Reawakening the Myth - Retelling the Hero Journey in Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by nayy☆

The hero journey framework proposed by Joseph Campbell in 1949, and described through the concept of the monomyth, has shaped mainstream storytelling for decades, though its universality has been widely questioned. This dissertation applies Campbell’s model to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, arguing that the saga exemplifies the hero journey while also conforming to and then subverting its expectations. Analysis centers on The Lightning Thief (2005) and extends across the series, examining gendered coming of age, patriarchal assumptions, and feminist challenges using Carol Pearson and Katherine Pope’s The Female Hero in American and British Literature (1981).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages120

Reading Time5 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Declaration

Abstract

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Percy Jackson and the Hero Journey

Departure

Initiation

Return

Subversion

Chapter 3: Annabeth and the Female Hero Journey

Chapter 4: Adaptation and Appropriation in Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Chapter 5: Conclusion

References

Reawakening the Myth: Retelling the Hero Journey in Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Alexander Leighton A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Artium in the Department of English at the UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA FACULTY OF HUMANITIES SUPERVISOR: Dr Molly Brown April 2014 Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. ii Declaration ............................................................................................................. iii Abstract .................................................................................................................. iv [Key Terms.............................................................................................................. vi](Key Terms.............................................................................................................. vi) [Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................](Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................)............................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Percy Jackson and the Hero Journey ..................................................... 8 Departure ........................................................................................................... 10 Initiation ............................................................................................................. 16 Return................................................................................................................. 26 Subversion ......................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 3: Annabeth and the Female Hero Journey ............................................. 48 Chapter 4: Adaptation and Appropriation in Percy Jackson and the Olympians . 82 Chapter 5: Conclusion......................................................................................... 100 References ........................................................................................................... 106 Acknowledgements I hereby acknowledge the financial assistance of the University of Pretoria. I would like to thank Prof. Andries Wessels, and particularly my supervisor, Dr Molly Brown, for unfailing motivation and invaluable assistance during this study. I would like to thank my family, Mom, Dad, Bro and Chanti, for their encouragement, patience and support, without which this undertaking would not have been possible. You have allowed me to undertake this hero journey. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA FACULTY OF HUMANITIES RESEARCH PROPOSAL & ETHICS COMMITTEE Declaration Full name: Alexander Leighton Student Number: 11346257 Degree/Qualification: Magister Artium in the Department of English Title of thesis/dissertation/mini-dissertation: Reawakening the Myth: Retelling the Hero Journey in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I declare that this dissertation is my own original work. Where secondary material is used, this has been carefully acknowledged and referenced in accordance with university requirements. I understand what plagiarism is and am aware of the University’s policy in this regard and its implications. SIGNATURE DATE Abstract The hero journey as theorised by Joseph Campbell in 1949 in The Hero With A Thousand Faces (reprinted 1993) has informed and influenced mainstream storytelling for more than half a century. In Campbell’s work, it is argued that the mythologies of the world all share essential features, and could therefore be seen as analogues of what Campbell terms a ‘monomyth’, a single, identifiable story that unites and defines disparate myths from around the world, illustrating to readers the form of the journey on which they themselves must embark to reach self-actualisation in their own lives. This notion of t

FAQs

What concept from Joseph Campbell is used as the study’s main framework?

The dissertation relies on Campbell’s hero journey model and his monomyth idea from The Hero With A Thousand Faces (1949; reprinted 1993).

How does the study characterize Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson saga in relation to the hero journey?

It argues the saga first conforms to Campbell’s expectations and then subverts them, using Riordan’s re-imagining of classical Greek myths for adolescent readers.

Which novels and themes are examined to discuss changes to the hero journey?

The analysis begins with The Lightning Thief (2005) and then considers the rest of the series, focusing on how the titular character challenges patriarchal assumptions and explores gendered coming of age, including feminist critiques of Campbell’s model.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by nayy☆