10 things Percy Jackson got right about Greek mythology

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10 things Percy Jackson got right about Greek mythology

Percy Jackson and the Olympians was one of the early, kid-friendly novel series that brought Greek mythology retelling into popular culture. Many aspects of Greek mythology differ greatly from contemporary morals and sensibilities, And books like Percy Jackson have made them accessible and relatable to larger audiences. This ensures that the stories are not lost to time and encourages readers to draw their own conclusions about the stories’ legacy. While there are several about these Percy Jackson Books don’t age, the way the myths and legends of the past are recreated for the books is usually pretty good.

Percy Jackson is Rick Riordan’s best book series and has stood the test of time because it draws from such enduring parts of Greek mythology. As a middle-grade series, there is no question that Riordan has toned down the brutality and graphic nature of many of the most famous Greek myths. However, Riordan was an expert at toning them down while also adhering to the moral and thematic lessons at the heart of the stories. In addition, one thing Percy Jackson Consistently excelled in combining different parts of stories to create an original adventure for Percy and his friends.

10

The gods are absent parents

Percy Jackson uses this fact to examine parent-child relationships

Percy and all the other demigods in the series consistently grapple with their complicated relationships with their pious parents. It was common in Greek myths for gods to descend from Olympus, sire a baby, and then leave the growing child to their own devices to fail or succeed as a hero. While they may sometimes appear in visions or during quests, The heroes of mythology were on their own for much of their lives And rarely has the same amazing abilities as the half-blood in Percy Jackson.

Luke feels abandoned and betrayed by his father, Hermes, which leads him to join Kronos and turn against the gods.

If anything, Percy sees more of Poseidon than most other kids, like The refusal of the gods to intervene in the harsh lives of their children is one of the main motivating factors of the war. in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Luke feels abandoned and betrayed by his father, Hermes, which leads him to join Kronos and turn against the gods. Furthermore, many of the children in Camp Half-Blood remain unclaimed throughout the original five books, which is in line with the omission of the gods in mythology.

9

The Sea of ​​Monsters has many stories of the Odyssey

Although Percy is searching for the Golden Fleece, the second book parallels the Odyssey

Percy Jackson Season 2 will have audiences rooting for Percy and his friends as the stakes are raised in the second novel that the show is adapting. At the beginning of the story, Percy and his friends embark on an unauthorized quest to find the Golden Fleece to protect Camp Half-Blood. Although the golden fleece is from Jason and the ArgonautsNot The Odyssey, The sea of ​​monsters Intertwines Percy’s story with that of the fabled hero, Odysseus.

The Odyssey is one of the most famous works of Greek mythology, chronicling the tale of Odysseus as he tries to return home after fighting in the Trojan War. Along the way, he is sidetracked by the monsters in the Mediterranean Sea, the witch Circe, the Sirens and the Cyclops Polyphemus. Percy encounters all the traps and enemies during his search for the fleece, End up on Polyphemus’ island. Annabeth even uses her invisibility cap to trick Polyphemus and call herself nobody, as Odysseus does in his story.

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8

Chiron is a teacher of heroes

The leader of Camp Half-Blood is a legendary educator

Training the likes of Jason, Hercules and Achilles, Chiron is an expert instructor of heroes In Greek mythology, so it’s only right that Riordan would make him the leader at Camp Half-Blood. The reader is first introduced to Chiron in The Lightning ThiefHow he personally comes to Percy’s school masquerading as the human teacher, Mr. Bruner, to determine whether Percy is a child of the Big Three. As Percy develops into a hero similar to the great one that Chrion taught, the centaur imparts all the wisdom he can.

Similar to the legend of Chiron, he is very different from the other centaurs on Earth, who prefer to roam freely and are not so concerned about learning and training heroes.

Chiron is a wise and caring figure throughout Percy Jackson books, And since the series splits a bit from the mythos, he becomes a father figure to Percy and the other campers. Similar to the legend of Chiron, he is very different from the other centaurs on Earth, who prefer to roam freely and are not so concerned about learning and training heroes. This becomes clear when the Party Ponies, a herd of centaurs, come to Percy’s aid throughout the series and bear no resemblance to Chiron in personality.

7

The gods are constantly in competition

Their little wars and jealousies are often played out by their children

From the moment Percy set foot in Camp Half-Blood, he already had a long list of enemies. Even though Poseidon hadn’t claimed him yet, the other demigods could tell he was strong, and Every child is very loyal to their parents and jealous of anyone who shines as a hero. The rivalry between gods bleeds into the dynamic between their children, and one of the earliest examples of this is how Clarisse, a daughter of Ares, is immediately distrustful of Percy.

In mythology, animosities run deep, and gods can hold grudges for a long time. The tensions between the Big Three, Poseidon, Hades and Zeus, is something that Percy grapples with. Throughout the books, how their parents have a long history of betrayal and betrayal. Additionally, when Percy and his friends witness the gods on Mount Olympus, they quarrel or have all-out fights in front of the demigods, which is similar to how they behave in the myths.

6

The rivalry between Athena and Poseidon

The lingering hatred effects the budding relationship between Percy and Annabeth

As a daughter of Athena, Annabeth knows that she should have a natural hatred for Percy, as she has since Athens chose Athena as the patron of the city over Poseidon, The two gods never got along. This resulted in each other, which only worsened the tension between them. However, when Percy meets Annabeth, he is unaware of this history and cannot understand why she will not trust him and commit to their quest. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for them to put aside their parents’ enmity.

