Both Dorothy and Odysseus go on journeys that transform their understanding of home. At the beginning of their journeys, neither fully appreciate their homes. Dorothy dreams of a place over the rainbow while Odysseus is distracted from returning home. Both are called on adventures - Dorothy to solve her problems in Kansas and Odysseus summoned to war. They receive help from mentors, Glenda and Athena, who guide them through initiations like battles. In returning home, Dorothy and Odysseus discover new understandings of the meanings and values of their homes.
3. The Focus or THESIS During the introduction, or perhaps toward the end of it, is a good place to state the focus or THESIS for your whole slide show. Both heroes go through a transformation in which they discover the meaning of home? Both heroes needed to leave home in order to find it? In order to value it?
4. HOME Images-----Ithaca and Kansas. Beautiful places? Not so much? NEITHER DOROTHY NOR ODYSSEUS FULLY VALUE THEIR HOME AT THE BEGINNING.
5. How do we know this? Dorothy sings about some place over the rainbow. She longs to get away.----quote? Odysseus, instead of heading straight home, lets himself gets sidetracked and heads to Ismarus for plundering.---quote?
6. THE CALL to DOROTHY WHO IS CALLING? WHY? BECAUSE HER LIFE IS LONELY & BLEAK? BECAUSE SHE NEEDS TO RESOLVE HER PROBLEM W/MS. GULCH?
7. THE CALL TO ODYSSEUS Menelaus summons him to go to War. After the war, who or what is calling him on this next adventure? His sailors? His own foolishness? And where does Poseidon, God of the Sea, fit in? Both journeys are affected at the beginning by storms. Both heroes are called by storms? The Greeks believed a god was behind storms. What do they believe in Kansas?
8. THE MENTORS Dorothy meets Glenda, the Good Witch. Glenda gives her the talisman of the ruby slippers. Dorothy doesn’t understand the power of the slippers. Not yet. Odysseus is watched over by Athena. What does Athena give to Odysseus? How does she help him?
9. About Those Mentors Glenda vs. Athena: Who would you choose? (could compare and contrast the qualities of the two mentors---) Another good question that would fit in with the thesis here: how do these mentors help the heroes in their transformation? What do these mentors know about the journey? What do they know about home?
10. THE INITIATION I might compare two or three of the tests they go through. Alternatively, I might just mention the tests—highlights—and go more deeply into the climax battle-----dorothy and the wicked witch---odysseus and who?---what is his final battle and why is it important? Might need a few slides to explore this
11. The Return Lots could be done to compare their returns Who is waiting? Are they different when they return? What do they understand about their homes that they didn’t before? Were their journeys inward or outward? Both?
12. What Happens After A wrap-up slide or two in which I show or propose how my heroes are transformed----and how the homes they return to might be transformed as well The end is a good time to come back around to the thesis and perhaps expand on it.