Board Thread:Deltora Quest/@comment-28175840-20160410132046/@comment-28175840-20160419212543

Hey Rey and Belt of Deltora,

Thank you ever so much for your responses! I think it's great when students think outside of the box - in this case when they relate what they learnt with something they read in a whole different context. If they do, then I find it to be my duty to try my best to understand them.

I remained a bit vague earlier about the question itself, but now that you've told me the story and I have made up my mind I'll tell you what it was about if you're interested. The question was about Hercules (or rather Heracles, as the Greeks referred to him). In an ancient story from the fourth century BC the Greek author Xenophon wrote about Hercules standing at a crossroads in his youth. At this crossroads two women appear to him, one representing Vice, the other Virtue. They both stand next to the two roads, Virtue next to a narrow road, that has many obstacles, and Vice next to a broad road that is easy to walk upon. Hercules has to walk either the narrow or the broad road, or: choose between either Vice or Virtue.

The question was to name a particular work of art in which the artist used this idea of chosing between Vice and Virtue, represented in a narrow and a broad road.

In this particular case I understand that there is a comparison in the sense that there is a crossroads and that the main character has to choose between two roads. However, there is no moral choice involved, as with Hercules: neither road stands for the concept of Virtue or Vice in itself. Also, neither road appears to be full of obstacles while the other is easy to thread. Another difference is that Lief choses the wrong road, where Hercules choses the right one. So unfortunately, the comparison stops at both being a choice of a road with consequences.

So to conclude, no points for this answer unfortunately. Not to worry though: the student passed with flying colours anyway!

Thank you very much for your help - also on behalf of the student!

Stapleslao