As Percy leaves Camp Half-Blood, the one place specifically designated for demigods like him, he begins to feel the struggle of the in-between. As a half-god, half-human, he feels like he cannot fit in anywhere; not the mortal world, nor the divine world of his father. Demigods like Percy sit at the crossroads of two different worlds, and must deal with the challenges associated with both of them—things like school on one side, and monsters on the other. This struggle to find a place and feeling in-between is a common one for literary heroes.
The first battle on the bus from New York City sets up the series of tests that the hero must confront on his quest. In epic Greek hero stories like The Odyssey, these tests are very often physical challenges of the hero's strength and quick wit, and in this first test, Percy rises to the occasion. Later on, though, it becomes clear that he cannot surmount every obstacle on his own. He needs his friends' help to recognize Medusa for who she is and save them, even though he is the one who ultimately defeats her.…show more content… Annabeth details the story of her life spent feeling unwanted by her mortal father, and this quest is a chance for her to prove herself. Grover has to prove himself, too, in order to get the searcher's license and embark on what he believes to be his true purpose in life: a quest to find the god Pan. It is important to remember that these two are complex characters who are on this quest not solely to help Percy, but also to achieve their own
