Chapter 16
“We Take a Zebra to Vegas “
THE LIGHTNING THIEF
RICK RIORDAN
MYTHS IN THIS CHAPTER
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The Land of the Lotus Eaters (from the
Odyssey)
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The Trojan War
VOCABULARY
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sarcastic- saying something that has a tone of teasing to it
defenseless- unable to protect oneself
metamorphosis- a change
pathetic- feel pity for
destination- the place where the journey ends
decency- being decent, polite and respectful
*mournful- full of sadness
befriended- made friends with
advice- to offer an opinion or recommendation
deception- the act of tricking, deceiving
torment- torture
replica- a copy of something
relieved- happy something is over
sympathetic- feel sorry for
jarred- to have an unpleasant effect on one’s nerves, feelings or thoughts
JOURNAL TOPIC
Have you ever had a fight with your parent?
What was it about? How did you resolve the
problem?
 Describe your dream vacation. Where would
you go? What would you do?
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CORRECT THIS SENTENCE
On june 15 2010 percy annabeth and grover
takeing a trip to los vegas?
 On June 15, 2010, Percy, Annabeth and Grover
took a trip to Las Vegas.
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SETTING
Truck on the way to Las Vegas
 Arriving at the Lotus Casino
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CHARACTERS
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Ares
Percy
Annabeth
Grover
Eddie
Maurice
Animals
Bellboy
Darrin
METHOD OF NARRATION
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Chronological order
CONFLICTS
Percy vs Ares
 Grover vs “humane” zoo transport
 Annabeth vs nature (spiders)
 Percy vs power of the Lotus
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POINT OF VIEW
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First - Percy
SYMBOLS
The Humane zoo transport – how zoos are NOT
humane
 The returning backpack
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LITERARY DEVICES
Irony – The name on the truck
 Sarcasm 
IMPORTANT QUOTES
DISCUSSION QUESTION
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The god Ares says he loves America. He calls it
“the best place since Sparta.” What does he
mean? Do you think this is a fair critique of
American society? Why or why not?
STUDY QUESTIONS
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What’s in the backpack Ares gives Percy? If you were him, would you
have accepted this gift?
What news does Ares give Percy about his mom?
Annabeth says Percy wasn’t smart to anger Ares. Was Percy right to talk
back to him? Why or why not?
What do the beads mean on Annabeth’s necklace?
Percy says that Annabeth should write her father a letter. What would
you advise her to do?
Percy’s dream has three different parts – what does he see in each
scene?
How does Grover make sure the animals will be safe after they are
released?
Percy, Grover and Annabeth are attracted to different types of games at
the Lotus Casino. What does each one like, and what does this tell you
about their personality?
When does Percy start to realize the casino is a trap?
How does Percy snap Annabeth out of her trance?
WRITE A SUMMARY
ACTIVITIES
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Journal: The Perfect Trap. The Lotus Casino is designed to make kids never want
to leave. Do you think it would keep you entranced? Write a description of a
place that would be a “perfect trap” to keep you there forever. What would such
a place look like? What activities would be available? What kind of food?
Journal: Time Travel. Time travels slowly in the Lotus Casino. Darrin has been
there since the 1970s but he’s still a kid, and it seems to him that he’s only
been there a few days. Would you like to spend some time in the Lotus Casino?
How far ahead in time would you like to travel before you stepped outside?
Remember, though, you could never go back.
A virtual trip to Las Vegas. In this chapter, Percy and his friends arrive in Las
Vegas. What do you know about the city’s attractions? A good place to start
researching is www.lasvegaskids.net for kid-friendly activities. Pretend you are
going to Las Vegas. Make a top ten list of activities you would want to do. (Not
gambling!)
BIBLIOGRAPHY CARD
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Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York:
Miramar Books, 2005.