A Comparison Of Perseus And Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief

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Over the years stories and plots are modernized. Like from the legend of perseus to the lightning thief, using the hero archetypes of the perfect hero and the plot of the story to make it have a more modern taste to audiences. This is the reason that the stories of old are made into stories of new for a newer generation.

In the story of Perseus and Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief, there's a similarity and difference between events that make one of the stories more modern. First, in the legend of Perseus the author states,“Looking into the mirroring shield, Perseus swooped down, and with one deft stroke he cut of the Medusa’s head.” (D'aulaires, 118) This is different from the lightning thief because in the movie percy looks into his phone …show more content…

First, they are both a perfect hero. This means that they have strength or have a very good reputation. In Perseus he is a perfect hero because he becomes a great king and is made a constellation he is regarded so highly of. As is said by the author, “When at last Perseus and Andromeda died, put them, too, in the sky as constellations.” (D'aulaires, 122) This explains two things that make the original Perseus a perfect hero. This is less modern than the lightning thief because he starts out as not knowing anything about his life as a demigod, and then becoming the most well known demigod of that time by preventing a war. (Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief, beginning) The lightning thief is more modern because it is placed in a city of modern time and he becomes a hero by stopping something that people are more likely to do for everybody's equalness. Secondly, they both have strange births. Perseus, as is said in the text, “Instead, he put Danae and her son, Perseus, in a chest and threw in into the sea.” (D'aulaires, 115) Instead of The lightning thief where he never saw his father and had to grow up with a sewer smelling step dad.(Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief, beginning) This step dad thing is more of a modern take on a strange birth. And who uses chests anymore? Lastly, Perseus had Zeus as his father. And as is said in the text, “In the shape of a golden shower to her.” …show more content…

First, both stories are brains over brawns. In Perseus he uses his brain to think of a way to make the grey sisters tell him where the nymphs of the north are. In the lightning thief he has to use his brain to figure out that he can control water and stop Luke. (Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief, Olympus) This is more modern because he uses water towers and the winged boots instead of being flown around by Hermes. God transportation is a thing of the past. Secondly, the villain in Perseus story is the evil king as is said in the text, “But her beauty brought no joy to her father.” This explains that he was not happy with his daughter and wanted a son. In the lightning thief the villain is Luke.This is because he wants a war between the gods. His identity is hidden as villain until the end of the movie, making him a seem nice villain. (Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief, the Underworld) This is more modern because it adds a plot twist and makes you want to keep watching so that you can find out who the lightning thief is. Lastly, in Perseus, the text states that, “ ‘Slay the monster Medusa and bring me her head’ ”, This is the quest he was given. In the lightning thief Hades takes his mother and he has to find the pearls save his mom and stop a war. (Percy Jackson and The Lighting Thief) This is more modern because it's more complex instead of just one main task he has to do all of these other side things.

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