1. Temptation is everywhere in our modern materialistic world, often resembling the many dangers faced by Odysseus on his journey home and ultimately leading people to their demise. Ryan Text to World Connections http://www.garethhinds.com/odyssey.php Temptation

2. Choose a topic! The Lord of the Rings Cheating Scandal The Dark Knight Rises Adam and Eve Then click the to return here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ringstrilogyposter.jpg http://harvardmagazine.com/2014/05/harvard-college-adopts-honor- code http://famousfanboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/if-you-dont-like-dark- knight-rises-you.html http://www.jacopotintoretto.org/The-Temptation-of-Adam-and- Eve.html

3. Topic Sentence: The temptation of power and riches ultimately clouds judgment and leads to destruction. http://childrensbooks.wikia.com/wiki/The_Lor d_of_the_Rings:_The_Return_of_the_King Main characters Frodo and Sam reach the end of their journey to destroy the ring of power at Mount Doom Frodo is given the opportunity to throw the ring into the fire The temptation of the ring overpowers him; He can’t bring himself to do it As a result, Gollum attacks Frodo and bites off his finger to obtain the ring http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/frodo/im ages/2525951/title/mt-doom-2-photo “I have come. But I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The ring is mine!” (Tolkien 239) Book This scene from the movie: http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=O989n0SByk0 http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=O989n0SByk0 Connection: (click to paragraph) Several of Odysseus’ companions are killed when they are distracted by their newly acquired spoils of war after sacking the city of the Kikonians.

4. The temptation of power and riches ultimately clouds judgment and leads to destruction. Shortly after Odysseus and his companions depart from Troy, they arrive at the country of Ismaros, home of the Kikonians. After “sack[ing] their city and kill[ing] their people...and taking their wives and many possessions” (Homer 9:40- 41) Odysseus claims to be “for the light of foot and escaping” however his companions are “too greatly foolish and [will] not listen” (9:44) because they are too distracted by their newly acquired spoils of war. This distraction gives the Kikonians a chance to rally with their neighbors and return with greater numbers, resulting in loss for Odysseus, as “out of each ship six of [his] companions [are] killed” (9:60). The temptation of the riches from the sacked city ultimately leads to the death of several of Odysseus’ companions, a terrible loss that could have been easily avoided. Temptation plays a similar role in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Just as the minds of Odysseus’ companions were clouded by the spoils of war, Frodo’s judgment is corrupted by the ring of power. When Frodo at last reaches the end of his perilous journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring, he finds himself unable to cast the ring away into the fire. Tempted by the ring’s deceptive promise of ultimate power and wealth, Frodo turns to his companion and demonically states that he “does not choose now to do what [he] set out to do” (Tolkien 239) a statement that has no rationality when considering all that Frodo endures on his journey. However Frodo is then attached by the creature Gollum who bites off Frodo’s finger to obtain the ring. This painful experience for Frodo could have been avoided if he resisted the temptation of power. Although, as evidenced in both The Odyssey and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the temptation of power and riches can be extremely overwhelming and even lead the strongest of men off their intended courses.

5. Topic Sentence: Thirst for an accolade or accomplishment can distort how people try achieve it, causing an overly prideful fall. 125 students were caught cheating on a final exam The initial temptation to share answers snowballed to many students throughout the campus. College administrators have investigated, documented, and expelled over 70 students Current Event http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/31/education/harvard-says-125-students-may-have-cheated- on- exam.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A9%22%7D Connection:click here to get to paragraph Odysseus loses many of his companions because of his desire to learn more about Polyphemos and his pride causes his downfall, just like the audacity of many of the Harvard student causes their expulsion.

6. Arrogance and pride can be tempting in many regards. Odysseus is arrogant when he encounters the Cyclopes and thinks he can get away with maiming him without punishment just as many Harvard students thought they could get away with cheating. Odysseus should have listened to his men when they urged him to “ take some cheeses and go” but he boisterously claims that “I would not go.” Odysseus is a smart guy, like many Harvard students, but instead of relying on that intellect, both Odysseus and some students involved in the scandal push the envelope and boldly tempt fate by placing themselves in vulnerable positions. In Odysseus’ case, he is lured by “wishing to see the giant” and boldly tempting his own fate. While the students are not lured by a giant cyclops, they are lured by prestige and good grades. Odysseus is trapped in the cave, while the students are trapped in legal matters that could have been avoided if both parties didn’t let their pride and egos get in the way.

