Allison Gandlin PD7 4/24/2023

 Allison Gandlin

○ Literature Circle - TWO BLOGS (2023)

■ Choose one of the texts to read, partner up with other students who are

also reading the book (can be across classes).

■ Write two blogs - one during your reading and one after you’ve

completed the novel.

How does the book’s format and multiple perspectives affect your understanding of the novel?

‘A Thousand Ships’ explores the Trojan War and Greek mythology & culture from many

women’s perspectives. Similar to World War Z, it tells the experiences rather than the statistics.

It is an attempt to evoke emotion and create understanding for the way humans react. In some

ways, this reveals more about the event than the latter. A recurring theme is heroism, yet it is

not portrayed in the way that society has defined ‘a hero’. While most may expect a warrior

emerging through the flames of a battle victorious, many don’t think of the women who had

raised children as single mothers or were taken as slaves. Haynes’ writing style therefore allows

the reader to experience all sides of the war: Greek, Trojan, and divine. She redefines what is

‘heroic’ by exploring many aspects of life at the time that are disregarded.

At first, the names and places and relationships between characters were confusing. The

constant switch in setting and mood created a roller coaster of emotions that I couldn’t keep

track of. Haynes forces you to get attached to one character so quickly and then cuts off the

short story. However, once the characters start coming back to continue their stories, it

becomes very easy to develop a holistic view of the culture of the time. For instance, you begin

to understand that everyone has a relationship with the gods. They take myth as fact and

rumors spread like wildfire. The singing bards tell stories from their mind and it is as though

nothing else could be true. Most had consistently acted on lust and instinctual desire as self

control is seemingly pointless in a society where death was so near at all times. They fight and

take pride in animalistic characteristics. They idolize the warriors. People bow down to ‘strong’

men and blindly follow the performance, the circus. The women are where the men are weak.

The women understand the facades and the nature of human actions. The women know how to

survive amongst the men who believe they themselves ‘allow women to survive’. And yet, a

kidnapped daughter of a priest, who is bid off to a round old king, makes her way back home. A

nymph, who’s husband goes off to steal another king’s wife, causing the war and ruin of Troy,

remains unbothered and raises her son on her own. The structure of this book is developing my

connection to the time period and allows me to see women at different ages/stages in their

lives and in different positions of power being their own heroes. I believe that it is almost

impossible to tell from one perspective. However, if it was, it would not be nearly as impactful

and could entertain but definitely would not teach me about feminine power the way it has. It is

allowing me to reflect on all of my inner women, the hostile warrior princess resembling the

Amazonians but also the softer nurturing queen. This book could not have come at a better

time in my life, as I am finding myself and growing into who I want to be.