Plot Summary: Prior to encountering the sirens, Odysseus views the world as simply chaos; a string of chance happenings with no order, no purpose. Following Circe's advice, he has his crew tie him to his ship's mast and stuff their ears with wax. The sirens' song initially tempts him with visions of home, but his enjoyment of a life on the edge, guided by luck and chance, guards him from their trance. However, the sirens soon captivate him with a song that hints at the hidden order of the universe. It ends before Odysseus can crack the code, and after ordering them to sail back once, he never hears the sirens sing again--tortured by the knowledge he cannot quite reach.
Role of Family: Odysseus only mentions his family in this story when the sirens sing their first song. He claims that "anyone unmanned by these monsters is a home-body or a sentimentalist" (82). Therefore, he suggests that he does not value the elements of domestic life, such as the family and home, or the sentimental elements that accompany them.
