I had to do an essay on a fictional character that has grit (determination, perseverance) and I did Nico di Angelo.
Nico di Angelo
When people say someone has grit, I think of someone who is courageous, strong, and willing to do anything for the greater good of everyone. So who is the fictional character with the most grit? In my opinion, the answer is Nico di Angelo from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. Even though he is one of the youngest characters in The Heroes of Olympus (he is 14 while everyone else is 15-17), he is very courageous, smart, and willing to fight for what he believes in.
First, he wants to help Percy by finding the Doors of Death, located in the Underworld. Since he is the son of Hades, he volunteers to go. By doing this, he falls into Tartarus, where the people who did the worst things go to suffer eternal punishment. Then, he is captured by the enemy, and is on the brink of death when Percy, Piper, and Jason save him.
'He knocked over the jar, the lid popped off, and Nico di Angelo spilled out. The sight of his deathly pale face and too-skinny frame made Percy's heart stop. Percy couldn't tell whether he was alive or dead. He wanted to rush over and check, but Ephialtes stood in his way. (Mark of Athena, pg. 429.)'
'"Tartarus," he guessed. "The deepest part of the Underworld."
Nico nodded. "They pulled me into the pit, Percy. The things I saw down there..." His voice broke. (Mark of Athena, pg. 454.)'
Next, he has to admit his homosexuality. He was born and raised in Italy during World War II, where homosexuals were persecuted just as much as Jews, so he grew up with the mindset that liking the same gender is wrong, and that he wasn't normal. So admitting his sexuality, especially in front of someone, took a lot of grit. This is both beautiful, as he got it off his chest and obtained a true friend that understands part of why Nico keeps himself isolated and alone (Jason, who was there when Nico confessed), but also tragic, since the boy he likes has a beautiful girlfriend, Annabeth, and it does not look like they will be breaking up anytime soon. Also, he did this to obtain an item that they needed to save Percy and Annabeth.
' All the fight and denial seemed to go out of Nico at once. The darkness subsided. The Roman dead collapsed into bones and crumbled to dust.
"I hated myself," Nico said. "I hated Percy Jackson."
Cupid became visible - a lean, muscular young man with snowy white wings, straight black hair, a simple white frock and jeans. The bow and quiver slung over his shoulder were no toys - they were weapons of war. His eyes were as red as blood, as if every valentine in the world had been squeezed dry, distilled into one poisonous mixture. His face was handsome, but also harsh - as difficult to look at as a spotlight. He watched Nico with satisfaction, as if he'd identified the exact spot for his next arrow to make a clean kill.
"I had a crush on Percy," Nico spat. "That's the truth. That's the big secret."
He glared at Cupid. "Happy now?"
For 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." (House of Hades pg. 292.)'
'"Look, Nico," he said, "I'm here if you want to talk about, you know, what happened in Croatia. I get how difficult -"
"You don't get anything."
"Nobody's going to judge you."
Nico's mouth twisted in a sneer. "Really? That would be a first. I'm the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood or sewage, the way people treat me. I don't belong anywhere. I'm not even from this century. But even that's not enough to set me apart. I've got to be - to be -"(House of Hades)'
The most powerful way Nico shows his grit is when he volenteers to take himself, two others, and a forty-foot-tall statue to Camp Half-Blood in Long Island from Rome by shadow travelling, which is basically teleportation. He can barely travel himself in the shape that he was in, yet he knew that that was the only solution- any other way and they would not have gotten it there fast enough, and a war would have started. Also, because he is in such bad shape, when he shadow travels, there is a chance that he can become a shadow and fade away; and he comes pretty close to that. He knows this, but he still chooses to go. While everyone fights for their home, he doesn't call Camp Half-Blood his home, so the only reason he has for fighting is because he wants to protect Percy; the one that won his heart, but does not know.
'THREE DAYS?'
Nico wasn't sure he'd heard her right the first dozen times.
"We couldn't move you," Reyna said. "I mean ... literally, you couldn't be moved. You had almost no substance. If it weren't for Coach Hedge -"(Blood of Olympus)
'Nico wasn't exactly a sunshine person, but for once he welcomed the warmth. It made him feel more substantial - anchored to the mortal world. With every shadow-jump, coming back got harder and harder. Even in broad daylight his hand passed through solid objects. His belt and sword kept falling around his ankles for no apparent reason. Once, when he wasn't looking where he was going, he walked straight through a tree. (Blood of Olympus)'
There are lots more examples of his grit and determination, but if I said them all, this would be ten pages instead of two. I believe that Nico di Angelo has shown the most grit than anyone in the series because he fights on the good side, even though they do not accept him. He also stands up for the greater good, even if it means certain death. If his actions are not an example of grit, I don't know what is.
