"Odysseus and Polyphemus” by Arnold Böcklin. Escaping from the island of the Cyclopes—one-eyed, ill-tempered giants—the hero Odysseus calls back to the shore, taunting the Cyclops Polyphemus, who heaves a boulder after the boat. Photo by: “Odysseus und Polyphemus” painted by Arnold Böcklin in 1896.
By
Homer
Text Type
Epic Poem
Words
108
Lexile
1030L
Published
c. 750-650 BCE
Odysseus’s Recognition of Ithaca
Then the goddess [Athena] dispersed the mist and the land appeared. And the much-enduring noble Odysseus was glad then, rejoicing in his own land, and he kissed the Earth, the giver of grain. And at once he prayed to the nymphs, lifting up his hands:
“Nymphs of the Naiads, daughters of Zeus, I thought that I should never look on you again; but now I greet you with loving prayers. And I will give you gifts also, as was my wont before, if the daughter of Zeus, she who drives the spoil, shall graciously permit me to live, and shall prosper my dear son.”
This launch helps students reconnect with prior learning about Percy’s journey and shift their attention to homecoming as a moment of reflection and decision-making. Students are guided to recall key events from the end of Chapter 22 and consider how those events reshape Percy’s understanding of belonging. The focus is on activating prior knowledge while preparing students to compare mythic and modern ideas of home. This sets up a conceptual bridge between conflict resolution and thematic interpretation.
Quick Write
Have students take out their final Chapter 22 annotations from Lesson 34 and place the Odyssey excerpt beside them.
Say these Directions: In Lesson 34, we saw that Percy’s journey ended with betrayal, prophecy, and a hard choice about who he wants to be. Today, we are looking at the very last step of a hero’s journey—the return home—and comparing Percy’s ending to Odysseus’s famous return in The Odyssey. This helps us answer our unit question by showing how Riordan keeps an old myth pattern but changes what courage looks like for a modern hero.
Write your response to the following question:
Ask: How is courage defined differently in each text?
Courage is defined differently in The Odyssey and The Lightning Thief because each story defines “home” differently. In The Odyssey, Odysseus shows courage through loyalty and reverence when he finally returns to Ithaca, recognizing his homeland and responding with gratitude and respect for the place he fought to reach. This suggests that courage is tied to endurance and reclaiming what was always his. In The Lightning Thief, Percy’s courage is more complicated because returning home requires him to face emotional uncertainty about where he belongs. Even though he is reunited with his mother, he also understands that Camp Half-Blood is now part of his identity, so he must accept a divided sense of home. This shows that modern courage includes making thoughtful choices about identity and belonging, not just returning to a place safely.
Ask: After a dangerous journey, why might going home take courage instead of feeling easy?
Going home can take courage because the hero is different now. Percy has to face a changed family situation and decide where he belongs, and Odysseus has to trust that Ithaca is really his home again after being gone for so long.
Connection to Today's Learning
Say: We will now shift from naming why homecoming can be hard to studying how two different heroes show courage when they return.
Teacher Tip
This lesson compares two returns home, a topic that can bring up strong feelings about family and belonging. Keep the discussion grounded in the texts first, and invite personal connections only if students choose. In the sixth-grade context, explain that Odysseus has been away from Ithaca for about 20 years due to war and a long journey home. In Book 13, Athena clears away a mist so he can finally recognize his island; kissing the ground and praying shows gratitude, heritage, and relief. Engaging with Greek myth here is a study of literature and culture, not a belief students are expected to share.
Language Study
Frame this work as a study of register and audience. Affirm that different ways of speaking are meaningful and valid; today, students are practicing the more formal style expected in explanatory writing.
Target Sentences
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to end up back here.”
“And the traveler returned to his homeland with great relief and honored the land that had supported him.”
Display and read aloud both sentences. Explain that the first sentence uses a conversational voice, while the second sounds formal and ceremonial. Tell students that strong explanatory writing does not copy either voice exactly; instead, it chooses clear, formal language to explain ideas.
