#i would have given the most dramatic performance and chosen monster from epic the musical (even tho it wasnt a thing at the time)

[schoolchaos]

Long, long time ago, back when I had drama class against my will and didn't know I was actually meant to be a theater kid, we were told to perform a monologue in front of the class. I, with my strong dislike of public speaking, dreaded this assignment, of course.

We were told to choose or write a monologue and that it could be in whatever form we wanted (poems, paragraphs, songs, etc.) as long as the performance was within the time limit and was school appropriate.

I was in a poetry phase at the time and decided that since they're short and easy to remember because of the rhymes, I would just choose one I had already written which was a hate letter to Valentines day because its a poor excuse for chocolate, flowers, and teddy bear companies to make money (just celebrate your loved ones every day, come on people). And my friends were all encouraging me to do it because it was bitter and kinda funny which I think is basically my entire personality.

However, I ended up second guessing myself and didn't wanna do the poem because of the risk of someone thinking I got my heart broken recently or something. Also it felt like something I'd struggle performing because I'd be too focused on panicking and trying to remember than actually remembering, like, I had trouble performing it just for my friends with the paper in front of me lol, I could not do it in class from memory.

So I decided, fuck the poem.

And wrote a small paragraph from the perspective of a person who was called up to perform despite their dislike for public speaking... Sound familiar?

My friends liked the idea again because it was pretty much me going up there and going "I hate this assignment, can I sit back down please, I'm going to cry" while playing it off as "Im just really in character, yknow? Method acting or something."

And my teacher said something like "a monologue about how you dont want to do a monologue... Points for creativity." and he gave me a decent grade. All for the low, low price of the ability to breath!

I could 100% be a perfect actor as long as all my roles are constantly terrified, sweating, and stuttering!

[the-ink-bottle]

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief - a playlist

Writing and media play with one another constantly, and have done so since the first narrative. Music is as integral a part of human history as storytelling, which can be witnessed through poetry, limericks, epics, and ballads.  In modern day, readers often wonder what sort of music and film the characters in their favorite novels might read - does Harry Potter like The Beatles? Would Batman listen to Green Day? Personally, I make a playlist when I’m writing a novel to help myself get in the right headspace. This list touches on that train of thought, with each song relating to how I feel Percy would express himself through music.

Spotify Link: here

I COME FROM THE WATER by Toadies Percy Jackson is, first and foremost, one of the funniest narrators of any story that I’ve read. His wit- or rather, the wit of Rick Riordan - is what makes The Lightning Thief so enjoyable for young readers. “I Come from the Water,” while energetic in sound, is full of humor. The song itself is about evolution, but I like to think that this is a bit how Percy feels when he has conversations with fish.

UNSTEADY by X Ambassadors Taking a dramatic emotional turn, “Unsteady” is a heartbroken song about loneliness and instability. The singer longs for help from his loved ones, just as Percy longs for a sign from his father. Having related deeply to this song in my own life, I thought it fitting for the scenes wherein Percy tries to fit in at camp half-blood while reconciling with the loss of his mother: “Mama, come here/Approach, appear/Daddy, I'm alone/'Cause this house don't feel like home”

GLADIATOR by Zayde Wølf Upon first hearing this song I immediately thought of the fanmix assignment, as the musicality and lyrics reminded me distinctly of Percy’s righteous anger. Aside from the indignation he feels at being given his quest despite his innocence, the lyrics of the song can be linked to specific parts of his story: “I had to keep on reaching up 'cause it was my time/To tear down the kingdom and call out the liars” This could be tied to Percy’s actions later in the series, namely his request that the gods do a better job of communication with their children, but it also captures his anger towards them regarding the lies about his alleged theft. This is again mentioned in the line “Picked a fight with the gods I'm the giant slayer,” which also reminds me of his fight against various giants and cyclops throughout the series. “Caught in a crossfire. Trouble at sea” Obviously, this made me think of Percy’s father, Poseidon, and the “crossfire” between Poseidon and Zeus. “Have you ever shaken hands with the devil in the night?” Simply put, this line makes me think of Percy’s deal with Hades after reaching the underworld.

CHOSEN ONE by Valley of Wolves This song is not as profound lyrically, as it’s quite repetitive, but all in all it captures the essence of Percy’s dilemma with his Prophecy. While his fate was determined long ago, he focuses not on what the end result is “supposed” to be. Instead he keeps up his determination, knowing he will do whatever it takes to finish the quest and save his mother.

THE MINOTAUR’S SONG by The Incredible String Band The Lightning Thief is famous in part due to Rick Riordan’s use of sarcasm and humor in his writing via the narration by Percy, as mentioned in song #1. “The Minotaur’s Song” captures this humor as well, with a series of bull-related puns and the iconic use of mooing for background vocals. On the other hand, the lyrics provide a unique glimpse of the minotaur’s perspective, as he fights an unnamed enemy who (he claims) is as evil as he is. While readers may not think of Percy Jackson as evil, certainly the monsters he slays throughout the novel would disagree.

PLANET HELL by Nightwish Like most of my song choices, this track struck me through its lyrics. I think of this as a sort of ballad from Hades as he watches the trio enter his realm on their quest. To me, the best examples of this are the following lines:  “Denying the lying/A million children fighting/For lives in strife” and “You fool, you wanderer/You challenged the gods and lost.” One can relate these lines to Percy “lying” about having the lightning bolt, the millions of demigods who have fought for the Olympians throughout history, and Percy’s overall impertinence towards the gods.

SUMMERTIME by My Chemical Romance This song puts a twist on the idea of a summer romance, as the singer recalls his lover’s features by complimenting her “scraped up knees” and the “brick in [her] hand.” The lyrics and youthful undertones of the song reminded me of Percy’s relationship with Annabeth, which starts as a childhood crush resulting from his admiration of her as a cunning yet beautiful fighter.

RADIOACTIVE by Imagine Dragons Several of Imagine Dragons’ songs are fitting for the Percy Jackson series. Their music captures the angst and bitterness demigods often feel during times of war and loss, but also the themes of hope which Percy inspires in his friends (and vice versa). This particular song, Radioactive, gives an impression of extraoridinary power locked inside of the singer. This power, however, is harmful. Percy Jackson, being a son of the “Big Three,” is known for containing the power of the ocean. As the series is developed, we see him perform feats that are both magnificent and terrible. As a bonus, the music video for Radioactive features Alexandria Dedario, who plays Annabeth Chase in the film adaptations of our series.

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE by The Fray Ah, The Fray. One of my first times hearing this song was when I watched a Buffy the Vampire Slayer montage with How to Save a Life as the background music. Kid me was very moved. In relation to Percy Jackson, this song still works. It desbribes the loss of a friend, apparently at the fault of the singer, who feels he could have done more to prevent the unexplained tragedy. Percy Jackson feels this guilt several times throughout the series, starting with the capture of his mother and followed by the deaths of several friends: Bianca, Zoe, Ethan, Luke, and Charles to name a few.