Chaudhry 1

Noman Chaudhry
Prof. Smith
Comp. 2 (ENGL 1302-305)
July 17, 2016

Ulysses; an Old Man, a Long Memory, and Plans

Nothing last forever, but it's the memories that make it worth of lifetime, was the end
of my 4th Decathlon on speech. As I walked into my final year in academic Decathlon, I felt old
venerable, archaic, above all I felt sad. I was the only 4-year member. At the end of the year I
was given an award for being the longest standing competitor. I could walk into competitions
and greet judges and organizers as though I were a coworker. I knew names that had not been
spoken in that classroom for 4 years.

When Odysseus left for the Trojan war, he was threatened with his son. Had he not
accept the call to action, they would have executed his heir. In Roman mythology Odysseus is
known as Ulysses. Lord Alfred Tennyson writes a poem about an old man and how he looks
back and thinks of his youth. A young life full of adventure mystery and wonder. This old man
wanted it all back. He leaves, sets his son on the throne, and ventures off into the unknown
distance.

On the other hand, instead of considering this as an extension to Homer's Odyssey, one
speculation is Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson was about the Ulysses from Dante's Inferno.
Speaking on corrupt politicians and a fantastic journey, this Ulysses wishes to go back and fix

Chaudhry 2
the problems that he sees. After all, he is the king, or at least, relevant authority. There is a sense
of logic to some of what he says in regards of what his son is to do, make mild a rugged people
(Tennyson).

Comparing this to my experiences and academic Decathlon, I feel like the first half of
Ulysses. I feel the yearning and the one to go back and experience what I had. Like all my
teammates before me that'd graduated I promised Id be coming back to visit. But much like
Odysseus, I had responsibilities. I couldn't come back to visit the coach I called Satan, or his
counterpart Mr. Dr. Prof. Acker-God-Lord-Emperor-of-the-Universe Jr Esquire the 3rd. I hadn't
even gone to my teammates graduation. I haven't kept good touch with a group that I refer to as
Dream Team although I still go to school with one of them.

I feel the onset of the second half of Ulysses. One day I'll just be fed up with sitting here
and thinking about the past. Like the old, decrepit man, I will rise once more, get on a boat, say
my goodbyes, and go back to the adventure. In comparison this would be myself obtaining a
teaching degree and becoming a coach. I would be there to help new students succeed. They will
be walking out not with third place trophies, but first place. They will stop dreaming about State
competition and instead be there for Nationals. I will take what experience I had on the ship that
I sailed on originally, and build a better one. Like the Ulysses that walked alongside Virgil, I
would correct the wrongs that'd been done in my absence. I would ensure that the students had a
new Odyssey.

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The WWW, ring a bell? that was the opener to my first speech. On April 26th, 1986,
at 1:23 a.m., in Ukraine the cities of Chernobyl, Pripyat, and a neighboring forest experienced a
nuclear explosion, was the second introduction. We have nothing to fear but fear itself, the
third hook. To call into my final year, Nothing lasts forever. I find the fact that this poem
reminds me of my years and academic Decathlon funny, because the first time I read this poem
was for said competition during my freshman year of high school. The same year, I read
Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell. I also read a book called Faust by Goethe. My father
is listed as Mein Vater in my contact list referencing a piano piece called Erlkonig. My
working knowledge of literature was entirely influenced by my participation in the United States
Academic Decathlon. Its funny how Lord Alfred Tennysons poem harkens back to exactly
where I first heard it. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. To seek, to find, and not to yield, is
how Tennyson ends his poem. Taking these words, I will make these memories last a lifetime.