Chunk
Meaning
Function
Honestly, I didn’t expect to end up back here
The speaker sounds casual and surprised.
Creates a modern, conversational voice
returned to his homeland with great relief
The traveler feels calm and safe after returning.
Emphasizes resolution and belonging
honored the land that had supported him
The land is treated with respect.
Shows formality and appreciation
Teach:
Say: When I write an explanatory comparison, I do not copy Percy’s casual voice or Homer’s ancient-sounding translation. Instead, I ask, “What idea do I need to explain?” If my first draft says, “Percy is kinda brave because home is messy,” I can improve the expression by revising it to “Percy demonstrates courage because returning home requires him to face family responsibility and uncertainty about belonging.” That revision is more formal, more precise, and better for analysis.
Say these Directions: Let’s practice changing everyday talk into formal explanatory writing. We are still keeping the idea, but we are improving how it is expressed in an academic paragraph.
Ask: How could we revise this sentence into a stronger formal comparison?
“Odysseus is super happy, but Percy is kinda torn.”
Odysseus returns with open joy, whereas Percy’s homecoming is more conflicted because he feels both relief and responsibility.
Connection to Today's Learning
Say: Now that we have practiced revising into formal expression, we are ready to gather comparison evidence that can support a full paragraph.
🎯PURPOSE
Support students in shifting from conversational language to formal explanatory language so they can compare homecoming scenes clearly and precisely.
Language Focus:
Comparative transitions
Formal expression
Abstract nouns for analysis
Before Language Study
Have students underline one informal word in the practice sentence and orally replace it with a more precise word before sharing.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Remind students that the goal is not to label informal speech as wrong; it is to choose the language that best fits the audience and purpose of an explanatory paragraph.
Prompt students to replace vague words with precise verbs and abstract nouns such as demonstrates, reflects, heritage, closure, and responsibility.
You said “Percy is kinda torn”—we can explain that by saying “Percy experiences a conflicted sense of belonging.”
That idea connects to closure because the hero is trying to understand what the journey means at the end.
Percy demonstrates courage because ___.
Whereas Odysseus returns with ___, Percy returns with ___.
This difference reflects ___ because ___.
Allow students to first say the idea in everyday language or a shared home language with a partner and then work together to recast it in formal academic English.
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
If students keep using vague intensifiers like “super” or “really” → Prompt: “Replace that word with a precise verb or noun that tells exactly what kind of feeling or action you mean.”
If students confuse formal language with longer language → Prompt: “Try making the sentence clearer, not just bigger. What is the strongest verb you can use?”
Student revises an informal comparison into a formal sentence with a clear comparative connector.
Student replaces vague wording with a precise academic verb or abstract noun.
Situation
Try this
Struggling with: Formal Expression
Offer a two-column oral rehearsal: everyday language on one side, formal revision on the other. Example: torn → conflicted; weird → complicated; super happy → filled with relief. Register Choice: Read the revised sentence aloud beside the original so students can hear which version sounds more like explanatory writing.
Ready for extension
Ask students to revise a second sentence by adding an abstract noun such as heritage, closure, or reconciliation. Challenge students to combine comparison and explanation in one sentence using whereas or however.
Part A: Match the Meaning of Home (RL.6.9) (15 minutes)
This section guides students in comparing how Percy and Odysseus each experience homecoming as a moment of courage and identity. Students focus on selecting meaningful textual details that represent each hero’s return rather than retelling events. The emphasis is on analyzing how each text constructs the meaning of “home” differently. Students begin to connect textual evidence to broader thematic ideas, such as belonging and heritage.
Think-Pair-Share
Say these Directions: We are going to compare the most meaningful return-home details in two texts. As you read and discuss, focus on details that reveal what home means to each hero, not just what physically happens.
