Humanity and Immortality

The idea of humanity vs immortality is something Apollo struggles with all throughout the novel. At the beginning of the novel, he resents numerous characters for giving up their divine powers willingly, while he was forced into his, “pathetic mortal body” (186). Over time, he comes to respect those who made that decision, and begins to sympathize with those who long for a normal life, even if he does not want that for himself.

At the beginning, it is clear that Apollo resents those who choose to give up their immorality, especially characters like Hemithea whom he bestowed that power upon in the first place. While he is clearly upset at Emmie for giving that power away, his true anger does not show until he talks to Calypso at the Zoo. When the two start arguing about what powers of theirs would help their situation...