It can be difficult to understand how the Odyssey, a 2,700-year-old epic poem about gods and monsters, could symbolize life today. The Odyssey, however, parallels a journey of life because of the decisions Odysseus made and the decisions I will make as well as the trials he endured and the challenges I will face. Some of the obstacles I will encounter in the future, especially in high school and college, may not be as severe as the monsters Odysseus had to face, nevertheless, they are still everyday situations that I need to learn from . In The Odyssey, Odysseus must learn from his mistakes and apply what he has learned to succeed in his life. The only way to succeed is to learn from the mistakes we make ourselves and those of others. We use these mistakes as guidelines and boundaries to shape our decisions. In the Lotus Eaters scene, Odysseus sent a few men to investigate the island, but when they returned, Odysseus forced them to board: "When they had eaten and drunk, I sent two of my companions to see what kind of men the local people might be, and they ...