Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The Use and Abuse of Magic
Magic is often portrayed as a two-dimensional force, an effortless concept that solely benefits all that are able to use it. In many forms of media such as television shows, magic serves as a phenomenon that simply grants any wish made. Conversely, magic in literature does not operate in that manner. In British author J.K. Rowling’s famous novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the objects used to perform magic illustrate the hardships that wizards face when using magical objects. Magical objects such as the Sorting Hat, broomstick, Mirror of Erised, and the Philosopher’s Stone are dependent on free choice, they have the power to improve or damage lives, and as a
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These objects in themselves represent the power that comes with the use of magic and this implies that with this power, deliberate responsibility must be taken in order for this power to be used correctly.
The Sorting Hat at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry exhibits the correlation between free will and practicing magic. Harry is nervous for his turn to get sorted because he says “Not Slytherin, not Slytherin” (Rowling 91) during his turn with the Sorting Hat. The Sorting hat teases Harry with the idea of placing him in the Slytherin house, “Not Slytherin, eh? [...] Are you sure? You could be great… and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that…” because Harry possesses traits of both Slytherin and Gryffindor students. By rejecting the offer to join the Slytherin house, Harry chooses the community of students that he will spend the rest of his time at Hogwarts studying with and competing in sports with, for example.
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The broomstick is a form of transportation in the wizard world. As a rule, first-year students are not allowed to purchase or own a broomstick, and are not permitted to fly on a broomstick until permitted by the professor during Broom Flight class. It is evident that this magic is unable to protect its user from physically getting injured, such as falling off of the broom due to pushing off the ground too early (Rowling 109). In this sense, wizards use magic as muggles use technology in the real world. With technology such as cars, knowing how to properly drive a car is essential for safety, and driving without this knowledge can result in an accident that can physically injure the user. Furthermore, a major use for the broomstick is for sports, for it is associated with Quidditch, a popular sport played and enjoyed by wizards (Cooper “Rowling ‘Harry Potter II’”). The sport, like many sports in the real world, requires of its players the ability to work individually and as a team. Harry works individually as a Seeker, whilst his teammates rely on each other to make goals or prevent the opposing team from making goals. The broomstick is used for a “benign activity in society” (Cooper “Rowling ‘Harry Potter II’”); the sport encourages collaboration in
This past March I visited Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida for the first time in years. As all things, it has changed drastically over time. Some rides remained the same, but others not so much. Universal Studios is a magical place to begin with, but add in two separate Wizard Worlds and you’ll be begging for more. As I have grown, I was never interest in Harry Potter; however, after only one day running through the Wizard World I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the books and movies. First, I dove into Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Then, to complete the first pieces in the series, I watched Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone directed by Chris Columbus. Both pieces were exceptional and I enjoyed both; however, I believe the movie is slightly better.
Rowling starts off Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with Harry’s past. Of how he got his scar and survived Voldemort’s attack. Harry’s scar not only represents his connection to Voldemort, but the memories from
8. Harry finds out that the letters were to invite him to Hogwart’s School, a school for wizards and witches. Harry finds out that he is a wizard.
“A nice warm shower, a cup of tea, and a caring ear may be all you need to warm your heart”. Charles Glassman’s quote was exemplified beautifully in the poem “Common Magic” by Bronwen Wallace. The piece took readers through a series of everyday events, explaining how each seemingly meaningless moment contained it’s own kind of magic. Through the use of oxymoron, imagery and characters, Wallace developed the theme that simple pleasures are fleeting and a fulfilled life involves t`21aking time to appreciate everything.
...le with those specific traits. First, Gryffindor contains members who are “brave and daring” and represented by a lion, such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. The second house, made up of cunning and sly students like Draco Malfoy and Lord Voldemort, is Slytherin, whose mascot is a snake. Next, the Hufflepuff house is symbolized by the badger and contains students such as Cedric Diggory and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Finally, Cho Chang and Padma Patil of Ravenclaw are signified by the wise and witty badger (Schafer 92-94). The Sorting Hat examines a person’s mind and determines, based on character qualities, which houses they are best represented by. It states in song that “‘there’s nothing hidden in your head/The Sorting Hat can’t see,/So try me on and I will tell you/Where you ought to be’” (Rowling 117), showing how you can’t hide your true self.
