Like father, like son

   I have to admit, I was rather surprised that Telemachos rose to meet everyone's expectations. When they first compared him to his father I was worried he would rebel, but he proved himself worthy to be the son of Odysseus. Still I can't help but wonder if this would have been different had his father been there as Telemachos was growing up. Telemachos didn't even know the man whose shoes he was expected to fill. How is it possible to reach a goal you are unfamiliar with? He drew his identity from a man he hadn't seen since early childhood. The only reference he had was the stories he had been told by any who knew Odysseus. This is why he began his voyage to find his father, only it wasn't about finding hi father. It was about finding his own identity apart from Odysseus, to find the similarities but also the differences, i.e. what distinguished him from Odysseus. He also needed his own tales of glory to be told and retold just like his father.