Books can be life-changing. Students at Redwood share how the book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians has had an impact on them and their lives.
By: Greer Olson
As simple as it is, stories impact and enhance human lives. They [stories] can give someone a sense of relatability and even escapism from current life. In a lot of ways, it changes how someone views and goes through their life. For many students, the Percy Jackson series has done just that, but how do these life-changing stories begin?
Rick Riordan, the author of the Percy Jackson series, has discussed in many interviews the reasoning behind the common question, “Why write the series?”. He expressed how when his son was young, he would tell his son Greek mythology stories before bed. As he says in an interview with Jeanette Larson (May 2009) called Talking With Rick Riordan, “Mythology is a natural draw for kids. It has magic, mystery, adventure—everything you could want.” With this and the fact that he has been reading mythology for years before this, he thought it might be a good way to have his son who is a reluctant reader, to be more interested in reading. At one point in time, Riordan began to run out of stories to tell that would have his sons interested and that was appropriate. So the only solution he had was to start creating stories about a demi-god Perseus Jackson, more commonly known as Percy Jackson.
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Percy Jackson is first introduced in the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, The Lighting Thief. He is a 12-year-old boy who struggles heavily in school academically and socially because of his ADHD (Attention-Deficent-Hyper activity-Disorder) and Dyslexia. After hopping from school to school for years he gets put in a boarding school called Yancy Academy. The story depicts his adventures with his best friend, Grover Underwood, a satyr who has been watching over him, and an unlikely friend he meets, Annabeth Chase, who is also a demi-god.
Many readers have found themselves able to relate to these characters in some way. The touch of reality along with the fantasy makes these characters seem so loveable no matter what. With many kids relating to these characters, it shows that despite your struggles you are important. Audrina Garcia ‘27, is a student at Redwood High School and she talks about how important it is to see something that you can relate to. She says, “And someone sees the struggles, someone sees that you aren’t the same as others, but you shouldn’t be treated differently.”
Being shown you aren’t the only one, can completely alter the way someone sees their life. Readers know that someone understands and potentially has or is going through the same thing. It gives some perspective and a possible appreciation for the good parts of their life. Garcia says, “It makes you realize how good home can be, how good certain aspects of life can be even though certain aspects aren’t.”
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The general impact of the series has a wide variety and scale. While many have related to these characters on a personal level and on the other hand, this series has planted a seed in a different interest. When the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series began to grow in popularity, there was a significant rise in interest in Greek Mythology and reading in general. Sarah Butt ’27 talks about how although she isn’t as into the series as she used to be, it has grown her interest in history, she says, “It has really made me love history, I just find it very interesting to learn about the past.”
Since the books revolve around Greek gods and include many references to famous Greek Mythology stories, it sparked many to pursue this interest. Issac Zavala ’25 says, “It’s comforting along with an interest, in my opinion, I think it’s one of the best things anyone can read about.”
Greer Olson
Greer Olson '27 is in her first year of journalism and isn't quite sure what she exactly wants to write about, but is interested in learning about the people of Redwood and what makes everyone individuals.
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