First, read Book 13 in Homer’s The Odyssey. Then, use the Venn Diagram graphic organizer to record one strong detail from Odysseus’s return, one strong detail from Percy’s return, and one idea both homecomings share.
Teach:
Say: A strong comparison matches details that do the same kind of work in both texts. In the Odyssey excerpt, Odysseus kissing the earth is not just an action—it shows that home is tied to heritage and ritual. In Percy’s final return, the important detail is not only that he goes back to New York, but that he has to choose how home now includes both his mother and Camp Half-Blood. When I pair those details, I can explain that both heroes are brave, but Percy’s courage looks more complicated and modern.
Ask: In the moment when Athena clears the mist, what detail best shows what home means to Odysseus?
The strongest detail is that Odysseus kisses the earth and prays to the nymphs. That shows home means more than a place to him; it is part of his heritage and something sacred that he thought he might never see again.
Ask: In Percy’s final return to New York and his reflections about his mother and camp, what detail best shows what home means to Percy now?
Percy’s return shows that home is connected to responsibility and choice. He cares about being back with his mom, but he also knows Camp Half-Blood is now part of who he is, so his sense of home is split between two worlds.
Ask: Based on both texts, which character’s homecoming is more complicated, Percy’s or Odysseus’s?
Percy’s homecoming is more complicated because he is not simply reclaiming one clear homeland. Unlike Odysseus, who celebrates Ithaca right away, Percy has to figure out how regular life, family care, and the demigod world can all fit into his future.
Students should be able to explain at least one meaningful similarity and one key difference between the two homecomings. Their responses should connect specific textual details to interpretations of courage and belonging. This prepares them to synthesize comparison into formal writing. Students should leave understanding that comparison requires explanation, not just identification.
Pulse Check (RL.6.9)
Which sentence best compares Percy’s and Odysseus’s homecomings in a way that explains courage?
Odysseus and Percy both get home after a long trip, so their endings are basically the same.
Incorrect: This choice identifies a surface similarity but does not analyze how courage is shown differently.
Odysseus is happier than Percy, and Percy lives in New York instead of Ithaca.
Incorrect: This choice lists differences but does not explain what those differences reveal about courage or home.
Both heroes return after danger, but Odysseus shows courage through loyalty to his home, while Percy shows courage by accepting his identity.
Correct: This response compares the two portrayals and explains how each text presents courage through a different idea of homecoming.
Percy is a modern character, so his story is more interesting than Odysseus’s story.
Incorrect: This choice makes a personal judgment instead of a text-based comparison.
🎯PURPOSE
Support students in comparing two portrayals of homecoming and explaining how each one reflects different ideas about courage, family, and belonging.
Language Focus:
Comparative frames
Abstract nouns
Evidence-to-idea explanation
Before Think-Pair-Share
Students whisper-read one key line from the Odyssey excerpt and one annotated note from Percy’s return before speaking.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Prompt students to move beyond “Both go home” by asking, “What does this detail show about the meaning of home?”
Encourage students to use the abstract nouns home, family, duty, heritage, and closure instead of retelling the plot.
You said “Odysseus is happy to be back”—we can say: “Odysseus’s joy reflects a strong connection to homeland and heritage.”
You said “Percy has two homes”—we can say: “Percy’s return emphasizes a divided but growing sense of belonging.”
For Odysseus, home means ___, while for Percy, home means ___.
Both heroes return ___, but Percy’s return is more ___ because ___.
This difference reflects ___ values because ___.
Invite students to use a partner rehearsal before whole-class sharing so they can test ideas orally, including in a shared home language when helpful, and then restate the idea in academic English.
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
If students summarize both scenes without comparing them → Prompt: “Name one shared idea and one important difference. Start with ‘Both heroes . . .’”
If students struggle with abstract ideas about home → Prompt: “What feeling or value does the detail show—heritage, family, duty, or closure?”
Student cites one meaningful detail from each text and explains what that detail reveals about homecoming.
Student uses a comparative connector to distinguish similarity from difference.
