Dave is the hero of 2001. Odysseus is the hero of The Odyssey. Both are searching for a way home, and a way onward, during their epic journeys.
I will focus on the cyclops theme in both 2001 and The Odyssey. Hal is the cyclops in 2001, with his single red eye. Dave blinds Hal by disconnecting his memory chips.
Another interesting topic in 2001 is the music included in it. over 85% of the film does not involve dialog. This absence of speech is very effective. Kubrick conveys the vacuum of space by the silence in the pod scenes.