Birgit Wiedl’s article Magic for Daily Use and Profit explores the ideas of religion based magic, potion making, herbology, spells, divination, and love potions in both the Muggle and wizarding world. According to Wiedl, magic is vital in the wizarding and Muggle world, the main difference is how the Middle Ages treated magic. Throughout Wiedl’s article she argues that magic in the Muggle world was a learned tradition but was important to the daily lives of medieval society. This review will focus on how magic is used on a daily basis and how convincing Wiedl is at proving her thesis that magic is important to the Middle Ages and the Wizarding world although it was a
Since the first segment of the series was released in 1997, Harry Potter has been challenged by churches and parents due to the practicing of magic by children found within the books. The books have been removed from school shelves, discouraged by churches, and censored by parents. It is claimed that Harry Potter is devilish, satanic, and encourages children to practice the occult, damaging their religious views (LaFond). Therefore, many parents keep their children from reading the book series. Yet, Harry Potter has been such a positive influence on my so many lives. Evident through the movies, theme parks, stores, and much more, J.K. Rowling’s series has been an overwhelming success for many reasons (“Because it’s his…”). In order to encourage
My book report is on the book 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone' by J.K.
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
The portrayal of female characters in British literature has most often reflected the larger perception of women by society during the time of a work’s publication. In this regard, the immensely popular Harry Potter series written by author J.K. Rowling is certainly no exception. The circumstances for women in late 20th century Britain have improved and in many ways are nearing equality with men, yet a notable upper barrier to success still remains. Rowling captures this gender dynamic throughout the Harry Potter series by including a diverse cast of resilient female characters who are not allowed to take on the same leadership roles dominated by the men at Hogwarts, at the Ministry of Magic, in quidditch, and during the Triwizard tournament. The novels also center on an important theme of motherly love that Rowling uses to explore the sacrifices women must make in order to raise their children well. Such issues have been present in British literature for well over a century, with each generation seeing steps toward equality, both for the fictitious characters and the women of a given time period. The Harry Potter series, therefore, constitutes a reflection of female status in modern Britain that has advanced, but remains perpetually flawed.
Harry Potter is a fascinating tale of sorcerers, wands, broomsticks, dragons, and magic. The story begins with a young boy named Harry Potter who lives at number four Privit Drive, Surray, England. His journey begins after the death of his parents at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry learns of his past and his future as a wizard from Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He travels to Hogwarts where he learns spells and enchantments, makes new friends, finds enemies, and discovers fantastic secretes. J.K. Rowling weaves a web of impeccable storytelling with this critically acclaimed novel. In the tale of Harry Potter imagery, symbolism, and motif take central focus.
This aspect of Harry’s low esteem and lack of identity makes him doubtful and confused. Unfortunately, Harry’s father and mother had been murdered by the evil Wizard, Lord Voldemort. In this family life, Harry is future victimized by the selfishness of Uncle Vernon and his wife. These domestic experiences in the “real world” are grim, as they often involve Harry’s struggle with Uncle Vernon. In this way, Uncle Vernon prevents him realizing his true identity as the son of a famous “pure-blood” wizard. For example, Uncle Vernon prevents Harry from seeing letters from a mysterious writer that seeks to know his
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities” (Rowling 333). This quote, from the beloved character Albus Dumbledore in the book The Chamber of Secrets by author J.K. Rowling, counsels young wizard, Harry Potter, about the importance of true character. Throughout the Harry Potter series, Harry struggles with internal conflict about whether his powers are meant for good or evil. Dumbledore assures Harry his powers are intended for good because of the choices he makes. Harry learns who he truly is through the challenges he faces and the decisions that follow.
The novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, is a story about an orphan named Harry Potter who is sent to live with his relatives, the Dursleys. For the first ten years of his life, Harry is hated and ignored by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Harry has never experienced a friendship with anyone until the day he is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout the school year, Harry develops a balance of friendship between Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom. Each of them, has a need to belong somewhere. Together, they form a balance that make them each feel wanted in way that they have never known until they meet each other.
The Harry Potter phenomenon had its humble beginning all the way back in the 1990s, when the first book, written by J. K. Rowling, came out in the shops. The main protagonist, a scrawny, young child wizard, who wore round glasses, had an immediate appeal to the readers, but no one at that time knew that the young boy would turn out to be the literary icon of the last decade. The popularity of the book resulted in it being translated into various language...