Justice of Strength in The Lost Hero

I recently finished reading The Lost Hero. In the very last few pages, our suspicions of a roman half blood camp become reveled. And we know absolutely nothing. We do know things about the Greek half blood camp however; it is accepting. The only major fact that sticks out to us about the Roman camp is "show strength and be accepted, show weakness and die"

At the Greek camp, strength is defined by not just brutal power, but goodness of heart. Being able to create and build things. Being a positive person. Being a good person. Of course, that’s leaving out the minor details about all the evil demigods that joined Kronos and helped destroy half of Manhattan...

But then, at the roman camp the half bloods have to prove they are worthy by being a strong, military like, leaders. And while punishment of death for being weaker is a little harsh, nothing like Luke would have ever happened.

Luke, who was the stepping stone of Kronos to destroy Olympus, stands for all different types of strength. He is clearly a good fighter, but has bad judgment, however he was able to sacrifice him self to save the world. 

Ancient Greece was about point of view. Artistic and scientific theories combined. Ancient Rome was realistic, and all about fighting. Ancient Greece fell because of loss of resources. Ancient Rome fell because they had their empire spread to thin. Honestly in the end, they both fell. They cancel each other out. I don’t think one is stronger then the other.

I don’t know why we always have to make everything a competition. Why does everything have to be compared, everything have to be better? People are always fighting, physically fighting and for what? Pure boasting rights of strength. Congratulations, you have a big muscle on your arm. Of course I am not saying that smarts or charm is all you need, but that you need them all.

The gods (Greek or roman) are always fighting, viewed separate. They all control one thing (air, water, love) but what does that make up? Planet earth. Why do people always divide them selves a different? As special? If we could just see that we are just parts of a bigger game, pieces in the grand scheme of things, maybe we wouldn’t always have to be better then every one else.

But then, maybe people realize they are just like everyone else and want to get ahead of them purely to be different. I guess you shouldn’t try to take that away. Maybe boasting right is all we have.

What Really Hard Things Are Happening here?: The Lost Hero and Finding Yourself

In the book The Lost Hero, Jason doesn’t have a memory. His memory begins at the moment you start to read the book. He knows as much as you know. The motivation of his quest is to get his memory back.

            It’s hard for us to imagine going out into the world and not knowing anything about our selves. How should we act in response to other people? Should we be concerned about wrong things we have done in the past? Are we known or behind the veil that covers most of humanity from sight?

            So, yes: There is the level of memory loss, but then there is more the simple fact of not knowing who you are. Finding you; this is literally what Jason is doing. It’s interesting because, you almost have to go backwards on this idea to be deeper.  Losing your memory is more of a reason, yet it’s more obvious then finding yourself. Where does the true dilemma lie?

            I find that figuring out who you are is like reading your own writing piece; you don’t notice all the little spelling errors, but everyone else does. Strangely enough, it seems like we define ourselves by the bad and negative side of what we do, never by the positive and good. I think this is because we believe that the bad things we do have more of an impact then the good, which is true.
            Nowadays, kindness and sweet thoughts are challenged and diminished. If you say something like “you have pretty eyes” or “I love your laugh” people say “uh thanks?” or get self conscious. No one seems able to take a compliment or appreciate what they do. I hate when I say something nice, and all I get in return is a weird look like I am crazy.

            Jason seems vulnerable to the fact that other people have to define who he is because he doesn’t know. Piper believes that they were dating, but that was an illusion. I believe that once we get a sense about who we are, or at least who we want to be, we gain some stability, and learn how to withstand criticism. Also I think that everyone is ever changing, meaning it’s hard to “find yourself” because you have changed since you started looking. Can you really “find yourself?”

There is something, material about finding yourself. Knowing where you live, how you live, and what you have. Honestly, I don’t think you can find yourself on an emotional and personal level, only on a material one. Because, while you materials are replaceable, and forever, your emotions are forever changing.

Through An Architect Eyes: a reaserch blog on The Phantom Tollbooth

            Your can not, CAN NOT go through life with out seeing a building. It just doesn’t work that way. You are born in one, near one, in sight of one… and thus, you have seen a building. So what? It’s a building. Just something that’s supported on a foundation that’s precisely measured to be supportive, and beams of wood and cement and metal that intertwine into a web that makes the frame for the basic outline of some shape that will able to house a living thing. It’s just a building.

            Norton Juster, the author of the Phantom Tollbooth, was an architect. He spent time on blueprints mapping out every angle, every dimension, and every last bit. It must have taken forever to put together just a basic plan of action to start building. Do you think anyone ever really stopped and though about that? No. Even your house is that complicated and yet so VERY taken for granted.     

            With the knowledge and experience of an architect, Norton Juster perceived a lot this way, and proves it in his book. The world he builds, The Land Beyond, is actually a deconstructed version of our society that we live in today. Norton must of thought about that, when coming up with the idea for the book.

            He’s saying “HEY! Don’t take the world for granted! Look at it! See what’s really there!” just like a building. He wants us too look past the paint job, and wallpaper, and flooring, and pictures, and rugs, and everything we use to cover up the plain and simple foundation, and look at what is really there.

             With all honesty, I think that wooden beams that are angled and balanced perfectly enough to support a building, is more beautiful then some floral wallpaper. What do you think makes the world the world it is? The foundation or the details?

            On page 155, one of the characters says “no one realizes how much trouble we go though to make them”. I see a little secret author’s intrusion. I only found out the Norton Juster was an Architect, towards the end of the book. So I wonder what else I’ve missed involving that. So I guess… yes, it is just a building