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Chapters Eleven–Thirteen

Summary: Chapter Eleven

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover emerge from the woods and come upon a curio shop that smells like food. As they stop to eat, Grover notices a life-size statue outside that looks strangely like his Uncle Ferdinand. A woman who calls herself Aunty Em feeds them and offers to take their picture. Percy accepts the offer, but Annabeth and Grover are skeptical about the woman’s statues. Suddenly, Grover realizes that the statue was his uncle and Annabeth warns Percy and Grover to look away from the woman. Percy learns that Aunty Em is actually Medusa, a monster seeking revenge on Annabeth for being the daughter of Athena, the god who cursed her. She tells Percy that he would be better off as a statue than having to play the Olympians’ game. 

Grover attacks Medusa with a tree branch with his eyes shut while Percy uses the reflection of a gazing ball to approach her. Percy severs Medusa’s head with Riptide. Annabeth says that even though the head is a spoil of war it can still turn him to stone. Tired of being used as a pawn, Percy steals money from Medusa’s office to use on their journey. He grabs a freight bill showing the Underworld’s billing address and now knows it is located at a DOA Recording Studio in California He finds a box and fills out a delivery slip to send Medusa’s head to Mount Olympus before they plan their next move. 

Summary: Chapter Twelve

Back in the woods, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover rest for the night while Percy learns that in order to earn his searcher’s license, Grover must find Pan, the god of wild places. To the satyrs, Pan is their master who once protected the earth. Although legend says that he died, the satyrs refuse to believe he is gone and many dedicate their lives to finding him, although none have survived the search. Grover says that despite the risk, he still desperately wants to search for Pan to restore the earth’s goodness. 

On this part of the trip, Percy also discovers that Grover was the keeper for Annabeth five years ago when he failed, but she forgave him. Grover stops Percy from asking more questions about that quest and instead says how he and Annabeth think this quest is different because the monsters seem to be holding back from attacking them while they look for something. The next morning, Percy meets Gladiola, a missing pink poodle. They collect enough money to buy train tickets by returning Gladiola to his owner.

Summary: Chapter Thirteen

The Amtrak train takes Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to Denver. Percy tries to keep a low-profile after his image is plastered on the front page of newspapers as a wanted fugitive for the disappearance of his mother and for the flaming bus accident. While Percy takes a nap, he dreams of a dreary, scary pit and tries to barter to save his mother’s life. Later, Annabeth reveals that she ran away to Camp Half-Blood when she was seven after learning that her father never wanted her and resented her after he remarried. 

The three explore the top of the Gateway Arch during a layover in St. Louis. Percy waits at the top of the Arch with the other tourists while Annabeth and Grover take the remaining seats on the elevator back down. A fat woman and a Chihuahua confront Percy and reveal that they are monsters trying to hurt him. The woman is the Mother of Monsters, a reptile-looking creature named Echidna. The Chihuahua is actually Chimera, a rabid, fire-breathing, lion serpent. Chimera attacks Percy by plunging its serpent fangs into Percy’s leg and damaging the Arch with a ball of fire. Percy feels defeated after he loses Riptide trying to defend himself and the other tourists. Echidna taunts him, saying if he truly believed he were the son of Poseidon then he would jump into the water to save himself. Percy prays and jumps into the river.

Analysis: Chapters Eleven–Thirteen

Riordan draws direct parallels between Percy’s situation and certain aspects of Greek mythology. For instance, Percy’s namesake, Perseus, is the hero who killed Medusa. When they encounter Aunty Em (aka Medusa), she hates Annabeth in particular because Annabeth’s mother, Athena, is the one who cursed her. This encounter is another instance of Percy and Annabeth’s identities shaping the manner in which they are viewed by others. When Percy encounters Echidna, the mother of monsters, the story echoes Odysseus’s journey home in The Odyssey with its episodic structure. The allusions to Greek mythology are integral in the telling of the story, but the story unfolds in a way so as not to confuse those unfamiliar with the tales.

Percy relies on his friends, and their knowledge, to help solve him problems instead of appealing to the gods. At this point, Percy and his friends are attempting to shake off the influence of the gods and make their own decisions, often relying on one another for support, which distinguishes them as characters; they’re carving out identities for themselves and attempting to prove themselves despite their links to all-powerful gods. A significant part of Annabeth’s story is learning how to trust Percy and create a foundation for a strong friendship. 

The theme of identity emerges again as Percy learns to take advantage of being the son of Poseidon. He initially shows doubt over his identity when Echidna challenges him to jump off the arch and into the river. However, after thinking back on a childhood memory of Poseidon visiting him, he has enough confidence to throw himself off the arch and into the river below. Percy’s choice to jump is a major turning point in his development as the main character. This decision represents his choice to trust Poseidon and to start thinking of his father differently. He places a great deal of faith in his father by jumping off the arch, knowing that a mortal would not survive. Percy also demonstrates that he is more than just the son of Poseidon when he decides to mail Medusa’s head to Olympus, despite warnings that doing so is impetuous. Percy making such decisions for himself shows that he is bolstered by his trust in Poseidon, while simultaneously becoming comfortable enough to make his own choices.

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