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This month's theme is anniversary. I thought giving a quote involving Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase would work well with the theme. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are the main characters and their relationship played a big part throughout the series. Percy Jackson is known as the son of Poseidon and is nicknamed Seaweed Brain by Annabeth Chase. Annabeth Chase is known as the daughter of Athena and is nicknamed Wise Girl by Percy Jackson. Both went from friend/enemies, to friends, to boyfriend and girlfriend. The nicknames are of course both terms of endearment.
"I was losing the fight. The pain was too much. My hands and feet were melting into the water, my soul was being ripped from my body. I couldn't remember who I was. The pain of Kronos's scythe had been nothing compared to this. The cord, a familiar voice said. Remember your lifeline, dummy! Suddenly there was a tug at my lower back. The current pulled at me, but it wasn't carrying me away any more. I imagined the string in my back keeping me tied to the shore. "Hold on, Seaweed Brain." It was Annabeth's voice, much clearer now. "You're not getting away from me that easily." The cord strengthened.Percy Jackson after falling into the River Styx, 8: "I Take The Worst Bath Ever", p. 136"
I feel this quote helps represent how deep Percy's feelings are for Annabeth. In the Last Olympian Percy recognized Annabeth as his lifeline while bathing in the Styx River. While Percy has other friends and family he subconsciously chose Annabeth. Throughout the series Percy actively talks about Annabeth with a tone that makes it obvious that he does indeed care for her.
Percy recognized his pain right away in the quote. He also states that he was losing against the pain that the river brought. The River Styx is the sacred river that separates the land of the living from the realm of the dead located in the Underworld. The river is said to be sacred to both men and gods. It circles the Underworld nine times, eventually converging on a great marsh at the center of the Underworld with the rivers Phlegethon, Acheron, and Cocytus all though there is a fourth river called Lethe. The river is filled with every scrap of human misery. The river is filled with lost hopes, dreams, and wishes that never came true. The River Styx is where Stygian iron is cooled to make it indestructible, as well as where Stygian ice is formed. Styx was also a goddess similar to the rivers Phlegethon, Acheron, and Lethe being associated with deities and a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. She was the wife of Pallas and bore him Zeus' four winged enforcers: Kratos, Nike, Zelus, and Bia and sometimes Eros. Styx supported Zeus in the Titanomachy, being the first to aid Zeus in the First Titan War against Kronos and his Titan Army. For this, her name was honored by being used in binding oaths. If an oath is not fulfilled by the oath taker it is said to bring something worse than death. Anyone that bathes in the river become invulnerable to most physical attacks. Percy stated while in the river it felt like his hands and feet were melting while his soul was being ripped out. He also claimed he couldn't remember who he was.
Percy did state that the current was no longer pulling him down the river after he heard a voice say remember you lifeline dummy. After Percy heard the voice he felt a tug in his lower back. I believe that was a jab at where his Achilles heel was located. Those who bathe in the River Styx will be gifted with the strength, power, speed, and near invincibility of the hero Achilles. The only spot of those who have bathed in the River Styx that is vulnerable is their Achilles' Heel, a spot of the bather's choosing that will keep them grounded to the real world and their mortal life after they bathe in the river. If the person in the river does not focus on that point while bathing in the river, their soul will be incinerated, washed away with the current. Achilles' ghost appears to anyone who wishes to receive the curse, warning them not to. The ghost claims it will affect them highly, but it shows few signs in Percy. Percy said he imagined a string tying him to the shore. After he imagined that he claimed to hear a voice that was now clearly Annabeth's voice. After a few sentences "stated" by Annabeth, Percy felt the cord strengthen.
Overall I personally think that this quote works well with this month's theme. I hope you enjoyed the bit of background information. Thank you for reading.
