Making a Hero - Vogler’s Supportive and Opposing Archetypes in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Sammanfattning: According to Christopher Vogler, all unforgettable stories contain a distinctive dramatic structure and an evolving hero accompanied by other archetypical characters. This essay examines the popular children’s book Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, and which impact the different archetypes in the story have on Percy’s growth as a hero. Traditionally, the mentor archetype is mostly credited for the hero’s transformation, but in this essay, I will argue that even though their contribution varies, supportive and opposing archetype roles are equally necessary for Percy’s development. In the end, I will rate Percy’s growth as a hero based on his level of self-sacrifice, self-esteem and self-confidence, and claim that the supportive archetypes foremost contribute to Percy’s self-esteem and self-sacrificing side, whereas the opposing archetypes primary help raise his confidence and awareness.