Themes and Rhetorical Devices of Harry Potter

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An important rhetorical device that appears throughout the entire Harry Potter series is symbolism. There are many names and items that stand for something else and many are introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. First, Harry’s scar represents the true love parents have for their children and how they are willing to do anything, including being killed, in order to save them. Next, the Mirror of Erised shows a person their truest desires and everything he or she would want in life. Thirdly, each wizard’s wand is representative of his or her character and personality and if the improper one is used, terrible events will occur. Finally, the names of the founders of the four Hogwarts Houses are symbols of the core beliefs and values of each.
The first symbol that is introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is Harry’s scar from Voldemort’s attack. Lily Potter did not have to die, but she jumped in front of the curse directed at Harry to save him, an act of true love for her son. Hagrid states that “[it] was no ordinary cut. That’s what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh…but it didn’t work on you” (Rowling 55). However, Albus Dumbledore later explains to Harry that “your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark” (Rowling 299). Although it is a constant reminder that Voldemort attempted to kill him and murdered his parents, it also shows that no matter what, family will always be there for you. Finally, it also represents how Harry is a hero because he has able to survive an attack caused by the most evil villain in the wizarding world (Adney and Hassel).
The second sy...

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... it!...Ron, you come at it from above – Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down – and I’ll try to catch it” (Rowling 280). As a result, they easily caught the key, which could not have been done without each other. An additional scene that shows the value of friendship is during the fight in the bathroom with the troll. Although Harry and Ron had recently said some rude remarks about Hermione, they all put that behind them as they saved the entire school from a vicious troll on Halloween. First, “[Harry] took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll’s neck from behind…and Ron pulled out his wand and cr[ied] the first spell that came into his head: Wingardium Leviosa!” (Rowling 176), while Hermione helped from the side. If they had not worked together like this, many students and faculty would have gotten injured or even killed.

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