Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Lightning Thief, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity, Heroism, and Normalcy
Family
Friendship and Belonging
Godliness vs. Humanity
Summary
Analysis
The rest of the camp seems to know about the bathroom incident right away. Annabeth shows Percy a few more places and then flatly says that she needs to go train. Percy apologizes for getting her wet—he realizes that it was his fault, even if he’s not sure how he did it. Annabeth says that Percy needs to talk to the Oracle. Confused, Percy stares into the lake and sees two teen girls sitting at the bottom. They wave, but Annabeth warns Percy that they’re “naiads.” Percy says he wants to go home, but Annabeth insists that this is the only place he’s safe since he’s only half human. Annabeth says that Percy’s dad is one of the Olympians. It’s a common situation; the gods haven’t changed much in the last few thousand years. Annabeth tells Percy the correct term for what he is: demigod.
At this point, Percy doesn’t feel like he belongs here. He feels far more comfortable in the mortal world, where he may struggle in school and get in trouble a lot, but where he knows how things work. Here, he knows nothing about himself, the politics of the godly world, or even his own family situation. However, other things about camp do work exactly like they do in the mortal world: gossip spreads, girls flirt, and people (or gods) have children. Though the similarities are uncomfortable for Percy now, they make the case that life in the divine world isn’t as different as he fears it might be.
Themes
Percy asks who Annabeth’s dad is. She tenses and says that her dad is a professor at West Point. Percy is shocked that Annabeth’s dad is human, but Annabeth says that her mom is Athena. They argue about whether Mom knows who Percy’s dad is, but Annabeth says that the only way to know for sure is if Percy’s dad sends a sign—but the gods are busy, and sometimes they don’t care about their demigod kids. Percy thinks of the sullen demigod kids in the Hermes cabin, and the unwanted kids at Yancy. Annabeth explains that some campers just stay for the summer if their parents aren’t too powerful, but others stay year-round since they attract monsters. Most demigods end up here or get killed; monsters can’t get in the camp unless they’re summoned, and the camp looks like a strawberry farm to mortals.
Once Annabeth makes it clear that the gods are, on the whole, absent and disaffected parents, Percy starts to understand—he knows mortal kids whose parents are absent, and he knows how to deal with them. This helps him learn how he needs to conduct himself at Camp Half-Blood, as he starts to understand how the kids here have all gone through life. The idea that life in the mortal world is dangerous for demigods, however, makes it clear that life for demigods is very different than it is for mortals. Percy will have to adjust his behavior, even as much remains the same.
Themes
Percy asks Annabeth if she’s a year-rounder. In response, Annabeth pulls a leather necklace with five clay beads on it from under her shirt and explains that every August, campers get beads for surviving another year. She’s been here since she was seven, but she won’t explain why. Percy asks if he could just leave. Annabeth says he could, but campers really only leave if they’re granted a quest. She starts to say something about what happened last time; Percy can tell it wasn’t good. Percy asks what Annabeth was talking about when she mentioned the summer solstice. He shares what he overheard Chiron and Grover talking about, and Annabeth says that she knows something is wrong but she doesn’t know what. She took a field trip to Olympus during the winter solstice, and afterwards, the weather got weird like the gods were fighting. She thinks something was stolen.
Even though Annabeth is a bit closed off and curt with Percy, this reads as a simple aspect of her personality. Despite her prickliness, she and Percy do seem open with each other and as though their relationship could grow into a genuine friendship. This moment of friendship makes it clear that it’s possible for anyone to be friends—if they decide that’s what they want and treat people as individuals worthy of their time and attention. Percy also shows that he knows how to be a respectful friend, as he doesn’t push Annabeth to reveal more than she wants to.
Themes
Annabeth says that if whatever is missing isn’t returned by the summer solstice, there will be trouble—and she was hoping, since Athena can work with any god but Ares and Poseidon, that she and Percy could work together. She mutters that she’s not too young for a quest. Percy leaves Annabeth and returns to the Hermes cabin.
Annabeth believes that there’s no use in being a demigod if she can’t go on a quest and prove herself as a hero. This is a major part of her identity. However, she also shows here that she holds major biases: she won’t work with any kids of Ares or Poseidon, seemingly for no reason.
Themes
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Luke offers Percy toiletries and a sleeping bag. When Percy insists he doesn’t belong here since he doesn’t believe in gods, Luke bitterly says it doesn’t get easier. Percy asks if Luke’s dad is Hermes. Luke shares little, except that he met Hermes once. Luke assures Percy that the campers all take care of one another and then explains Annabeth’s odd behavior: Luke was the last one to go on a quest, and it went badly, so Chiron canceled quests for everyone else. Annabeth desperately wants to go, so she pestered Chiron until he shared that Annabeth is foretold to go on a quest when somebody special arrives. Luke thinks this is nonsense.
In Percy’s mind, Luke’s behavior makes perfect sense: he’s just like any other kid whose father is absent. He’s also the one whom people like Annabeth blame for not being able to go on their own quests, so it’s clear that there’s a lot of negative pressure on Luke. Though he acts as a kind mentor figure to Percy here, this pressure is important mind because it makes Luke vulnerable to being manipulated by others.
Themes
Percy follows his cabin to the mess hall with the hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and some wood nymphs and naiads. Every cabin sits at a different table. The Hermes table is so crowded that Percy barely fits. They all toast the gods, and then wood nymphs carry out platters of food. Luke tells Percy to tell his glass what he wants to drink. Percy asks for blue Cherry Coke and drinks a toast to Mom, whom he’s sure is imprisoned in the Underworld. Before Percy can take a bite, he notices everyone else getting up. Luke leads Percy to the fire pit and says that they’re giving burnt offerings to the gods. Percy thinks this is weird, but he silently prays for his dad to claim him. After dinner, Mr. D introduces Percy and releases everyone to the campfire.
Even though there are probably many kids like Luke at camp who feel abandoned by their divine parents, it’s telling that all campers must still show their piety by offering food to the gods. The kids are in a tough place: their parents are individuals who demand worship, but a relationship based on worship isn’t necessarily what the kids want. Though this leads to a general sense of disillusionment with family, it does, on the upside, push the campers together—it forces them to find a chosen family in lieu of their parents.
Themes
