Ryder Malloy

Mrs. Mulvey and Parrot

English IP; Period 2

Collection 6 Summative Essay

In this collection, it explains how heroes take their journey, conquer their fears,

hardships, and more. A journey can have an impact on a person because it shows how the

character will overcome many obstacles and fight to accomplish that journey. First, the character

Odysseus in The Odyssey changes while being away from his family so long and faces many

hardships while fighting the gods and monsters to make it back home. Also, the character Kira

in The Cruelest Journey changes by taking the 600 mile journey all by herself and becomes the

first person to conquer the voyage, she faces her fears, and learns to think twice before making

any rash decisions.

First, in the story, The Odyssey by Homer, the character Odysseus changes from being

reckless and self centered as a character to patient and humble on his return to Ithaca. The

Odyssey is about a man named Odysseus who is a leader in the Trojan war and is making his

return home after the war, but he was cursed by Poseidon and was forced to travel the seas for

ten years facing creatures on his return back home. For example, the text says, I would not

heed them in my glory whose home is on Ithaca (Homer 384). This shows how early on

Odysseus was cocky and arrogant and didnt think anything could stop him. This matters

because later on he found out Poseidon was the Cyclops father and then Poseidon was angry and

wrecked his ship. Later Odysseus starts to change his ways when the text says, The lovely

voices in ardor set me free (Homer 395). This shows how Odysseus changes because he

knows he and his crew were in danger from the Sirens and what they were about to face could
kill them but was willing to sacrifice himself in order to save his crew. This matters because

they probably would have all died had he not shared his knowledge of the Sirens by instructing

his crew to put wax in their ears so they would not to be lured by the Sirens during the journey.

To conclude, against all odds Odysseus overcomes obstacles and changes his ways for the better

from being selfish and impulsive to being kind and helpful, and Kira Salak also shows how she

changes in The Cruelest Journey.

Another journey where someone changes is in The Cruelest Journey by Kira Salak

whose impulsive and fearless personality ultimately forces her to have patience and think twice

about her decisions. The Cruelest Journey is about an explorer and journalist named Kira who

decides to cross the six hundred mile river from the Malian town of Old Segou to Timbuktu all

by herself in a kayak. For example, she says, Lets do it I say good luck will keep me safe

(Salak 422). This shows how she is fearless and determined to make it across the niger river.

This matters because if she didnt have this impulsiveness inside of her, she probably wouldnt

have decided to take this dangerous journey across the river. Around the end of the journey she

starts to change when she says, But then the trip begins and the hardship comes I have

learned something more (Salak 425). This shows how she thinks twice before making decisions

because it can ultimately affect her life. This matters because although she is impulsive by

nature, the journey has forced her to have patience and taught her to have compassion and

gratitude. To conclude Kiras adventurous and brave character changes during her expedition

from impulsive decision making to subsequently thinking twice about her decisions and learning

to have patience along the the way which allowed her to push herself beyond her limits so she

could make it to Timbuktu.

 In conclusion, the characters in both of the stories have changed in some way from when

they first started. First in The Odyssey, Odysseus changes from being egotistical and rash to

being courteous to others and helpfull. Then in The Cruelest Journey, Kira changes at the end of

her six hundred mile journey because after the journey she looks at everything in a different way

knowing her impulsive decisions in life can teach her patience and humility but to leave behind

fear and doubt. Furthermore, a way that I have changed through my freshman journey was when

I use to be shy and not want to talk to people, to becoming fun, adventurous, caring, and doing

things I normally wouldnt do. For example, I did football, track, clash of the classes, lunch

activities, and so much more to help create a better me and have this new, fun, attitude I thought

I would never have. So, taking a journey can help a person so much because it makes you have a

second opinion, be willing to do more things, and just look at life in a whole different

perspective, so go out, try new things, and take a journey.