Allison Garcia
English F
Ms. Flores
Feb 12, 2013
“O Muse!”
Picture a young man who seams to have everything, a loving wife, a nice house, and a newborn baby. The man has made a selfish choice that has sent him away for many years leaving behind his wife and his newborn. After many years the man can now try and return home to his wife and kid but has to face the long challenging journey ahead. Many people are out to get him and prevent him from returning; he will face many obstacles that test not only his strength but also his cunning ways. This is the story of not only the brave Odysseus but of a man named Everett McGill, a man living in 1930`s Mississippi who was jailed for having a fake attorney licenses. He escapes with fellow convicts Pete Hogwallop and Delmar O’Donnell to try and get to the “treasure” Everett lied about before the land gets flooded. When they meet a blind railroad attendant with no name who tells them “the treasure you seek will not be the treasure you find.” Although homers epic “The Odyssey” and Joel Coens movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?” have two completely different settings and eras, The two stories share the same themes, similar characters, and over all plot showing that people are still tempted by prideful or selfish thoughts to this day.

“The Odyssey” as we know is set in accent Greece in the city of Ithaca. In “O Brother where Art Thou” Everett McGill lives in Mississippi in the 1930’s during the beginning of the great depression. In “The Odyssey” Odysseus decides to leave to go fight in the war at Troy. After the war is where his journey back home begins. A possible reason for “ O Brother Where Art Thou” being set in Mississippi during the great depression is because the job market was low and many people were not making much money so that could of drove Everett to make the fake attorney license witch in turn caused him to be sent to jail. Another possible reason may be to show people that humans are humans and have always mad the same mistakes no matter what the time period may be. One of the main settings in “The Odyssey” is the sea and the ship Odysseus sailed on. Like “The Odyssey” one of the main settings on “ O Brother Where Art Thou” are the country roads. While walking, hitchhiking, or driving on these roads they find out more about each other and become closer friends.

The major most important theme for “The