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Chapter 1
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
Percy is used to weird experiences, but he’s disturbed that everyone at Yancy is convinced that Mrs. Kerr has been there since Christmas, when their last teacher left. They look at Percy oddly if he mentions Mrs. Dodds, but Grover can never convincingly tell Percy that Mrs. Dodds wasn’t real. The odd weather persists, and Percy begins to feel cranky most of the time. His grades slip, and finally, the headmaster sends Mom a letter saying that Percy can’t come back next year. Percy doesn’t care; he wants to go home and live with Mom. As finals approach, Percy only studies for Latin. He wants to please Mr. Brunner.
Because Mr. Brunner believes in Percy’s ability to do well, Percy feels compelled to try his best for him. The other teachers seem to think of Percy as a lost cause, and so Percy treats their classes in kind. This suggests that if teachers expect students to learn, they have to believe in them and offer them encouragement and support. Grover’s odd behavior continues to make Percy feel even worse, suggesting that good friends need to validate each other’s experiences.
Themes
The night before his final, Percy gets so frustrated that he decides to ask for help. However, as he approaches Mr. Brunner’s office, he hears Grover telling Mr. Brunner that he’s worried about Percy. Grover mentions a “Kindly One” at school, a summer solstice deadline, Mist, and a failure on Grover’s part. Mr. Brunner reassures Grover and says that they just need to keep Percy alive until fall. At this, Percy drops his textbook. He hides in a classroom when he sees the shadow of something big with a bow coming out of Mr. Brunner’s office, and he hears a clopping sound in the hallway. Mr. Brunner calls to Grover that it’s nothing, and he sends Grover away. Percy slips back to his dorm, where he finds Grover studying for his exam.
This unsettling experience makes it even more clear to Percy that it’s not just him who’s not normal—Grover and Mr. Brunner are also involved in some sort of mysterious quest to keep him alive. However, this event makes Percy want to trust Grover and Mr. Brunner less. It doesn’t have the desired effect, since it makes Percy feel even more alone and abnormal. This suggests that honesty is the best policy.
Themes
After the Latin exam the next day, Mr. Brunner calls Percy aside and says that it’s for the best that Percy leaves Yancy. Percy is mortified and hurt; he feels like Mr. Brunner is saying that he can’t handle school. Mr. Brunner insists that he doesn’t mean it like that—Percy just isn’t normal. Even more embarrassed, Percy runs away. Percy packs his bags and joins Grover on the Greyhound to Manhattan. Grover seems nervous and fidgety. Finally, Percy asks if Grover is looking for Kindly Ones and admits that he eavesdropped. Grover insists that he was just concerned that Percy was hallucinating about demonic math teachers. Percy informs Grover that he’s a horrible liar and accepts Grover’s proffered business card with the address for his summer home. Percy shrinks: he didn’t realize Grover was wealthy.
While Percy has, up to this point, thought of Mr. Brunner as a beloved if odd mentor, this experience makes him question that entirely. Though Mr. Brunner means well, this illustrates that not telling the truth can make people less trusting. Grover also makes Percy feel like maybe he was just hallucinating, something that makes Percy question his own sanity and trust himself even less. Then, discovering that Grover has a summer home makes Percy think that they don’t have that much in common—and so Percy shouldn’t trust Grover either.
Themes
Grover tells Percy to call if he needs him and admits that it’s his job to protect Percy. Percy stares; he’s been defending Grover from bullies all year. As Percy asks what he’s getting protection from, the bus grinds and smokes. The driver pulls over and everyone files out. Across the highway is a fruit stand manned by three old ladies knitting a massive pair of socks. They seem to be looking at Percy. Grover turns white and tries to lead Percy back onto the bus, but not before Percy sees one woman cut the yarn.
When Grover has such an odd reaction to seeing this, it drives home for Percy that something weird is happening—but because Grover doesn’t share what’s going on, Percy has no way of understanding what’s happening. Instead, this raises even more questions for Percy about Grover’s errant, bizarre behavior—and makes Percy even less willing to trust Grover.
Themes
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The bus roars back to life and resumes its journey. Grover looks ill and asks Percy what he saw. Percy says he saw one lady cut the yarn. He can tell this is a big deal. Grover says the woman “cut the cord,” crosses himself with an odd gesture, and moans that this can’t be happening. He says that “they” never get past sixth grade. Grover asks to walk Percy home from the bus station, and Percy asks if someone is going to die. Grover doesn’t answer.
Through this experience, Percy begins to gather evidence that he’s not normal—and neither is Grover. This helps Percy decide that even if it seems odd, he should trust his lived experience and what he thinks he sees. As he learns to trust himself, he starts to become more secure in who he is.
Themes
