“Walking inside someone else’s shoes…” A Point of View Exercise for The

Essential Question: How does the point of view from which a story is told change the focus of that story?

In front of you you should have an excerpt from ’s novel The Penelopiad. This novel, a version of , tells the story from the perspective of as she waits twenty years for to return home. The selection you are reading recounts Penelope’s reaction to the death of her maids at Odysseus’s hands. As you remember, Odysseus kills these maids because – to him – they have betrayed him by forming relationships with Penelope’s suitors (in addition to betraying Penelope’s strategy with the shroud) and, as traitors, they must be killed for justice to be served. The Penelope in Atwood’s tale has a very different response.

When an author chooses a point of view, s/he chooses to privilege certain information: the information that character would see as important. A warrior would find details of a battle to be key, a medic might pay attention to the wounds inflicted, a parent might see the battle – and a child’s death – to be an utter waste. What do you think Penelope, the woman at home alone, the “mother figure” to these maids, would see as important?

Step 1: Mark your text. Number the paragraphs. As you read, circle or otherwise indicate the “changes in perspective” that are unique to Penelope – her interpretation of events that would be different from Odysseus’s interpretation. Then, at the end of your text, summarize how Penelope’s viewpoint is different from that of Odysseus.

Step 2: Write your own “Penelopiad.” a. Choose any character from The Odyssey that is neither Penelope nor Odysseus. Characters chosen in the past have ranged from to Charybdis to Argus…to the rope used to bind Odysseus. Your response will focus on the section of the story dealing with that character. b. Identify in a brief outline/list the elements or interpretation of the story that would be important to your character. It may help you to think first of all about Odysseus’ perspective – what would he say about that particular adventure? Remember: your character will definitely see things differently than Odysseus, and may even include details/elements that Odysseus missed. (see sample below) c. Odysseus Fred, the rat on the ship -- in the adventure of the “Really Big He’s a rat. He likes cheese. Cheese,” wants to get rid of cheese to conquer heroic challenge of lactose intolerance

d. Once you have identified the details of your narrative, begin writing. Your response should follow the elements of ’s plot, but retell those elements from the point of view of your chosen character. Response should be word-processed, between one- two pages long, and true to both the original plot and the voice appropriate to your character. The product you turn in should be, as always, word-processed and double-spaced.