Monster Analysis in The Lightning Thief

Monsters, such as Medusa, the Minotaur, and the Furies, are mythical creatures that either torment or serve the gods and often torment demigods and mortals. Many of them serve Hades, the god of the Underworld. Slaying one or more monsters is often a major feature of heroes’ journeys. Like gods, monsters cannot truly die; they reincarnate and can be slayed again. They cannot enter Camp Half-Blood unless they’re summoned.

Monster Quotes in The Lightning Thief

The The Lightning Thief quotes below are all either spoken by Monster or refer to Monster. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Identity, Heroism, and Normalcy Theme Icon

I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something, and the next thing I know I’ve missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell out of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it. The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Mrs. Dodds, The Furies/The Kindly Ones

Page Number and Citation: 11

Explanation and Analysis:

“You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn’t lived with him every summer, you probably would’ve been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must’ve loved you a lot to put up with that guy—if that makes you feel any better.”

Related Characters: Grover (speaker), Percy Jackson, Mom/Sally Jackson, Smelly Gabe

Page Number and Citation: 159

Explanation and Analysis:

I thought maybe Annabeth and I both had the right idea. Even here in the Underworld, everybody—even monsters—needed a little attention once in a while.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Annabeth Chase, Cerberus

Page Number and Citation: 298

Explanation and Analysis:

The middle Fury, the one who had been Mrs. Dodds, stepped forward. Her fangs were bared, but for once she didn’t look threatening. She looked more disappointed, as if she’d been planning to have me for supper, but had decided I might give her indigestion.

Related Characters: Percy Jackson (speaker), Ares, Hades, Mrs. Dodds, The Furies/The Kindly Ones

Page Number and Citation: 331

Explanation and Analysis:

Monster Term Timeline in The Lightning Thief

The timeline below shows where the term Monster appears in The Lightning Thief. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...that nothing Percy has seen is a myth, but the less Percy knew, the fewer monsters he’d attract. He explains that they tried to use Mist to obscure what was going... (full context)

...three start up the hill. Percy looks back and gets a good look at the monster. He starts to say that it’s the Minotaur, but Mom shushes him and says that... (full context)

The Minotaur sniffs around the car; Mom explains that he goes on scent. The monster roars and tosses the Camaro down the road, where it explodes. Then, he starts up... (full context)

Percy is doubtful that he actually fought the Minotaur from myth, but Annabeth explains that monsters don’t have souls, so they can’t really die. She confirms that Mrs. Dodds, a Fury,... (full context)

...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... (full context)

...and had a daughter named Thalia 17 years ago. Children of Big Three attract more monsters anyway, but Thalia was also cursed because of Zeus’s broken promise. Hades let monsters out... (full context)

...climbs into the attic, which is filled with “Greek hero junk” and pickled parts of monsters. Most gruesome is a shriveled female mummy in a tie-dyed sundress and beaded necklaces. She... (full context)

...Chiron says the sword is named Anaklusmos, or Riptide. Percy can only use it against monsters, and it won’t hurt mortals since it’s made of celestial bronze. Chiron then shares that... (full context)

...manages to hang on as Grover and Annabeth help him wrestle the whips from the monsters. They manage to tie up Mrs. Dodds, and Percy destroys another Fury. When thunder shakes... (full context)

...Half-Blood is just about training. She wants to be in the real world, where the monsters are. Annabeth begins to say that there was something odd on the bus, but Grover... (full context)

...statue of a satyr that looks like his Uncle Ferdinand, and he insists he smells monsters. The door opens to reveal a tall woman in a black gown and veil that... (full context)

...museum; and Percy smells something odd, but Grover insists that underground air always smells like monsters. Still, something feels wrong. Percy asks about Hades’s symbol of power, the helm of darkness,... (full context)

...the gates. Alarms go off. As both Annabeth and Cerberus cry, Percy thinks that even monsters in the Underworld need attention. (full context)

...with Mom without Gabe. He remembers Annabeth’s insistence that the real world is where the monsters are, and he thinks of Thalia. He wonders if he’ll survive until next summer. (full context)

There are no monsters around, so Percy and Luke settle in by the creek. They talk about whether Percy... (full context)

The Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan

Monster Term Analysis

Monster Quotes in The Lightning Thief

Monster Term Timeline in The Lightning Thief

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Monster Term Analysis

Monster Quotes in The Lightning Thief

Monster Term Timeline in The Lightning Thief

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