Welcome, welcome to another guest this week. Sayf Bowlin is a Catholic seminarian and fan of the science fiction / fantasy genre who enjoys the interplay between faith, reason and pop culture. He has graciously sent along his insights on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for our conversation. Thanks for helping me with this subbing gig, Sayf!–Elizabeth
Percy Jackson and the Olympians:
My Two Drachmas: Some thoughts on the Series from a Catholic Perspective
by Sayf Bowlin, KCHS
When I was in middle school, I read ravenously, so much so that my bus driver used to call me “the Professor.” One of the subjects which I liked to read was Greek mythology. In my reading, I remember coming across a book in the school library which had an interesting conclusion. It said that at some point in the history of Greece, the Christians came with their crucifixes and drove the Greek gods away – but they were waiting until the day they could return. At the time, I thought this was very clever and liked the fact that it took Christianity seriously (so I thought), acknowledging that true worship of God banishes all idolatry (or so I thought). Another book I saw recently in a book store concluded with the proclamation that the gods “are still with us.” It would appear that this is the case, at least per Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
History is full of unexpected turns of events, moments that spin an otherwise directed course onto a completely different path. Such moments also litter our personal histories. In the spring of 2009, suffering from a cold and just happy to curl up in a chair with my likewise afflicted daughter, I finally gave in to pressure from my students and began reading Twilight. I generally try to stay abreast of what interests my students, which is sometimes a challenge with the wide variety of ages and backgrounds in a community college classroom. On the first day of class, I have them fill out an interest sheet, telling me what movies and books they like. Of course, I often see books that I know were eighth grade reading assignments, giving every indication that the student hasn’t read anything with chapters since then. Sometimes they try to impress me by including War and Peace or the Bible (although I remind them that putting the Bible in the same category with Nicholas Sparks is close to blasphemy, and suggesting that it’s one’s favorite recreational reading is like saying one’s hobby is breathing). Time and again, I saw the Twilight Saga on these sheets, often the sheets of students whom I regarded as thoughtful and sophisticated readers and writers. So, I borrowed the well-worn paperback from the library, snuggled up with my fellow sickie and a big box of tissues, and was, completely against my will and my expectations, enchanted.
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