Percy Jackson Hero's Journey Essay

The hero’s journey is a common template used in many stories, from ancient Greek mythology to the movies of today. The hero usually has some sort of call to adventure and with some supernatural aid, he is able to return home transformed. This can be seen in the movie Moana, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and Pride and Prejudice.

To start off, every hero has some sort of unusual birth or call to adventure that eventually makes them leave their ordinary world. Moana’s ordinary world was on her island, Motunui, with her family, however, she is always drawn to the ocean. One day the ocean gives her the heart of Te Fiti but is taken away from it. Percy Jackson’s ordinary world is New York City. He soon must leave his home when

he is attacked by Mrs. Dodds because he is accused of stealing Zeus’ master lightning bolt. Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet’s ordinary world is her home in Hertfordshire, her call would be the expectation of women at the time to get married to a preferably wealthy man.
The call is sometimes too overwhelming for our heroes which leads them to refuse the quest.

Moana never desired to refuse the call, however, her father told her the island is where she belongs. Due to her father’s wishes, she tries her best to play her role as the chief’s daughter and forget the ocean. Percy Jackson thought everyone was crazy when he discovered the truth about his father and did not want to go into Camp Half-Blood since his mother could not go through but is brought in once his mother is killed. Elizabeth refusal occurs when she meets Mr. Darcy and speaks of her as inferior. She is disgusted by his pride and decides he is the last person she would want to

marry.
Each hero has a mentor that aids them in their journey. Moana’s mentor is her grandmother. She informs Moana of the past of their people and shows her where the canoes are. It is also her death that allows Moana to leave. Percy’s mentor is his best friend Grover who had been unknowingly his protector. Chiron can also be seen as a mentor as he advises him and aids him when he can. Elizabeth has many mentors that support her and give her advice when she is troubled. Some of these mentors include her sister Jane, her good friend Charlotte, and her aunt Mrs. Gardiner.
Once a hero is willing to act upon their call they must cross the first threshold. Moana’s threshold would be the reef by her island. Once she makes it past the reef her quest officially begins. Percy’s crossing could have occurred when he literally crossed the camp’s threshold, or it can be seen when he chooses to leave the camp in order to save his mother. Elizabeth crosses when she defies her family’s wishes by refusing the clergyman’s, Mr. Collins’, proposal. Though this is where she begins her journey this can also be viewed as a refusal of the call.
Along the journey, the hero makes many allies and must endure a series of tests. He may also receive some aid from a goddess. Moana’s allies are the rooster Heihei, the demigod Maui, and her grandmother’s spirit who can be viewed as a goddess. On their journey, they must face off Kakamora (coconut-armored pirates), a giant crab named Tamaoa that lives in the Realm of Monsters, and the volcanic demon Te Kā. Annabeth and Grover accompany Percy on his quest where they must retrieve Persephone’s pearls by defeating Medusa, a hydra, and the lotus eaters. The goddess Persephone also aids him in escaping Hades with his mother and the lightning bolt. Elizabeth has a series of tests from the actions of Mr. Wickham, as well as when Mr. Collins marries her best friend and Mr. Darcy confesses his love after she finds out he was the one that split up her sister and Mr. Bingley.
The grand ordeal is that most difficult challenge the hero must face. Moana’s ordeal was defeating Te Kā only to discover that Te Kā was actually Te Fiti and finally returning her heart. Percy’s was finally retrieving his mother from Hades and finding the lightning bolt. He also had to face off Luke who was the real lightning thief. After beating Luke Percy could finally return the bolt. Elizabeth’s ordeal is when she begins to have feelings for Mr. Darcy upon discovering that he paid for her sister’s wedding after she ran away with Mr. Wickham.
Once conquering the ordeal our hero collects his reward and is finally able to return back to their ordinary world changed in some way Moana’s reward is the safety of the islands.

She is also gifted with a boat to sail back home and Maui is given a new hook. Once she is home Moana reunites with her parents which can be seen as an atonement with father. After this reunion, Moana and her people set sail to discover new lands as they no longer fear the ocean. Percy’s reward is his mother and having his name cleared once he returned the lightning bolt to Zeus. Percy also has somewhat of an atonement with his father once he clears his name. Poseidon expresses his pride in his son and Percy is able to return to Camp Half-Blood (his new ordinary world) as a hero. Elizabeth’s reward is love. Mr. Darcy does what he can to help her and her family and the two of them fall in love and get married. Her confession of love and agreement to marriage can be seen as her atonement with her father and the rest of her

family.
Though very different movies Moana, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and Pride and Prejudice all share the same structure of the Hero’s journey. Similarities can be found in the many movies, works of literature, and ancient myth. This is because even though they may not have all, each has one or more aspect of the hero’s journey within them.