The Odyssey- Book 15

Part One
In book fifteen, Athena comes to visit Telemachus in his dream and informs him to journey back home.  As he and his crew are preparing to leave, a hawk swoops down.  I tried to think of what the significance of the hawk was before I read the actual meaning, and it was not the same.  The same thing happened the second time the hawk came down, my predictions were way off!  But it was interesting to read the actual interpretations given and see their perspectives on it.  I saw the hawk as a sign for good travles, like freedom and strength.  I thought it was a sign of Telemachus overcoming obsticles with hardly any trouble.  I was shocked when Telemachus allowed Theoclymenus onto the ship with him and his crew because he confessed to killing a man.  It made me think of a discussion we had in class about people's past and present and whether or not they can change.  Usually people would back away and keep their distance from a killer, but not Telemachus.  He did not even think twice about letting him join the crew.
Question:  Summarize the two important omens in this book. What is their literary function? In other words, how do they help develop the characters, plot, and/or themes? Also, how do they affect us as readers? Is there any significance in who reads the omens (Helen and Theoclymenus)? Explain.
Answer: Helen believes the hawk represents Odysseus getting back at the suitors and taking back what is his at home.  Theoclymenus says it shows the power Odysseus is gaining back at his home.  The omens help show how Odysseus is doing even though this book is not necessarily about him.  He is gaining back what is rightfully his and shows he isn't giving up on his wife.  It may depend on who interprets them because they could have different views of the subject.  They both believed it had something to do with Odysseus and his power status.
Question: What are the signs that Telemachus has matured since the last time we encountered him (in Books 1-4)? Consider his behavior toward Menelaus, Pisistratus, Theoclymenus, and his crew.
Answer: Telemachus has matured because he has thoughts of his father that keep him awake at night.  He listens to the goddess that visits him in his dream and is wlecoming.  He takes in Theoclymenus, although he kelled a man of his own tribe. He begs Menelaus to send him on his way because he longs to go home and realizes what he left behind is actually valuable to him.  He values the relationship he has with Pisistratus and seems sincere when describing what they have overcome on 'this tour'. 

GQ #1: Can a person like Theoclymenus, who killed a man of his own tribe, be trusted or will he not change his ways and kill the crew because he is welcomed to be 'one of them'? Explain your reasoning.

Part Two
Literary Devices: Tone-
Athena visits Telemachus in a dream and tells him to begin his journey home.  With her 'eyes ablaze', she tells him what to do to get away from Menelaus and go home.  The tone of her voice made him wake up and insis on the crew packing up and leaving that night.  This shows how much power and how influential the gods and goddesses are for mortals.
Epic Machinery: Long, Formal speeches-
Eumaeus tells of his story, point by point, for almost a page before he is interrupted with questions.  He asks to be heard and not questioned.  After that, he goes on with his story for quite some time.  Homer has an interesting way of having every character tell of their background and their knowledge.  There seems to be something for every character to say that is interesting and new.  This helps get an idea of where the character comes from and what they know. 
Translater's Notes-
15:250-55 talks about the prophet, sprung of Melampus' line of seers.  Then goes on to describe what Melampus what about.  The translation states:

Melampus' line of seers: A different version of the story told at 11.318-40.  Here Neleus drives Melampus out and confiscates his property.  We do not know why Phylacus imprisoned Melampus, nor why he was persecuted by the Furies, nor how he avenged himself on Neleus.  In this version he wins Neleus' daughter Pero not for himself but for his brother.  Homer does not mention it, but we learn from Hesiod that Melampus, who could understnd the speech of birds and animals, was released from prison because he had heard worms in the palace roofbeams discussing how thoroughly they had undermined the structure, and so Melampus warned his captor that the building would soon collapse. 

 This note describes Melampus' line of seers.  In the note it is unclear why he was imprisoned, but he has a gift and is able to escape from the jail because of it. The note helps inform where this fugitive came from and why he had gotten out of jail even after killing a man.  

GQ #2: Why does Athena closely watch Odysseus and Telemachus, making decisions for them and helping them on their journeys?

Part Three
One theme in book fifteen is the significance of an omen.  Some people can think of a meaning for anything that happens in life.  How are Helen and Theoclymenus so sure that the hawk has a meaning behind its actions?  If they can predict the hawk has significance, then why don't they interpret every little thing that happens because a meaning could be made up.  There can also be different ways to view the messages.  Although Helen and Theoclymenus did see the hawk in similar ways, there could have been different ways of viewing it. 
Paranormal activities can be viewed as signs of the dead trying to communicate with the living.  There is an article, http://www.wsusignpost.com/2.3592/ghosts-on-campus-show-themselves-to-residents-1.407588, written by a student at Weber State University about interactions students have had on campus.  It is said to be one of the most haunted campuses and there is a definite negative vibe.  The author of this piece is actually my cousin, and she told me how she and others felt.  They all said they got the impression that they were not welcome; like the campus belonged to someone else and they did not want to share.  These voilent actions from the spirits caused several suicides because the students were being tortured and not believed.  Omens and signs can be thought of, by others, as made up meanings.  So I wonder if more things in life should be interpreted and thought of as something unusual with meaning behind it. 

GQ #3: Has someone ever told you something and you didn't really believe them, but something about the way they said it made you do it anyway?