The Odyssey and The Pearl: Loyalty Loyalty to another person or to a cause may be an admirable trait, but it can lead to either positive or negative consequences. In Homer's epic The Odyssey and John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl there are characters that show great examples of this trait. Penelope in The Odyssey and Juana in The Pearl are the most obvious, although there are many. Penelope stayed loyal to Odysseus while he was on his twenty-year journey and Juana stayed by her husband through his time of distress. Penelope stayed loyal to Odysseus while he was on his twenty