DD is regularly belittling "The Odyssey" and I don't like it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (15) is reading "The Odyssey" for school. I am a professor of Greek literature, so I may be biased, haha. But I adore this book, maybe more than any book I've ever read. DD has...different views. She regularly announces that she hates or thinks it's bad, and that's okay, she can have her opinions. But she often makes jokes about its apparent poor quality and has even taken to mocking Homer. Yesterday she claimed at dinner that "Sabrina Carpenter could have written The Odyssey but Odysseus couldn't have written Bed Chem". This is starting to seem to me that she's trying to get under my skin. Why is she doing this? If she doesn't like a book that's fine, but why this persistent need to make fun of the book that plays a large foundation in my career?

I'm impressed that your daughter reads ancient Greek at age 15!

Fairly certain that was the point of the post. One of the best VBAs I have read in a while.

What does that mean?

It is the best veiled brag alert I have seen in ages.

Oh, my kid is smart enough at 15 to be in a class where they are reading The Odyssey and also precocious enough to be baiting me by slamming it, which happens to be my favorite book.

Come on, now, it’s bloody brilliant.

When I was in school, we read the Odyssey in 7th grade. It was in English. OP's kid is not reading it in ancient Greek, ding dong.

[Anonymous]

Just laugh it off and say she’s entitled to her own opinions and interpretations. Perhaps she’s trying to get under your skin so don’t give it any attention if it seems that way. Or engage and see if she can back up her arguments. Could be interesting.

My kid has a different take on many books I’ve read and loved. That’s fine by me. Sometimes I truly learn from him, and that’s really cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that this is OP’s hill to die on. Sincerely. You should legit do battle with your teen over literature. Way better than boring bedtimes and Snapchat. You’re a good mom, OP.

Why do you assume OP is a woman? They never identified as such.

Because if your IQ is above room temperature you can infer these things from style and contextual clues.

Like when I'm watching the Yankees I'm not bothered by all the he/him pronouning even though they don't each self-identify with pronouns during the lineup.

The contextual clues strongly suggest male author. For starters he is a professor of Greek literature. That is just not something a woman is likely to be. Also, no mom would react this way whereas a man is more likely to suffer an egotistical blow and take umbrage to being taunted.

[Anonymous]

Go for a walk or something.

[Anonymous]

No self respecting male would even know what bed Chem is

[Anonymous]

I’ll take weird ways that nerds try to humble brag for 300 Alex?

[Anonymous]

She's hilarious, OP. She's doing on purpose to goad you.

I am a fan of the Classics, and had some success in getting my oldest to read a lot in that area, but I have an equally spunky 10th grader, and there's no making her do anything she doesn't want to do. Although she's OK with the Odyssey so far. Thank God.

Does your kid watch Overly Sarcastic Productions? My kids love that YouTube channel. They do Greek myths really well. Actually, I'd be interested to hear your take on their work...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She is 100% trying to get under your skin, whether she knows it or not.

+1,000,000 It’s too bad her mom is an academic so her only respite is to make fun of academia. My mom loved talk shows so making fun of and mocking them fed my passion for trying to shut her up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD (15) is reading "The Odyssey" for school. I am a professor of Greek literature, so I may be biased, haha. But I adore this book, maybe more than any book I've ever read. DD has...different views. She regularly announces that she hates or thinks it's bad, and that's okay, she can have her opinions. But she often makes jokes about its apparent poor quality and has even taken to mocking Homer. Yesterday she claimed at dinner that "Sabrina Carpenter could have written The Odyssey but Odysseus couldn't have written Bed Chem". This is starting to seem to me that she's trying to get under my skin. Why is she doing this? If she doesn't like a book that's fine, but why this persistent need to make fun of the book that plays a large foundation in my career?

I had a similar reaction when I read it in college. Turned out I just despised the Lattimore translation. Read Wilson a few years ago and it slapped.

[Anonymous]

When my kid does this injustice start agreeing with him. We end up laughing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love this thread.

How do you react, OP? I can see how this could be painful, but maybe it could be fun if you were both being playful and curious.

"Really? Wow! Can you play me some of your favorite lyrics? What makes you think of that comparison?"

Can you give her "Circe" or "Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller to compare? Maybe she'd like a more feminist-centered view of mythology from a more modern author.

TBH I had trouble with The Odyssey in school but enjoyed Miller's take as an audiobook.

If this is what counts as painful in your life, or OP's, you should consider yourself extremely fortunate. And sheltered. And ridiculous.

Pain has a series of degrees. This is closer to getting a minor paper cut than a wasp sting or stepping on a LEGO or losing a beloved pet. All painful in different ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (15) is reading "The Odyssey" for school. I am a professor of Greek literature, so I may be biased, haha. But I adore this book, maybe more than any book I've ever read. DD has...different views. She regularly announces that she hates or thinks it's bad, and that's okay, she can have her opinions. But she often makes jokes about its apparent poor quality and has even taken to mocking Homer. Yesterday she claimed at dinner that "Sabrina Carpenter could have written The Odyssey but Odysseus couldn't have written Bed Chem". This is starting to seem to me that she's trying to get under my skin. Why is she doing this? If she doesn't like a book that's fine, but why this persistent need to make fun of the book that plays a large foundation in my career?

I'm impressed that your daughter reads ancient Greek at age 15!

Fairly certain that was the point of the post. One of the best VBAs I have read in a while.

What does that mean?

It is the best veiled brag alert I have seen in ages.

Oh, my kid is smart enough at 15 to be in a class where they are reading The Odyssey and also precocious enough to be baiting me by slamming it, which happens to be my favorite book.

Come on, now, it’s bloody brilliant.

MCPS used to be that good. No more. My kid is reading about Trevor Noah in AP English. Barf.

[Anonymous]

Your daughter is bullying you, and she knows it irks you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is your biggest problem with your 15 year old, count your blessings.

My thought exactly. I wish!!!

[Anonymous]

Encourage her when time to write her English paper on it to compare Greek literature to the writing of Sabrina carpenter and how each speaks for different audiences and reflects culture of time etc. I’d love to read that as her English teacher v the same old chaptgpt that get now