7. Topic Sentence: The sexual temptation of beautiful women is a distraction to men, often causing them to wander away from their intended paths towards demise. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1345836/ Batman (Bruce Wayne) is seduced by Miranda, a woman who he considers a friend and who is on his company executive board Miranda has sex with Bruce Wayne and gives him hope to return to society However she is actually a villain working with Bane She gains Bruce Wayne’s trust in order to obtain valuable information to feed to Bane, the main villain Results in Batman almost getting killed (he gets stabbed) Movie http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/2012/07/ the-dark-knight-rises-2012-exercise-in.html Connection: click to paragraph Odysseus is tempted by beautiful women such as Circe several times in The Odyssey, resulting in his life almost being ended and his journey being significantly prolonged. www.tumblr.com/tagged/mirandatate Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=g8evyE9TuYk http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=g8evyE9TuYk

8. The sexual temptation of beautiful women is a distraction to men, often causing them to wander away from their intended paths and travel towards demise. Odysseus faces temptation from women several times throughout The Odyssey. When Odysseus first encounters Circe, a “goddess with glorious hair” (10:310) after she has turned his companions into pigs, he violently rushes at her to frighten her. Terrified, Circe immediately “clasp[s] both [his] knees” and tries to seduce him by suggesting that they “go up to [her] bed so that [they] may have faith and trust in each other” (10:334-335). Circe’s attempt to sexually temp Odysseus not only saves her from harm, but it also gets Odysseus to stay in her home for an entire year. Because Odysseus falls for Circe’s charm and her “surpassingly beautiful bed” his journey home is prolonged by another year. In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne faces similar sexual temptation. He is seduced by Miranda, a woman who he considers to be his friend. However, Miranda is later revealed to be a villain who had been helping the main villain, Bane, all along. She has sex with Bruce to gain valuable information to assist Bane’s efforts to take over Gotham City. As a result of Bruce foolishly falling for Miranda, he is nearly killed towards the end of the movie when she stabs him. As evidenced by situations in The Odyssey and The Dark Knight Rises, the sexual temptation of a beautiful woman is very powerful, causing men to jump off ships and give up valuable information in an attempt to obtain such a woman.

9. Art Topic Sentence: Things that are labeled as forbidden often tempt people to break rules and eventually fall into their doom. Connection:Click to paragraph Forbidden things in The Odyssey, such as Penelope and the cattle of Helios, tempt other characters and bring death to those who try and take them. The suitors die because they court Penelope and some of Odysseus’ companions perish because they eat the cattle of Helios. http://www.bonzasheila.com/art/archives/sep08/27.html Adam drawing back in both fear and awe of the divine apple. He knows it is forbidden yet the temptation is overwhelming. Shows Adam and Eve banished to the plains for their disobedience. It is pictured in the same image to hint the fact that Adam gives in and eats the fruit. Darkness around the tree illuminates Eve and the apple, highlighting the temptation that Adam endures. The serpent, almost looking like an extension of Eve’s arm, represents the deceit and disobedience that comes with accepting the apple.

10. Things that are labeled as forbidden often tempt people to break rules and eventually fall into their doom. This idea is first seen in The Odyssey when Odysseus and his companions come to the sun god’s island. Earlier in the story, Odysseus receives strict warnings from both the prophet, Teiresias and Circe to “avoid the island of Helios”(12: 274) because there is a “most dreadful disaster [waiting] for [them].” Upon approaching the island, Odysseus relays this information to his companions, warning them to simply “drive the black ship onward and pass the island” (276). Instead, Odysseus’ companions insist on exploring the island, their fatal mistake. Despite all of Odysseus’ warning, his companions slaughter and eat the cattle when temptation overtakes them. As a result Odysseus’ companions were all killed when they are “struck by the thunderbolt of Zeus” a tragedy that could have easily been avoided if they had resisted the temptation of the forbidden cattle. The temptation of the forbidden is also evident in Jacopo Tintoretto’s painting called The Temptations of Adam, which pictures Eve holding out the forbidden apple to Adam. Adam is shown gazing at the apple in her hand, drawing back away from it as if he is both fearful and in awe of it. He knows that the fruit is absolutely forbidden, but the temptation of it seems almost overwhelming, as evidenced by Adam’s rippling muscles and bulging veins as he struggles to hold himself back. The evil serpent hanging from the tree looks like an extension of Eve’s arm, representing the deceit and disobedience that comes with accepting the forbidden apple. The temptation of the forbidden can be powerful enough to make the consequences of disobedience seem negligible compared to the satisfaction of obtaining that which is forbidden.

11. Works Cited Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. New York: Harper and Row, 1967. Print. Nolan, Christopher, dir. The Dark Knight Rises. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2012. Film. Tintoretto, Jacopo. The Temptation of Adam. 1551. Oil on Canvas. Accademia of Venice, Venice. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1956.