Riordan uses the existing tensions to raise the stakes for the young love between Annabeth and Percy, making their connection seem all the more special.

Although Annabeth and Percy grow closer, they are still often at odds When it comes to deciding on the right path and outcome of a search. In addition, when Percy eventually meets Athena, she is not cruel, but she keeps him at arm’s length, as she is angry with his father and protective of her daughter. Riordan uses the existing tensions to raise the stakes for the young love between Annabeth and Percy, making their connection seem all the more special.

5

The Oracle of Delphi is consulted for wisdom

The famous prophet is a key part of the Percy Jackson books

While there were many oracles in Greek mythology, the most famous was the Oracle of Delphi, What is present in the Percy Jackson Books with an interesting twist. Heroes, kings and common people sought the oracle to predict their futures, believing that she spoke with the knowledge of Apollo, the god of prophecy. The connection with Apollo is true Percy JacksonAs he appears when the spirit of the oracle is able to transfer to another person.

When Percy first meets the Oracle, there is a curse placed on her that prevents the spirit from entering a new host. Later, it becomes clear that Rachel Elizabeth Dare is the next mortal vessel for the Oracle, And she successfully lets it into her, helping Percy save the world. The campers rely heavily on the oracle to give them prophecies for their quests, similar to how people revered the oracle in ancient times.

4

The Furies serve Hades in The Lightning Thief

Like other deities of the underworld, the Furies are ruled by Hades

Hades is not a villain Percy JacksonBut he plays an antagonistic role in The Lightning ThiefAs he believes that Percy is the one who stole the master bolt. This prompts him to send his fumes after Percy and his friends. one of them Alecto, poses as a math teacher at Percy’s school, and turns into a fury When she realizes that Percy is a demigod and believes that he holds the lightning bolt. Although she is a monster, she acts not only out of chaos and violence, as she serves Hades.

The peasants are especially interesting, because they don’t attack Percy but because he is a demigod; They have an objective because of their loyalties.

This is the same role that the Furies hold in Greek mythology, as in these stories, it is often dangerous to get on the wrong side of any god, especially Hades. Percy has bad luck when it comes to pleasing the gods, And Hades is not the last immortal that he has to run before the series is over. However, the Furies are especially interesting because they attack Percy not only because he is a demigod; They have an objective because of their loyalties.

3

The River Styx makes Percy invulnerable like Achilles in The Last Olympian

In the last book in the original series, Percy makes a dangerous gamble

The legend of Achilles says that his mother dipped him in the river Styx, The water that runs through the underworld, to make him invulnerable. This was because of the prophecy that foretold his death. However, since she held him by his heel, that part of him remained weak and was his downfall. in Percy JacksonOther demigods follow in his footsteps, understanding that the price may be their lives. However, the evils they face are too strong to fight alone.

About to come into battle with Kronos, Percy realizes how outmatched he is and decides to risk being killed by the sticks to gain this invincibility. however, Like Achilles, Percy may not be completely invulnerable, and a part of him is still weak, Attach him to the real world and prevent him from dying in the river. In a touching moment, Percy shares where his weak spot is with Annabeth, showing how much he trusts her.

2

The solstices are important moments throughout the books

Many quests have a deadline that falls on the solstice

Almost every quest or major event occurs on the solstice Percy JacksonAs the dates mark the end of one season and the beginning of another. Most of the books take place during the summer months, making the summer solstice a recurring plot point in the books, but the winter solstice plays a large role in The Titan’s Curse. In Greek mythology, The solstices are moments of celebration and honoring the gods to ensure a good harvest and a safe year.

The Percy Jackson Letters that place great importance on the solstice is a vital connection to the Greek myths.

Since every quest must have a deadline, it makes sense that Riordan would choose the solstice, as this often gave Percy and his friends about a month to complete their journey and save the day. In Greek stories, the solstice was a time of revelation, And while the events leading up to the date are fraught in Percy JacksonThe characters usually get a moment to relax after they have prevented the end of the world. The Percy Jackson Letters that place great importance on the solstice is a vital connection to the Greek myths.

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The story of Icarus and Daedalus in the battle of the labyrinth

The familiar cautionary tale remains the same in Percy Jackson

The fourth book in the series, The Battle of the LabyrinthRevolves around the ancient maze the inventor Daedalus created for King Minos of Crete to house the Minotaur. Throughout the book, Percy has visions of Daedalus and his son, Icarus, centuries ago being trapped in the Labyrinth and forced to work for Minos against their will. Eventually, Percy realizes that he is seeing the real story of Daedalus, up through the terrible day when Daedalus and Icarus try to escape their prison with wings; Icarus flies too close to the sun and drowns.

The account in Percy Jackson and the Olympians is almost exactly in line with the Greek myth, and the tragedy makes the reader feel for Daedalus. When the audience meets him alongside Percy, he is still grieving for his son and plagued by the guilt of creating the Labyrinth. However, this is an effective turning point in the series, as the last two books see Percy’s story become darker and more complex as he prepares for his showdown with Kronos.

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