Common Assignment

The Self and Others

The two works, Takaki and Odyssey, have much to do with living in and ways of dealing with a diverse community. Both Takaki and Odysseus deal with many "Others" throughout the course of each of their stories. Although the stories themselves are not very similar, the messages within the stories can be compared and contrasted with relative ease. Both Takaki and Odysseus share ways in which "Others", or minorities within a community, should be dealt with.

Takaki and Odysseus might have different views on what it meant to live in a diverse community. Takaki feels that diversity is essential to life. However, Takaki sees being the minority in a diverse community as being a very big hurdle to overcome. Minorities have to overcome never ending racism and hate. Living in a diverse community to Takaki means being accepting of all walks of life.

Playa América

Ulysses at the court of Alcinous

English: Head of Odysseus from a sculptural group ...

Everyone in the community has an equal opportunity to be successful regardless of race, gender, religion, or any other factor.

Odysseus would have a more selective idea of how to deal with a diverse community. He would not necessarily be so accepting of every person. Instead, he would accept those who were going to help him in his goals and would shun those he felt would get in his way. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus is finding ways to use the people around him in order to reach what he wants which is to get home. He also tries to avoid or manipulate those who are trying to get in his way. This is apparent throughout several of the books in Odyssey.

When it comes to the treatment of numerous people in the Odyssey, Takaki and Odysseus would take different paths. Takaki would be accepting of all the...