Stand Out Lines

 

       Recently while reading The House of Hades I came across a line that really stood out to me. But before I tell you what it was, let me set the stage of what is going on. Jason and Nico have just faced Cupid, god of love. The demigods were after Diocletian's scepter. It has the power to summon the ghosts of the Roman legions. The only way Cupid will give them the scepter is if Nico spills his feelings. Nico isn't the type of guy who just proclaims he loves someone to the world. In fact, he hardly talks. He is a child of Hades, so he prefers to slink aroung in the shadows. He bottles his emotions up. After reading this chapter I realized how alone he feels-no self confidence. I think many of us know people like this. I think it's our job to help lift these people up, make them feel wanted.

 

     Nico is scared of Cupid and scared of his feelings. However, he knows he has to confess them to help out his friends. I'm not going to tell you who Nico has interest in for sake of spoiling the book, but he does tell. After Nico fesses up, Riordan wrote a line that really stuck out to me. He said, "Fot the first time, Cupid's gaze seemed sympathetic. 'Oh, I wouldn't say Love always makes you happy.' His voice sounded smaller, much more human. 'Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. But at least you've faced it now. That's the only way to conquer me" (Riordan 292). I think this line speaks volumes. I see it apply to everyday life as wells as the story. This quote propels the plot and gives some insight to what may happen in the future.


     First off let me talk about how this line is relevant to our lives. Most people probably think of hearts and happy couples when they hear the word love. However, with love comes heartache and I think that's what Cupid was trying to say in this quote. At some point in our lives, we may feel the sadness of loving someone who doesn't love us back. Or we may be hurt by someone we love. That's tough. Some people deal with it in different ways. There are people like Taylor Swift who write world known songs as revenge. There are people who cry and watch movies all day eating out of a gallon bucket of ice cream. And there are people like Nico who bottle their feelings up until they can't take it anymore and then they explode. Cupid also says you have to face love to conquer it. I think this means that in order to move past our feelings we have to admit to them first and accept them.


     I this quote also being very important to the book. The group of demigods all have struggles with love. Each one of them grew up without one parent, due to them being a god. Also, within the group there are four couples and let me just say it's hard when at least a few members are in trouble at every moment. They have to risk their lives for each other. If you have read my previous posts I mentioned Hazel, Nico's sister. She may have to die because she loves her friends. It also possible that her brother has to die instead. Then there is Nico who loves someone who doesn't feel the same way. I think now that Nico has expressed his emotion to Jason and Cupid, he may be able to get over it. This quote could also foreshadow some hardship in the future for the demigods because of certain relationships. Only reading will tell!