Author

AuthorAuthor • Richard Riordan, Jr.

• Longtime teacher and educator before becoming a fulltime author

• Riordan was inspired to write the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series for his son, who has been diagnosed with ADHD and loved the myths of the Greeks

General Information

General InformationGeneral Information • Released in 2005

• The book has sold over 1 million copies and spawned 4 sequels and a movie adaptation

• The Lightning Thief infuses the world of Greek mythology with the modern world

General Information

General InformationGeneral Information • The main character, Percy Jackson, discovers he is a demigod, half mortal and half god

• In the world of The Lightning Thief gods, monsters and fantastic weapons are amongst us all, but mortals are too distracted and disbelieving to ever notice

Literary Focus

Literary FocusLiterary Focus• Point of View • Percy Jackson tells the story of

The Lightning Thief in the 1st person point of view.

• Percy’s viewpoint directly funnels the readers’ thoughts in one direction, while the action will often go in another direction

• It also allows the readers to get insight into Percy’s psyche and mental makeup

Literary Focus

Literary FocusLiterary Focus• Suspense

• The story moves quickly due to the constant anticipation created.

• The quest Percy undergoes lends itself to constant conflict and feelings of unease about the outcome of the novel

Literary Focus

Literary Focus Literary Focus • Foreshadowing

• Throughout the novel small clues are left behind pointing the reader to future events

• More specifically that Percy is not normal and when Percy is about to encounter a dangerous monster

Themes and Focus

• Family• Friendship and

Sacrifice• Confidence and Belief• Man vs. God• The Quest and

Journey• Betrayal and

Revenge

Summary and Plot Overview

• Percy Jackson is a twelve year old boy diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, who has been expelled from several schools.

• Percy eventually finds out he doesn’t fit in society because he is a half-blood. Half-bloods are part mortal and part god.

• Percy embarks on a series of adventures where he must battles gods and monsters from mythology with the goal of finding Zeus’s lost lightning bolt

Summary and Plot Overview

Summary and Plot Summary and Plot OverviewOverview

• Along his journey he is helped by his mentor Chiron, his friends Grover and Annabeth, and a variety of magical tools and weapons

• His quest takes him to all corners of the United States, from New York, to St. Louis, to Las Vegas, to Los Angeles, to the underworld!

The Mortals Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Sally Jackson:

• Smelly Gabe:

• She is the mother of Percy and she was married to "Smelly" Gabe."

• Despite Percy’s difficulties fitting in with regular society, both Sally and Percy have a special bond and connection that drives the plot of the story

• The selfish, mean-spirited step father of Percy

Demi-Gods

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Percy Jackson:

• The protagonist; a twelve year old boy who has been diagnosed with ADHD as well as dyslexia.

• He embarks on an adventure to find Zeus's master lightning bolt to prevent a disastrous war among the gods.

• He lacks confidence in himself and his abilities. Part of the intrigue of the story is seeing him mature and realize his untapped potential throughout the narrative

Demi-GodsCharacter AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Annabeth Chase:

• Luke Castellan:

• A twelve year old daughter of the goddess Athena.

• Annabeth has been going to Camp Half-Blood since she was seven

• She and Percy have a antagonistic relationship, but as the story progresses a friendship and mutual respect blossoms

• Counselor at Camp Half-Blood who helps train Percy in the art of battle.

• Son of Hermes

GodsCharacter AnalysisCharacter Analysis

Kronos:

Poseidon:

Zeus:

• Lord of the Titans (giants).• Father of the Olympians• Imprisoned in the pit of Tartarus.

The god of the sea, storms. Symbol: Trident Percy Jackson’s father.

• The chief god of the Olympians, god of the sky.

• Brother to Poseidon and Hades. • Weapon: Lightning bolt• Married to Hera.

GodsCharacter AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Dionysus 

• Ares

• He is one of Camp Half-Blood's Activities Director.

• He is the wine god.

• The god of war who is represented as being a Harley-Davidson riding rebel.

• Son of Zeus.• Weapon: spear• In love with Aphrodite

(goddess of love).

Gods

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Hades:

• Hephaestus:

• The god of the Underworld.• Zeus’ brother• Percy visits his realm during his

quest to the underworld.

• The god of forging and fire.• Married to Aphrodite.• Son of Zeus• Jealous of Aphrodite and Ares.• Sets up a trap that almost snares

Percy.

Gods

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis

• Athena:

• Hermes:

•The goddess of war and wisdom.•Daughter of Zeus.•She is Annabeth’s mother.

•The messenger god. •Son of Zeus.•Symbol: caduceus

•Has speedy winged sandals to deliver messages to the gods.

Monsters

Character AnalysisCharacter AnalysisGrover:

Chiron:

• Percy’s protector. He has a job, but also is truly Percy’s friend

• He has failed in the past, but is looking to prove his bravery with the aid of Percy

• Grover is a satyr: he has the upper half of a man and the lower half of a goat

• A Centaur, half-horse and half-man.

• He is Camp Half-Blood's Activity Director

Monsters

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Cerberus:

• Chimera

• Pronounced: SER-BER-US• 3-headed dog who guarded

the gates of the Underworld; permitted new spirits to enter, but it allowed no one to leave.

• Son of the monster, Echidna.

• Pronounced: KY-MARE-UH• Body of a goat, head of a lion,

tail of a serpent• Spawn of Echidna

Monsters

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• The Furies:

• Medusa

• Hades' chief servants

• The gorgon monster whose stare can turn anyone who sees it into stone

MonstersCharacter AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Minotaur:

• Naiads:

• Nereids:

• Part-man, part bull who chases Percy into Camp Half-Blood.

• Pronounced: NAY-ADS• Good fresh water spirits who lived

in rivers and lakes.

• Pronounced: NEER-EE-IDS• Good female spirits who lived in

bodies of salt water (seas and oceans).

Monsters

Character AnalysisCharacter Analysis• Echidna:

• Charon:

• “Female dragon.” Part woman, part snake.

• She is the wife of Typhon and the mother of many of mythology’s most famous monsters.

• Pronounced: CARE-ON• Ferryman of the dead;

carried them over the River Styx to the Underworld.