Return to Ithaca
by Mary Pope Osborne
Grades 3-7; Genre - Mythology; GRL P; AR pts. 1.0
With the help of the gray-eyed goddess, Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus must set out to regain control of Ithaca.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- Summarize how this story begins. Odysseus survived the storm and is sleeping on an island hoping to get home; Penelope is heart-broken that her son and husband are gone and in danger; Telemachus is trying to decide if he go search for his father or go home to help his mother; Athena is going to help them p.9
Chapter 2
- How is Athena helping Odysseus in this chapter? She sent the daughter of the king down to the beach where Odysseus is sleeping p.21
Chapter 3
- How did Odysseus make it to the palace without being noticed? Athena put a mist around him and made him invisible p.28
Chapter 4
- What did Odysseus do in this chapter to betray who he was? Wept openly twice p.40
Chapter 5
- Describe how the sailors treated Odysseus. They put a blanket over him to sleep and let him sleep the entire way home; they carried him onto his island and left him with the gifts p.47
Chapter 6
- What word describes Odysseus’s relationship with Athena? He has faith in her; loyal; trust; listen to your child’s answer
- How would you answer Odysseus if you were Athena? Why did you take away his son? Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 7
- How do you know the swine herd is a good servant to Odysseus? He loves him; is respectful and protective when talking about him and his family; he longs for him to return home; he cares about his swine and went into the storm to watch them through the night p.63
Chapter 8
- What instructions did Athena give Telemachus? Set sail for home immediately; don’t sail close to the shore in the strait; send your men on the ship to the harbor, but Telemachus go to his father’s swine herd p.71
- Why did Athena direct Telemachus to go to the swine herd? That’s where his father is p.76
Chapter 9
- Explain what this phrase on page 86 means: “it is easy for the gods to cast a man down and then raise him up again”. Gods have power to humble and help men p.86
Chapter 10
- Why did Telemachus believe they would win against the suitors? They would have the gods, Zeus and Athena, helping them fight p.90
- What’s Odysseus’s plan? Telemachus will go to the palace; Odysseus will dress as a beggar and go to the palace later; when Athena gives the word, Telemachus is to take most of the weapons to an upstairs room p.92