Question

scylla & charybdis
part a
what do odysseus’ actions in this scene reveal about him as a leader?
○ he is reckless and ignores the dangers around him
○ he is compassionate but realistic about unavoidable losses
○ he is easily overwhelmed and depends on his crew for guidance
○ he is power - hungry and uses fear to control his men
scylla & charybdis
part b
which piece of evidence from the passage best supports your answer to part a?
○ “oars flew from their hands... the blades went knocking wild alongside till the ship lost way”
○ “heads up, lads! we must obey the orders as i give them... steer for that headland”
○ “i told them nothing, as they could do nothing. they would have dropped their oars again, in panic”
○ “she ate them as they shrieked there... and deathly pity ran me through at that sight.”

Explanation:

PART A

To determine Odysseus' leadership traits, analyze each option:

• Option 1 ("reckless and ignores dangers"): Odysseus' actions here involve strategic navigation, not recklessness.
• Option 2 ("compassionate but realistic about losses"): The scene shows him giving orders (realistic about the need to navigate, knowing losses may occur) and the later "deathly pity" line supports compassion.
• Option 3 ("easily overwhelmed, depends on crew"): He gives clear orders, so not overwhelmed or dependent.
• Option 4 ("power - hungry, uses fear"): No indication of fear - mongering or hunger for power; he gives orders for survival.

We need a quote that supports the idea of Odysseus being compassionate but realistic about losses.

• "Oars flew from their hands... the blades went knocking wild alongside till the ship lost way": Describes chaos, not leadership traits.
• "Heads up, lads! We must obey the orders as I give them... steer for that headland": Shows him giving orders (realistic about following orders for survival), but not compassion.
• "I told them nothing, as they could do nothing. They would have dropped their oars again, in panic": Shows he withholds info to prevent panic (compassionate) and knows they can't act (realistic about their state).
• "She ate them as they shrieked there... and deathly pity ran me through at that sight": The "deathly pity" shows compassion, and the loss (them being eaten) is the unavoidable loss he is realistic about. This quote best supports the Part A answer.

Answer:

B. He is compassionate but realistic about unavoidable losses

PART B