#1
In the novel, Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan displays themes of immense power and dangerous situations in order to convey Percy’s constant battle between danger and responsibility, ultimately illustrating how the duality of gifts can be both a blessing and a curse.
Riordan displays themes of immense power in order to demonstrate the burdens that follow with extreme advantages. Rick Riordan gifted Percy Jackson with extraordinary abilities in order to illustrate what comes with great power. Percy possesses enhanced strength, agility, and the power to control water. Because these advantages are so extreme, they also carry substantial burdens that helped shape his character. Consequently, Percy’s gifts are evident throughout the battles he faces. Percy Jackson’s status as a demigod allows him many benefits that humans do not receive. The abilities he has, such as breathing underwater, and his unique communication with marine life, not only aid him during combat, but also come with hardships he must face. Since Percy is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, his skills enhance his identity greatly. His connection to water symbolizes his strength and resilience, which enables him to overcome challenges that would be nearly impossible for anyone else.
Furthermore, Percy’s unique talents bring him extreme drawbacks. Percy’s gifts come with significant flaws. As a demigod, he is in constant danger caused by enemies who seek to either exploit or eliminate him. The constant threat of his life leads to a sense of isolation. Therefore, Percy struggles to maintain good relationships with his family and friends. Because he has such great skills, people constantly expect highly of him, including the pressure to fulfill the prophecy and live up to his father’s reputation. Percy deals with a great fear of failing the people he cares for and those who depend on him. This weight on him adds to the depth of his character, illustrating the battles he is also internally fighting which come from his gifts. Moreover, the complex nature of Percy’s gift contributes to themes of being a hero, identity, and sacrifice. Percy’s journeys connect to the struggles of adolescence, where growing up and reaching adulthood brings great challenges and responsibilities. Percy’s experiences highlight the idea that gifts, which seem to only carry positives, often come with sacrifices that can shape a person. Through his trials, he learns that being a hero not only comes from having power, but making difficult decisions for the future. This realization shows the moral complexities faced by people who have gifts. Thus, making this story relatable for readers making their way through their personal challenges.
Ultimately Percy Jackson’s gifts as a demigod illustrate the duality of gifts and how hard it may be to continue your journey. The repeating theme of advantages and challenges helps grow the narrative and allow readers to explore themes of identity and sacrifice. Percy’s journey serves as a reminder that gifts could be life changing in positive and negative ways, shaping who people are.
#2
In the novel, Percy Jackson: The Titans Curse, Rick Riordan employs symbolism in order to convey how the sky represents burden, responsibility, and sacrifice, ultimately illustrating both a literal and figurative representation of struggles people face.
Riordan displays symbolism in order to demonstrate the novel's deeper theme of heroism. Consequently, the sky is linked to a cursed Titan, which symbolizes the weight and consequences of extreme responsibility that comes with power and defying the gods. Because of the curse, when the antagonist defied the gods, they momentarily experienced the crushing pressure of the sky, highlighting the physical and emotional toll of heroism. Moreover, the sky also symbolizes how one must bear the weight of responsibility, even when it feels impossible. Percy takes on the sky himself, thus, a crucial moment of the novel that lays the path for his role of a true hero. By willingly going against the sky, Percy demonstrates selflessness and courage, reinforcing the theme of the novel: true heroes are willing to suffer for others. Since Percy had shown such bravery, he also serves as a test for strength, both physically and mentally, as he reaches the understanding that being a hero is not only about enduring a battle, but about going through pain for the benefits of others.
Furthermore, the sky’s symbolism extends past the literal burden, and places it on the characters. Riordan uses the sky to represent the weight that comes with responsibilities and power. Consequently, the demigods must come to term with their roles in the war between the Titans and the Olympians. Like the sky, their fates are negative and inescapable. Therefore, reinforcing the novel’s message that being a hero means accepting their responsibility, no matter what the cost is. Because the sky is such a powerful symbol, the novel is given a more in-depth meaning and sends a stronger message. Building on this idea, the characteristics of the sky reveal a deeper meaning to the novel. The sky serves as a profound symbol of sacrifice and dealing with high-stake responsibilities. Through the Titans eternal punishment, the Olympians short lasting struggle, and Percy’s selfless endurance, the sky is used to illustrate the drawbacks of heroism. Thus, the symbolism not only adds depth, but also highlights the true meaning of being a hero. Since the sky holds such power, it also emphasizes the theme that true strength comes from the willingness to deal with the burdens for the sake of others.
Ultimately, the strong characteristics that the sky represents illustrates burden, responsibility, and sacrifice. The symbolism expresses a deeper meaning both literally, and figuratively. The sky represents what it is like to be a hero, and making decisions that will negatively impact yourself, but help others in the long run.