Direct them to one landmark in each text: the line where Odysseus kisses the earth and the final pages where Percy reflects on his mother and Camp Half-Blood. Moving Beyond Summary: Give the frame “This detail matters because it shows that home means ___ to the hero.”
Ready for extension
Ask students to add a note explaining what each homecoming suggests about the culture behind the story. Challenge students to identify one way Riordan modernizes the traditional homecoming pattern for contemporary readers.
Part B: Write the Return (W.6.4) (15 minutes)
This section supports students in transforming comparative thinking into a cohesive explanatory paragraph. Students use structured writing models to organize claims, evidence, and analysis across both texts. The focus is on maintaining a formal academic tone while clearly expressing comparison and interpretation. Students are guided to build paragraphs that move logically from evidence to meaning.
Modeled Writing
Display the following writing model if needed for support and guidance:
Percy’s return to New York is similar to Odysseus’s return to Ithaca because both heroes come home after danger and feel relief. However, the two scenes show courage in different ways. In The Odyssey, Odysseus kisses the earth and then prays, which shows that home is connected to heritage and deep gratitude. In the final pages of The Lightning Thief, Percy’s return is more complicated because he must think about his mother’s safety and also accept that Camp Half-Blood is now where he belongs. This shows that a modern hero can be brave not only by surviving danger, but also by facing a divided sense of home with honesty and responsibility.
Teach:
Say: When I draft this paragraph, I start with a sentence that compares both heroes right away. Next, I add one detail from Odysseus and one from Percy, and after each detail, I explain what it reveals about courage. Then I use a connector such as however or whereas to show the contrast clearly. Finally, I end with a sentence that explains why Percy’s homecoming feels more modern and complicated.
Say these Directions: In your journal, write one explanatory paragraph answering: How does Percy’s return to New York compare to Odysseus’s return to Ithaca in terms of courage?
Use at least one detail from each text, at least one comparative connector, formal academic phrasing, and a concluding sentence.
Percy’s return to New York compares to Odysseus’s return to Ithaca because both heroes come home after facing great danger. However, Odysseus shows courage through gratitude and prayer when he kisses the earth and prays after recognizing Ithaca. This is demonstrated in the text by stating, “he kissed the earth, the giver of grain.” Percy’s courage is more complicated because his return home includes family responsibility and the realization that Camp Half-Blood is still part of his life. Percy says, “I’ll be back next summer,” which shows that he accepts belonging to both his home life and the demigod world. Whereas Odysseus celebrates one clear homeland, Percy must accept that he belongs to two worlds. This difference shows that Riordan adapts the ancient homecoming myth for a modern hero whose bravery includes emotional honesty and difficult choices.
Students should write a paragraph comparing Percy and Odysseus, using clear transitions and supporting details from both texts. Their writing should explain how each hero demonstrates courage differently in their return home. The conclusion should synthesize how mythic patterns are adapted in modern storytelling. This reinforces the expectation that explanatory writing must connect evidence to theme.
Checklist (W.6.4)
Check to make sure your paragraph:
States a clear comparison between Percy’s and Odysseus’s homecomings rather than summarizing them separately.
Includes one meaningful detail from each text and explains what the detail reveals.
Revises casual wording into formal academic phrasing.
Uses a connector such as however, whereas, or similarly to link ideas clearly.
Writing prompt: Write an explanatory paragraph comparing Percy's return to New York at the end of The Lightning Thief with Odysseus's return to Ithaca, explaining how each hero's homecoming reflects what they learned and what the myth values.
Criteria
1 — Beginning
2 — Developing
3 — Proficient
Conclusion & Closing Insight
(W.6.2.f)
Close with What the Comparison Reveals
The paragraph does not include a closing sentence that reflects on the comparison or what it reveals. The paragraph ends on a piece of evidence without analysis.
The paragraph includes a closing sentence that restates the topic, but it does not offer an insight about what the comparison between the two homecomings reveals about mythology or human values.
