Authorial Involvement and Adaptation Fidelity: A Comparative Analysis in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Novel and Disney+

Abstract

Author involvement and adaptational fidelity are interrelated concepts, though they are rooted in different fields: the study of writing and the study of media. In the practice of adaptation, the writing process is collaborative, so fidelity to the source text is often at stake. However, maintaining full fidelity is frequently hindered by the limitations of the medium and the demands of the audience. This gap highlights the need for a more in-depth study of how author involvement influences the degree of fidelity in an adaptation. This study aims to analyze the relationship between author involvement and adaptation fidelity, specifically in the novel “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief†and its television series adaptation, as well as to assess the implications of these changes on audience reception. The research method employs a qualitative design with a narrative analysis approach. Data were collected from primary texts (the novel and the television series) as well as documentation from the television series. Analysis was conducted using thematic comparative techniques, assessing the alignment of adapted scenes with the source material. Fidelity was categorized into three levels: high, moderate, and low. The results show that despite direct control by the author, structural and narrative changes still predominate. The number of scenes with moderate (n = 82) and low (n = 64) fidelity was higher than that of scenes with high fidelity (n = 67). This research finds that the adaptation decisions regarding plot and character influence audience perceptions of fidelity and creativity in adaptations from literature to screen