Shelnut 1

Ali Shelnut

Mrs. Weaver

LNG 311

10 December 2010

The Journey of Odysseus and Percy Jackson

Some people may wonder “if it were not for the gods in ancient Greek

mythology would the world be as it is today?” The world wouldn’t be the same

because gods have different ways of handling things than mortals do. Mortals

usually have to work for what they want, and being a god you have supernatural

powers and are able to do it in the snap of a finger. For example, Odysseus (a

mortal king of Ithaca) and Percy Jackson (half mortal and half immortal, the son of

Poseidon) share similarities and they also share some differences. They both take a

journey into the unknown; they both have motivation to make it through journeys

they must take being the hero’s they are, and they must fight to make it home to

the ones they love. When they take these journeys they run into certain places and

things that they have never encountered in their lifetime. Over the course of their

journeys, they have different mentors who help guide them to achieve their

motivation which helps Percy and Odysseus make it home to loved ones and return

to the life they are trying to make it home to.

Odysseus and Percy both take a trip to the unknown, also known as the

Underworld. The accomplishments they have to achieve in the Underworld are

different but they both have mentors that give them the guidance through their

journey. Odysseus takes a trip to the Underworld where he meets Tiresias. Tiresias
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is a blind man who can see the future and he warns Odysseus not to eat the cattle

of the Sun God, because he will lose his men. On the other hand, during Percy’s trip

to the underworld he has to persuade Hades to release his mother. He has a mentor

named Grover who willingly agrees to stay behind because there are only three

pearls that can dismiss people from the Underworld. Percy, Anna Beth (another

mentor) and Percy’s mom use the pearls to escape the underworld. Thanks to

mentors like Grover, it helps someone like Percy Jackson continue with his journey.

Both Odysseus and Percy have motivation to get through their journey alive

and get to their loved ones. Percy loves his mother very much. When Hades takes

his mother, Percy wants tell Hades that he is not the lightning thief and to let his

mother go. Before he decides to take the trip to the Underworld he runs into Hades

and asks about his mother, Hades tell Percy he must return the lightning bolt

before he can return his mother. Odysseus has to fight at Troy. When he leaves for

Troy he promises Penelope (his wife) that he will return to her and his newborn son

Telemachus, but if he may not keep his promise Penelope must move on when their

son Telemachus has became a man, so Odysseus knows he must keep his promise

and return to Ithaca. Without motivation it would be hard for someone to complete

these journeys. The mentors on the journey help keep Odysseus and Percy

motivated.

Percy’s first mentors name is Mr. Brunner which is his teacher. Mr. Brunner

put a classmate of Percy’s (Grover) in charge of mentoring and protecting Percy

during his journey. Percy is unaware that Grover is a satyr. Another mentor to Percy

is Anna Beth (daughter of Athena) who he meets at the camp that Grover takes him

to because they think he is the lightning thief , she offers to help Percy through his

journey. Odysseus has several mentors during his journey. The main mentor is
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Athena; however, he runs into many other gods who help him complete his journey

home. The mentors during this journey are gods who have special powers. Without

these mentors, Percy and Odysseus may not be able to return home.

Mentors and motivation can help you get through journeys you have to take

being a mortal or god. Odysseus thinks and strategizes to get through tough

situations, like islands he comes to on his journey home on these islands were gods

and goddesses who tried to end Odysseus’s trip home, while Percy was born with

extraordinary powers that he did not know of, and also being the son of Poseidon.

You never know if you will have to face a journey like Odysseus or Percy Jackson

and if you do keep Percy Jackson’s mortal side in mind and act smart like Odysseus.