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"Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everyone else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C– in my life. No—he didn't expect me to be as good; he expected me to be better."
This quotation appears in Chapter One at the art museum. Here, Percy has just spoken with his favorite teacher, Mr. Brunner, who had been asking him questions about Greek mythology. Percy starts to reflect on his life now that he realizes someone else believes he has much more potential than he has ever been given credit for. He has become accustomed to being defined by his learning disabilities, yet here, someone he admires sees more to him than he sees. Mr. Brunner’s recognition reminds Percy he has to learn to trust himself if he wants to be taken seriously and to not let others undermine his worth.
"‘Grover has big dreams, Percy. But perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill.’
‘But he did that.’
‘I might agree with you,’ Chiron said. ‘But it is not my place to judge.’"
This dialogue appears in Chapter Six as Percy defends Grover’s job as a keeper to Chiron. Percy worries that the Council of Cloven Elders and Dionysus will only see Grover for what they consider a failed job in the past rather than all the ways he has helped Percy. Percy sees more to Grover than just an anxious friend who was unable to save Percy’s mother. Instead, Percy recognizes his friend for the bravery and compassion he has shown to him. Percy wants Grover to be known and seen for his efforts rather than for the outcome. Percy also does not want Grover to be in trouble or underestimated for events that were out of Grover’s control. It reminds Percy of all the times he was blamed and reprimanded for events that were not his fault. Therefore, he has compassion for Grover and seeks to ensure that Grover is not being mistreated or overlooked by his superiors.
