Prof Jiang’s Predictive History and other lectures Great Books #2: Homer And The Invention Of The Human
Apr 8, 2026
A lively look at how reading the Iliad provokes self-reflection and reveals pride and vulnerability. Discussion of characters who seem to 'hear themselves speak' and what that shows about consciousness. Analysis of Achilles and Agamemnon’s struggle to control narrative and reputation. Speculation on how Homer might have tapped universal archetypes and shaped moral and civic thinking.
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Great Books Make Characters Real And Teach Us Ourselves
- Great books make fictional characters feel real by enabling readers to imagine their pasts, motivations, and futures.
- Mr./Prof. Jiang uses the classroom exercise about Achilles to show literature increases self-knowledge and imaginative empathy.
Characters Who Hear Themselves Create Human Consciousness
- Harold Bloom's definition: great books help us become human because characters 'hear themselves speak', revealing consciousness.
- Jiang explains 'hearing yourself speak' as stepping back mentally to analyze your words and effects on others.
Agamemnon's Threefold Speech In The Iliad
- Jiang reads the Iliad's opening dispute where Agamemnon takes a captive and demands Achilles' prize, showing layered motives in speech.
- He dissects Agamemnon's three simultaneous moves: respond, manage reputation, and ensure internal coherence.
