"A chip off the ol' block"

Does a child bring honor to his Father? Does a father create a role for his child to fulfill? I think both. In the beginning chapters of the Odyssey,there is so much emphasis on the father-son relationship. As a Burkhardt,I want to please and honor the man who gave me my name-sake. I love my father and would do anything for him. Even in the Iliad,  whenever a great warrior is mentioned,his father's name also appears in his 'title'. An example?  "_________,whose father __________ was a renowned slayer of men" Most often it seems that the child receives at least some form of honor from his father. Even Telemachus,when he visited Nestor and Menelaus, was immediately recognized as the son of Odysseus and received honor just for being the son of so great a man. So it makes you wonder,does the offspring of such a great man justify this pre-created honor passed down to him from his father? I would hope so! And Telemachus does. He is truly recognized as the son of Odysseus and many people admit to him that he has to be Odysseus' son,due to his 'god-like' looks and wisdom. ( I'll take some of what he had please...) So where does the true root of honor occur? From the son,or the father? I think about myself. I have no clue what my great-great-grandfather did for a living,or where he even lived. All I know is that he was Irish! (Which frankly makes him awesome in my book.) But you read The Iliad and The Odyssey and these mighty warriors are able to trace back their heritage several generations,some even to the gods themselves. Have we lost this sense of generational honor? Or has it simply faded from our list of important things in life? In the Iliad,it also adds to a character,it gives them a sense a background and doesn't make them seem as 'flat'. It provides a character with a little more substance and context,making them stand out from among the rest. Otherwise,the Iliad would turn from a true Epic to a boring hack-and-slash fest. My goal in my life is to bring true honor to my Heavenly Father. And if I can achieve that,then I've lived a full life. So this was just my take on the honor between a father and son. Hope you enjoyed it!

-Brian

(P.S. I commented on Becca Sales' "Shield" post.)