Mythology, Epic & the Hero’s Journey — Practice · Grade 9 English
Chapter: Epic Comparison, Discussion & PresentationWhat this practice covers
By the end of Mythology, Epic & the Hero’s Journey you should be able to:
- I can explain a myth or epic’s values using its own textual details.
- I can test a hero’s journey pattern against complications instead of treating it as universal.
- I can distinguish narrator, character, and translator perspectives.
10 questions, written answer, each with a worked explanation.
Vocabulary used: epic, hospitality, oral tradition, archetype.
Problem 1
Answer and explanation
The absent father and the suitors leave household authority and resources contested. Telemachus must learn to act amid limited support.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 2
Answer and explanation
Name each host, reproduce the claim accurately, and identify whether the host witnessed or heard it. Conflicting or partial accounts can change understanding without producing certainty.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 3
Answer and explanation
The storm and dependence on help expose limits to Odysseus’s control. Reputation does not make him immune to environmental or social obstacles.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 4
Answer and explanation
The concealed name enables escape; the boast discloses identity and increases danger. The paired choices complicate praise of cunning.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 5
Answer and explanation
A supported response names two hosts or encounters, contrasts their treatment of visitors, and explains the consequences instead of claiming all guests are treated equally.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 6
Answer and explanation
Telemachus gathers knowledge and develops a role at home; Odysseus negotiates return through trials and concealment. Support the contrast with specific books and recognize overlap.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 7
Answer and explanation
Some characters recognize or suspect identity before others. Locate a recognition detail and explain how the reader anticipates disclosure.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 8
Answer and explanation
The bed’s construction is knowledge tied to the relationship and place. Its use makes recognition depend on specific shared experience rather than appearance alone.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 9
Answer and explanation
State the proposed pattern, name an event, and explain the mismatch. A model remains useful only if it preserves the narrative’s actual sequence and complexities.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 10
Answer and explanation
Both can reward resourcefulness while exposing limits. The epic frames return through cultural and divine relationships; Wells’s narrator speculates about social development. Analyze the difference with exact references.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.