An important aspect of the writing process is idea generation. One good strategy for coming up with ideas is brainstorming. The idea behind brainstorming is to think freely and creatively about an idea, writing down anything that comes to mind. Brainstorming is also a useful technique for problem solving. For this assignment, you are going to brainstorm possible answers to the question: What is the "sea" a symbol of? Don’t worry about being right or wrong, or relating your ideas to any particular text. Just go with the flow, and see what you come up with. Spend five minutes writing down whatever comes to mind in a list format.

With crack on crack of thunder, zeus let fly a bolt against the ship, a direct hit, so that she bucked, in reeking fumes of sulphur, and all the men were flung into the sea. they came up 'round the wreck, bobbing a while like petrels on the waves. no more seafaring homeward for these, no sweet day of return; the god had turned his face from them. –the odyssey, homer read the passage. then, identify the theme that is supported by the passage. most ships cannot survive a terrible thunderstorm. the ocean is an angry beast that will tame any who try to control it. the gods have the power to control human destiny. men are willing to die to eat the delicious cattle of the gods.