his homecoming. In comparison to the Odyssey, Zemeckis has a more light-hearted and sad tone. Chuck is also characterised to conversely start off humble within his normal position at Fed Ex. Chuck’s fatal flaw is also different and explored to be an overcommitment to his work, time, and money as reinforced through frequent camera shots of close-ups of clocks which denote his commitment to time. Chuck’s statement that ‘we must never allow ourselves the sin of losing track of time’ further reinforces his overcommitment to work. Through Chuck, Zemeckis also explores how family is important for emotional support as close-ups show that Chuck continually looks at the symbol of Kelly’s picture which represents hope, family, and
Entertaining survival genre texts like playwright Homer’s Greek mock-epic mythological poem, the Odyssey and director Robert Zemeckis’s American epic film, Cast Away portray the support mechanisms that even Herculean individuals rely on in every society. Noting that Homer starts the Odyssey in media res after his previous poem, the Iliad while Zemeckis starts from the beginning. Homer skilfully uses dactylic hexameter, epithets and repetition with ‘earth-shaking Poseidon’, and epic similes such as ‘Odysseys melted… as a women weeps, lying over the body of her husband, who fell fighting for her city… while men hit her… Such …show more content…
In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus leaves his home to fight for ‘kleos’ or glory which is a standard problem. On this note, Homer often uses hyperbole to characterise Odysseus’ pride and self-importance which the antagonist, Poseidon punishes him for; he says, ‘I am Odysseus… known to all men, and my fame goes up to the heavens’ and ‘not a soul in the crowd can match Odysseus’. Homer also shifts between a serious and unforgiving tone to a lighter tone where he uses satirical humour and irony to mock exaggerated heroic qualities in characters like Odysseus. Nonetheless, Homer ultimately develops Odysseus to become increasingly ‘wise’, ‘crafty’, and most importantly, modest and family orientated which results in the resolution, or his homecoming. In comparison to the Odyssey, Zemeckis has a more light-hearted and sad tone. Chuck is also characterised to conversely start off humble within his normal position at Fed Ex. Chuck’s fatal flaw is also different and explored to be an overcommitment to his work, time, and money as reinforced through frequent camera shots of close-ups of clocks which denote his commitment to time. Chuck’s statement that ‘we must never allow ourselves the sin of losing track of time’ further reinforces his overcommitment to work. Through Chuck, Zemeckis also explores how family is important for emotional support as close-ups show that Chuck continually looks at the symbol of Kelly’s picture which represents hope, family, and