Percy Jackson: The Lighting Theif Chapter 22

Question

How and what motivated Luke?

How does Luke's story highlight Percy Jackson's heroic qualities as a character?

Answer 1

Good Morning Sophia,

1. Luke's motivation was resentment. When his father, Hermes, sent him on a quest, Luke was expected to come back victorious. Instead, he suffered a humiliating defeat when he was scratched by the dragon on his face who was guarding the Garden of Hesperides. Thus, he did not succeed in his attempt to capture the golden apple. Upon his return to Camp Half-Blood he notices that all of the children who once admired him, now pity him. This only makes Luke even more embarrassed and he ends up joining the side of evil as a form of retribution against his father.
2. Luke's story highlight's Percy's heroic qualities because it shows that Luke is the opposite of Percy in that he was overly confident and ultimately defeated. Percy on the other hand was very unsure of himself without Gabe to protect him. However, once he successfully completed his feat, Percy begins to become more confident about who he is as well as accept his limitations. This is a complete contrast to Luke who turns to the side of evil because he cannot accept that he is imperfect in some ways. Also, as Percy grows more self assured, he becomes unsure if he wants to remain where he is or return to his home and attend a private school. This represents his ability to weigh the pros and cons and trust his own judgment, very typical of a leader. Luke on the other hand is so down over being imperfect that it is implied that he ONLY joined the side of evil because he felt he could no longer trust his own judgment, a character trait the exact opposite of a leader.