What is the overall effect of the events in Book 18 on the suitors?

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Turning to the question about Book 18, we must evaluate what happens to the suitors as events unfold. 
Option 1: 'They hold a meeting to end all hostilities toward the beggar.' This misses the epic's trajectory in Book 18, where tensions intensify rather than a peaceful reconciliation with the beggar (Odysseus in disguise). The suitors are not depicted initiating a unified move to end hostilities; instead, their position remains combative and self-assured. 
Option 2: 'They grow more arrogant and neglect the looming threat.' This aligns with the text’s portrayal of the suitors: they boast, overestimate their safety, and fail to recognize or adequately respond to the growing danger posed by Odysseus' return and the preparations surrounding him. Their arrogance grows as they finalize schemes, and they overlook the strategic peril surrounding them. 
Option 3: 'They realize Odysseus has returned and surrender.' The narrative does not show the suitors recognizing Odysseus’s return and choosing to surrender; rather, their plans unfold in a way that proves fatal for many of them. They do not acknowledge a legitimate threat in time to avoid consequences. 
Option 4: 'They abandon the palace immediately.' There is no immediate exodus of all the suitors from the palace in Book 18; instead, the scene emphasizes their continued presence and defiance, setting up the later confrontations. 
In examining these choices, note that the key theme in Book 18 concerns the suitors’ escalating pride and their failure to address the danger that Odysseus’s return represents. Each incorrect option either contradicts the events as depicted (peaceful meetings, immediate surrender, or abrupt abandonment) or ignores the maintained sense of impending peril. The accurate depiction involves their growing arrogance and neglect of the looming threat, which shapes the subsequent outcomes in the narrative.

6(A) - Exploring Novels and Literature The Odyssey 18

What is the overall effect of the events in Book 18 on the suitors?

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