The book Percy Jackson and the Lightning

Thief is a perfect example of a hero’s journey with many twists and turns all throughout the book. The book is about a kid named Percy with a very bad life consisting of a terrible case of ADD, and he never even knew who his dad was after leaving him when he was a kid. And with the combination of his mom making the bare minimum to support their family his life just downright sucked. But right when he thought things couldn’t get any worse he finds out that his dad is a god and he has to be taken away to a camp for children just like him called Demigods.

Being a Demigod means that you’re half man half god, it also means that one of your parents is a god.

At the beginning of Percy’s adventure, it starts with him finding out that he is the son of the greek god Poseidon. This blows his world in the way he didn’t even think greek gods existed.

And right when he thinks his world can’t be flipped upside down even more his mother is kidnapped by the minotaur. Percy’s mom meant everything to him and he would do anything for her “My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room.” quoted on page 63 chapter 3. But right after that Percy has to leave with a strange kid named Grover to a camp far, far away. Right after that Zeus the god of all of the gods accuses Percy of stealing his lightning bolt.

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This item has such power to destroy anyone or anything. But Percy had not committed the crime Zeus was accusing him of.

Then Percy’s quest begins he has to go through many trials that almost result in death, form the shear challenges. He had to kill a minotaur because he believed it killed his mom right after he saw it stomp on her and she disappeared into a flash of golden light and then she disappeared. This leads percy to kill the creature with all of his might and unlocks a power deep down that he never knew he had. Right after this he screams at the gods and curses them out. This reminds me of exactly what Odysseus escapes the cyclops and yells his name at the gods and angers them in book nine. They booth show acts of hubris and thinks they are greater than the gods. Next Percy is tasked with finding Zeus’s lightning bolt, and he refuses to. He doesn’t want any part of the Greek gods, and thinks he’s in a bad dream. But finally Percy’s new friends, Annabelle, and Grover convince him to journey of into the underworld where Hades lives. Along with a few gifts from other demigods around the camp, Percy begins his trip to Los Angles(It’s not la its Los Angels).

Then he journeys into the burning pits of hell in the underworld to try to find the lightning bolt. After wondering the underworld they find ares, the god of war. He gives them a backpack full of “tools” and says “A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?” Pg 253 chapter 15. But Percy never cheeks exactly what’s in the bag, and it almost is Percy’s down fall. After confronting hades, hades blames percy for stealing his helm and threatens to kill his mom who has been Hade’s hostage the whole time. Yet again Percy has not committed such crime. But he has the idea to look in the backpack Areas Had given to him, and he finds booth artifacts the lightning bolt, and the helm. After this he is in such rage that he is blind and doesn’t realize he is about to go challenge a god to fight. It is just like Odysseus when he is filled with anger and blinded with rage.

Overall the book presents the idea of a hero’s journey throughout the whole entire book. From the departure, the quest, and the return. Throughout the whole book the idea of a hero’s journey is present and very clear. The book can even be compared to the Odyssey in my opinion. The book itself is a great and easy read for teenagers, to adults, and has a very good premise. Over all this book is one of my favorite reads of all time just because of how much action is going on throughout the whole book.