McNeely

Lauren McNeely

Mrs. Weaver

LNG 311

10 December 2010

Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief and Odysseus, a mortal King of Ithaca, sound like two

totally different people, with two different stories and lives. Yet, we soon come to realize that

they aren’t so different after all and they actually have things more in common then you would

think.

The Odyssey was set around 1200 BC, while the movie Percy Jackson the Lightning

Thief was created in 2009. Both have to do with the ancient Greek myths and stories yet when

compared they have many differences. For example, the different time periods present the

difference in age, trial, cultural beliefs and the different reasons for their dangerous journeys.

Both of these two stories are based on Greece and the sons and daughters of great Gods, they are

able to be compared through many other aspects not just the fact that they have similarities

through Greek Gods.

Percy, a teenage boy, living in New York City finds that he has a greater purpose in life.

That is to save the world and to find the lightning bolt and put it in the right hands. Not only does

he accomplish this quest, he discovers an internal quest which is to save his mother from the

“cruel and abusive”, Hades and to meet his father, Poseidon, a Greek God and brother of Zeus

and Hades. Just like Percy, Odysseus, a mere man and King of Ithaca realizes that he is brave

himself. Due to him sailing the open seas, were he knows he isn’t wanted, blinding a Cyclops,
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and many other journeys including major temptations everywhere he went. And, this “bravery”

drug him all the way to his homeland.

Odysseus, a grown man, King of Ithaca, father, husband, son, and leader must travel to

many far places where he is uncomforted by the easy life he leads at home. Unlike Percy

Jackson, who had companions on his trip, Anabeth and Grover, the only people he has to talk to

is himself and the very few soldiers. While Penelope and Telemachus, wife and son of Odysseus,

both waiting for him to return home and in addition his son is waiting to meet his father for the

first time. In a way, this brings similar meaning and relationship of Percy’s mom and father. His

mom who is waiting for Percy to return the bolt to Zeus and see his own destiny and his father

who is waiting on Percy to visit Greece and the chance to talk to his son and try to explain why

they can’t be together like in a normal father-son relationship.

Though Percy Jackson is much younger then Odysseus, and Odysseus is a King and not a

normal man like Percy, they have many things in common. Many may ask, “How do you even

begin to compare the Great Odysseus, to a boy who didn’t even know that he was half God?”,

Although, this may be true and there are differences there is no doubt that they both have

similarities, such as bravery, loyalty, belief that family is very important, and many other things
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that are important to a man with a challenge as big as the journeys Odysseus and Percy Jackson

faced in both “The Odyssey” and in the movie “Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief.”