Critical Analysis of Ancient Greek Mythology - Essay Example

INTRODUCTION: Life is full of uncertainties. Most of these uncertainties must be overcome by our zeal and vigor for life. In other words, we might fight for self definition or to claim their own lives. Three characters, Esparanza from House on Mango Street, Christopher McCandless and Oedipus of the Greek mythology. All these characters try the best to shape their own destiny. But are they able to do so? I. MAIN IDEA: The three characters try as much as possible to shape the destiny of their lives. They do everything in their power to try and determine the course of their lives. Passage/Event Relevance/Importance Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor. (House on mango Street p34) Esparanza acts as an epitome of success. She shows that success comes only through hard work and individuals have industrious in abide to attain their goals. Esparanza struggles to claim her own life, and she tries to underscore any encounter that may misguide her from her objective. She says that she is a red balloon because she knows that in her lies potential. But her language ties her down. Just like McCandless she knows that for her to have a good life she must do something in order to achieve her goals. In other words, she must untie the balloon from the anchor. The core of mans spirit comes from new experiences.  (In the wild p57) McCandless knows that to shape his life he must enter into new experiences. He therefore, goes to the desert to live there as a new experience. These experiences are sometimes too hard to bear, but, he must undergo these painful experiences to achieve what he wants. Like Oedipus, he does all the things in his powers to try and shape his own destiny. Oedipus had new experiences that curved the person and the human out of him. "Ah! my poor children, known, ah, known too well, The quest that brings you hither and your need. Ye sicken all, well wot I, yet my pain, How great soever yours, outtops it all." (Oedipus p.78) Oedipus shows his struggles and his pain while speaking to the children at the Sphinx place. The pain he talks about is rejection and being deserted by his parents. His broken limbs also is a sign of the pain he is undergoing. McCandless also suffers the same pain after finding out that his father had another wife and family. II. MAIN IDEA: In life when one has an objective, one must do everything in his/her life to achieve it. Esparanza, McCandless and Oedipus do undergo a lot when trying to claim their own lives. Passage/Event Relevance/Importance  Im going to paraphrase Thoreau here... rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth. (in the wild p12) McCandless action was a display against the systems in place. It shows that he is not a money oriented person but rather would lead a life based on hard work and honesty. McCandless runs away from home and goes to the Alaska desert after learning that his father had a second family. He prefers the truth to mould him rather than the worlds luxuries. . She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window. (House on Mango street p46) Esparanza undergoes many things in her time, to go for what she wants. She does not want to be like others, she wants to curve her own future. Just like McCandless she does not want her background to shape her life. She wants to spearhead her life and not her background. She thus, changes her name and becomes a writer so as to understand the society better. "Dark, dark! The horror of darkness, like a shroud, Wraps me and bears me on through mist and cloud. Ah me, ah me! What spasms athwart me shoot, What pangs of agonizing memory?" (Oedipus p.112) Oedipus tries as hard as possible to evade the prophecy that says that she will kill his father and marry his mother. He escapes and runs away when he finds about the prophecy. He however is unfortunate because he finds his biological father and in the process of self defense he kills him. He then successfully answers the Sphinx question and as a reward he is given her mother as a bride. III. MAIN IDEA: In every journey, there are challenges when one wants to achieve a certain thing. Esparanza, McCandless and Oedipus undergo challenges in pursuit of their lives. Passage/Event Relevance/Importance He cries, Unbar the doors and let all Thebes Behold the slayer of his sire, his mothers-- That shameful word my lips may not repeat. He vows to fly self-banished from the land, Nor stay to bring upon his house the curse Himself had uttered; but he has no strength Nor one to guide him, and his tortures more Than man can suffer, as yourselves will see. For lo, the palace portals are unbarred, And soon ye shall behold a sight so sad That he who must abhorred would pity it." (Oedipus p.38) The biggest challenge that Oedipus finds is the prophecy that is against him. The prophecy no matter where he goes will always seek to follow him. He is banished from the land by marrying his mother. Although it was not his intent to marry her mother. It was just fate. Oedipus can be contrasted with McCandless who escapes all odds and backgrounds and is successful in having what he wants. Although, he tried his best, Oedipus biggest struggle (the prophecy) ultimately led to his downfall. He thus is called a curse on the land and thus does not claim his own life. "Some people feel like they dont deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past." (Into the wild p.40) McCandless struggles with the notion that the love is not for him. He learns when is a little too late he tries to get back to the society but the river is flooded. Nature, just like in the Case of Oedipus, gets in the way for McCandless to achieve his self realization. He has had experiences with life and after getting the necessary information he dies. No, this isn’t my house I say and shake my head as if shaking could undo the year I’ve lived here. I don’t belong. I don’t ever want to come from here (House on mango street p.12).  Esparanza’s biggest struggle in self realization is her personality. She does not accept that she is Spanish and hopes to be more ‘English’. However, she realizes that her person is not the problem and she can still be what she wants to be. Unlike the two other characters, McCandless and Oedipus she realizes herself and she is thus, able o claim her ownself and thus shape her own destiny. CONCLUSION: The experiences of these three characters teach us that human nature relies on fate, and nature can sometimes become an impediment for our self realization. Although Oedipus tried all he could to escape fate, he ultimately heeded the prophecy. This, therefore, shows us that sometimes in life fate plays a huge role and our actions alone cannot determine our destiny. Work cited Dallas, Ian, (1991) Oedipus and Dionysus, Freiburg Press, Granada. Krakauer.J (2011) Into the wild. SAGE: New York. Cisneros S.,(1984) House on the mango street. Bloomsbury: Mexico Read More