Oddly enough this story reminded me more of The Odyssey than any other book we’ve read all year. I’ll attribute this to our main characters of each story. They are both very complicated men in different ways, both leaders of their “ship” who go down in certain ways.
I think I liked both of them about the same as well; they’re undeniably clever and charismatic in a certain way and yet so completely idiotic in others I can’t stand them. Macon is arguably more self-critical than Odysseus but they both have masculine confidence that makes them incredibly self-centered. They both think that they are very wise- Odysseus thinks he is a talented trickster and captain and Macon thinks that he is enlightened to black culture. They both use these talents in order to gain a “crew”, Odysseus’ being literal and Macons being “The Franchise.” Eventually, both groups turn against Odysseus and Macon and things unintentionally result in death and destruction. Odysseus is part of the death of his whole crew and things get out of hand and violent at Macon’s Day of Apology. As well if we wanted to draw parallels between the slaughter in the hall and the day of apology that would be very interesting. Both seemingly “revenge” story’s with questionable moral politics and lots of bloodshed.
Odysseus and Macon even seem to both have a problem with women. Odysseus is unfaithful to his wife and shows the gender ideals at the time while Macon fails to acknowledge intersectional ideas or treat women with equal respect and attention in how he treats Logan, for example. They both have ideologies and worldviews that may seem a bit extreme. For example, Macon doesn’t see a moral issue with robbing people at gunpoint where Odysseus brags about being a “sacker of cities”. They center their identities about taking in a violent way.
I think both are such complicated men that watching them go on a “hero's journey” made me feel similar ways, sometimes incredibly uncomfortable and sometimes just in awe. They both center around pretty epic and ridiculous stories and center around two men trying to make a change and prove something--whether it’s getting home or righting racial injustice.
Are there any other ways you can think of that Macon and Odysseus are similar or different? How do you see them? Did you get the same feeling from both of them or do you see them as incomparable?
