Teacher, Environmentalist, Recovering Politician (
Questions, etc: mrjonathanlott@gmail.com. 
My students told me that their English teacher deducted point for essays on the Iliad which described Achilles as petty. She said that, as a hero, he possesses no negative characteristics. It’s enough to make a person spew.
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This is not the only instance of wildly inadequate high school English teaching that I have observed. Moreover, she said that the word “petty” had no place in academic writing. But *we* know that there is nothing more petty than academics.
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I understand not wanting to use the word “petty,” (spiteful, brooding, angry, stubborn are better imo) but it’s kind of the point that Achilles (as all interesting heroes are) is a deeply flawed character, with mortal emotional and physical weaknesses. That’s why we like him!