The paragraph ends with a concluding sentence that reflects on what comparing Percy's and Odysseus's homecomings reveals — about what myth values in a hero, about what it means to belong, or about how stories use homecoming to complete the hero's arc.
Irregular Verb Forms
(L.6.1.e)
Irregular Verbs in Comparative Writing
Irregular past tense or past participle forms are used incorrectly throughout (e.g., 'Percy fighted' or 'Odysseus had went').
Most irregular verb forms are correct, but one or two errors remain in the past tense or past participle of irregular verbs.
All irregular verb forms are used correctly throughout the paragraph. Past tense forms (fought, chose, returned, underwent) and past participles are accurate.
🎯PURPOSE
Support students in drafting a cohesive explanatory paragraph that compares two homecoming narratives and interprets what each reveals about courage and belonging.
Language Focus:
Cohesive transitions
Formal analytical phrasing
Concluding statements
Before Drafting
Have students orally rehearse their paragraph with a partner using one of the provided comparison frames before writing independently.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Conference with students who have two details but no explanation by prompting, “What does this detail reveal about what home means?”
Listen for incomplete comparisons and push for full synthesis with a question such as “What does this difference reflect about modern versus ancient values?”
You said “Percy has a hard time with home”—we can say: “Percy’s return highlights a conflicted sense of belonging.”
You said “Odysseus is thankful”—we can say: “Odysseus’s response emphasizes gratitude and heritage.”
Both heroes show courage by ___; however, Percy ___.
This comparison shows that Riordan transforms the mythic idea of home by ___.
Encourage students to rehearse ideas aloud before writing so they can build from spoken strength into formal written expression.
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
If students list one text and then the other without connecting them → Prompt: “Add a connector that shows the relationship: similarly, however, or whereas.”
If students begin slipping back into informal phrasing → Prompt: “Reread your sentence and replace one casual word with a precise verb or abstract noun.”
Student writes a paragraph with a clear comparison claim, one text detail from each source, and an explanatory concluding sentence.
Student maintains a formal register and uses at least one cohesive transition accurately.
Situation
Try this
Struggling with: Drafting a Cohesive Paragraph
Provide a paragraph frame: “Both heroes ___. However, Odysseus ___. This shows ___. Percy, on the other hand, ___. This reveals ___. Therefore, ___.” Allow students to provide an oral recording of their paragraph first or use speech-to-text tools before revising into written form.
Ready for extension
Invite students to add one sentence explaining what each homecoming reveals about the culture behind the story. Challenge students to include the vocabulary words closure, heritage, or reconciliation accurately in the paragraph.
The Look Back section helps students reflect on how their understanding of comparison and thematic analysis has developed throughout the lesson. Students evaluate the strategies they used to move from summary to interpretation. The emphasis is on metacognitive awareness of how evidence and language choices shape meaning. This reflection supports the transfer of skills to future writing tasks.
Turn and Talk
Say these Directions: Before we close, think about what helped you move from plot summary to real comparison today. Then, turn and talk to share your response with a partner. Use one detail from Percy’s return and one detail from Odysseus’s return in your response.
Ask: Which strategy helped you most today—matching meaningful details, using a comparative connector, or revising into formal expression? Explain how that strategy improved your comparison of Percy and Odysseus.
Revising for formal expression helped me most because it made my writing sound more analytical rather than casual. When I wrote about Odysseus kissing the earth and Percy deciding that camp is still part of his home, I used formal language to explain that both details show courage in different ways. It pushed me to say more than “they both go home” and helped me show how Percy’s return is more complicated.
Instruct students to review their annotations from The Lightning Thief and the myths from Investigations 1 and 2 in preparation for the Academic Discussion.
Students should also watch the teacher-chosen clips from the movie version of The Lightning Thief. As they watch, have them write one note in their Journal about how the film version handles Percy’s return or identity differently from the novel.
