Why might this idea recur throughout time and culture? How do the associations and symbolism of the phoenix link with the character Phoenix? what are the qualities of the phoenix? What is being suggested here in Shadow of the Minotaur with this name?
I think that this idea occurred a lot in time along with the culture because a Phoenix is known as a mythical creature which gave an interesting, and a lot of connection between the sun, fire and humans. Sometimes I think that the Phoenix was described for when people first discovered fire. Fire was sacred to men, and it seems that it almost explains about the new era of men when they found fire, their lifeline. Many people were also afraid that one day, the sun might not rise up because there might have been a time when they saw the eclipse, which makes it look as if the sun was disappearing. That event could have a connection about the Phoenix. The Phoenix is known as a gentle bird, and extremely close to humans which I think is really mysterious. Many creatures harm men and torment them but even though Phoenix is a mythical creature, men described it as a gentle one.
The Bird Phoenix and the main protagonist in the 'Shadow of the Minotaur' are linked together in someways. In the first chapter, Phoenix Graves is shown as a plain, average boy in the town Brownleigh. Soon, he gets addicted to the game, "The Legendeer" because he wants to be a hero. In the game, when he experienced his life in the game before fighting Medusa, he mentioned that he, himself was reborn.
Phoenixes are known to be born again after its thousand-year long life which I think in the book refers it as his old life. His old, boring, depressing life. However, he develops a feeling of the wanting to be a hero and later, Phoenix is born into a new character, full of hope, faith, and courage. This event might have been related to the occurrence of the bird, Phoenix's re-birth from the ashes after waiting 3 days.
The qualities of a phoenix is different in every religion and culture. In the Egyptian culture, it is said it was the bird which made the sun rise, and set everyday in life or the death and the rebirth of the sun. If I linked this to the main character, Phoenix, I would say that he would have a flaw in the end of his heroic life like many heroes have gone through. In the Japanese culture, the Phoenix is said to appear in only peaceful times in the world which is indeed rare. So, the Phoenix had also represented peace.
In the Shadow of the Minotaur, the name Phoenix really emphasizes that he is a true hero in a secret way since the author gave few hints in each chapter about Phoenix. The title, Shadow of the Minotaur really describes how dark the shadow is and it seems that Phoenix shines with bright fire, inside the Labyrinth. He is the light. It seems that the theme of Phoenix's name and the book's name do have a connection in my way of linking things.
