The Lightning Thief


 

 

 

Greek Gods:

 

Aphrodite-beauty

Hades-underworld

Zeus-god of the gods

Athena-wisdom and war

Dionysus-wine

Poseidon-seas

Hermes-travel and thiefs

Hera-marriage

Ares-war

 

Demigod

satyr-half goat, half man

 

Main Characters

 

Percy-he's a demigod

Grover- Percy's iprotector and friend

Percy's mom-klled by a Minotaur

Chiron/ Mr. Brenner- half horse, half man

Annabeth Chase-Athena's daughter

Percy's step dad- drinks beer and plays poker all day

Luke-son of Hermes and camp counselor

 

Discussion Questions: (taken from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/lightning-thief-discussion-guide)

 

1. Describe what kind of student Percy Jackson is. What troubles does he have in
school?


2. What is Percy’s relationship with his mother? Why does he think she has bad
luck?


3. What does Percy discover about the Greek gods at Camp Half-Blood? What do
they have to do with the camp?


4. Why is Percy more excited than scared about his upcoming guest to the
Underworld? What other feelings does he have about his assignment?


5. What clues do Percy and his friends have that all is not right with “Auntie Em”?
Why do you think they overlook the clues?


6. What does Percy’s fight with Echidna reveal about his character? What new
things does he discover about himself?


7. The god Ares says he loves America. He calls it “the best place since Sparta.”
What does he mean? Do you agree with his assessment of America? Why? Why
not?


8. At the Lotus Casino, Percy realizes that unless he gets out quickly, he will “…stay
here, happy forever, playing games forever, and soon I’d forget my mom, and my
quest, and maybe my own name. I’d be playing Virtual Rifleman with groovy
Disco Darrin forever.” What critique is the author offering of modern life? Do
you agree with it?


9. When describing the effects of Mist, Chiron says, “Remarkable, really, the
lengths humans will go to fit things into their version of reality.” How is this true
in the novel? In Greek mythology?


10. When Percy finally meets his father, Poseidon seems distant and hard to read.
Percy says that he is actually glad about this. “If he’d tried to apologize, or told
me he loved me, or even smiled—that would have felt fake. Like a human dad,
making some lame excuse for not being around.” Do you agree with Percy?


11. How does the last line of the prophecy—you shall fail to save what matters most
in the end—come