62 pages • 2 hours read
Rick RiordanA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Percy Jackson is the titular character of the novel. He is a 15-year-old demigod and son of Poseidon and a mortal woman, Sally. When the novel begins, he is set to turn 16 in one week and is supposed to carry out the Great Prophecy:“I’d been hearing about the “Great Prophecy” for years, but nobody would tell me the whole thing. All I know was that I was supposed to make a decision that would decide the fate of the world—but no pressure” (41).
Thinking he is the one to carry out the Prophecy, Percy accepts the mission and embarks on his journey to save Mount Olympus from the Titan army. In many ways, Percy’s journey closely mirrors that of the traditional hero’s journey, a central theme of the novel. He accepts his quest, gains knowledge and tools, and battles his enemy. However, when fighting Kronos, the author reveals that it is Luke who will ultimately overthrow Kronos, and in this way the author problematizes the traditional hero’s journey by allowing it to move in a different direction.
Throughout his journey, Percy contends with the idea of predestination versus free will, another central theme of the novel. He accepts what he perceives to be his fate but also challenges it.
By Rick Riordan
Daughter of the Deep
Rick Riordan
The Battle of the Labyrinth
Rick Riordan
The Blood of Olympus
Rick Riordan
The Burning Maze
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The Chalice of the Gods
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The Dark Prophecy
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The Hammer of Thor
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The Hidden Oracle
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The House of Hades
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The Lightning Thief
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The Lost Hero
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The Mark Of Athena
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The Maze of Bones
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The Red Pyramid
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The Sea of Monsters
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The Son of Neptune
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The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure
Rick Riordan, Mark Oshiro
The Sword of Summer
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The Throne of Fire
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The Titan's Curse
Rick Riordan