Everett is reunited with his many daughters while Odysseus is reunited with his only son, Telemachus. In a sort of playful way, “O brother, where art thou?” nods to the Odyssey with Everett almost killing Big Dan T (the Cyclops character) by stabbing him in the eye just like Odysseus did in the Odyssey. The story of Odysseus spans a much longer period of time than "O brother, where art thou?" The events in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" they seem to take place over the course of a few days while the Odyssey lasts several years. The theme of lost love is present in both stories. Love is a timeless theme and can be seen in many literary works. Both Everett and Ulysses miss their wives and families. These two characters end up doing everything to get back home and with their wives and children. The main difference between Penny's character in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and Penelope in the Odyssey is how they react when their protagonist husbands are gone. Penny divorces Everett as soon as he goes to prison and tells her daughters he was hit by a train even though she knows otherwise. Penny even accepts a suitor and plans to marry him. Penelope on the other hand misses Odysseus, dislikes suitors and waits patiently and faithfully for 20 years until Odysseus returns. Penelope and Telemachus keep hope alive for Odysseus' return while Penny stayed with Everett until his return.