Katherine Wagner
ENGL 2111
1/23/18
Reading Response One
The Odyssey: Book Five
In Book Five of Homer’s The Odyssey, we learn a few different things about Odysseus.
When he is trapped on the island with Kalypso, he doesn’t trust her when she tells him she’s
letting him leave. Once he realizes it isn’t a trick, he thinks strategically and uses charm when
talking to Kalypso so he doesn’t anger her for leaving. On his journey back, he shows us how
suspicious he is of everyone and is almost defeated by everything he encounters. These
characteristics of suspicion and strategic thinking are present throughout the reading.
