Study On Popular Formula Of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson: And The Sea Of Monsters

Abstract

This research analyses the uniqueness of Percy Jackson: And The Sea Of Monsters. It is categorized as popular adventure novel. The readers can enjoy this novel as well. This research also analyses the role of the imaginary world within adventure story related to the cultural phenomena represented in the novel. Theory of formula by John G. Cawelti is applied in this thesis. This research is qualitative research in which the data analysed are in the form of words. The primary data in this research are taken from dialogues and the statements the content of the novel. The secondary data are taken from books, theses and electronic articles which support the analysis. Cawelti’s formula theory contains two aspects. The first aspect is standardization is the structure which should be followed in relation to a certain kind of work. The second escapism is related to the aesthetics taste in the literary works (pleasure, excitement, gratification, and enjoyment). The result of this study show the uniqueness character is represented by Percy Jackson, the Greek myth hero. By struggling of Percy to complete the mission to get Golden Fleece and defeating his biggest enemy, (Polyphemus). The uniqueness setting of the story is showed by the real world and imaginary world that happened in America. The plot of the story is uniqueness presents imaginary world and the magical things that do not exist in the real world with the atmosphere of darkness and extreme. The role of the imaginary world in the novel is almost like the implicit setting of place. Cyclops Island is merely a symbolic place. It can be a representation of a place that is guided by Polyphemus the monster of the sea. The imaginary world is has big influence to build and to support the setting in the whole of story when Percy in his journey to Sea of Monster.Riordan is able to develop a modern wonderful journey based on the ancient Greek gods, goddesses and mythology monsters in his novel which have similar patterns of the journey with other myth hero stories such as Hercules, Jason and the Argonauts, and Odysseus. The popularity of the novel also related to the adventure story. It became popular is to complete escape from reality; readers can enjoy the imaginary world and supernatural elements inside of the story.