Analysis Of The Harry Potter Series

1341 Words3 Pages

One of the most read series in all literature is Harry Potter. The seven-book succession has sold over 400 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. What is it that makes this series so wildly famous? What is it about the boy who lived that makes frenzied readers flock to their local bookstore at midnight on the day of the release to buy the latest installment? How is a story set in a world that doesn’t exist about wizards, witches, magic, and mystical creatures so popular? The series has been able to earn its spot on the New York Times Bestseller list and has granted author J.K. Rowling multiple awards because it is relatable. It is not the setting or the events in the plot of the story that we relate to. We relate to what Harry, his friends, mentors, teachers, caretakers, and even enemies feel. Harry is in a lot of ways exactly like us. He represents some of the good characteristics that all of us have as well as the bad. The series as a whole, is about one thing that is stressed over and over again in the novels, love. The Harry Potter series is one of the most read sequences of novels because the central theme is love and self-sacrifice, and readers are looking for a novel that shows them just that.
Harry eventually learns that he narrowly escaped death because his parents, especially his mother Lily, were prepared to die for him because of their love for him. He was always Voldemort’s intended victim. His father, James, was killed trying to give his mother time to escape with their child. Lily was even given the chance to stand aside and be spared while Voldemort completed the task that he came to Godric’s Hollow, the Potter’s home for. She sacrificed herself to protect her only beloved son, which en...

... middle of paper ...

...ck and a potential pitfall. Someone full of hate and greed, such as Tom Marvolo Riddle, who has never known it even once in their entire life, cannot understand its full magical power. Love is one of the hardest and strongest kinds of magic and is perhaps the fabric that holds the wizarding world of Harry Potter together. Dumbledore says to Harry “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love” (Harry Potter and the Deathly Halllows 722). The series stresses that it is important to love. It is obvious throughout the series that Harry embraces his history and duty by accepting the soul-purifying act of practicing self-sacrificial love. It is no surprise that the Harry Potter series is so widely in a time of fear, uncertainty, and unrest. Harry defeats evil not by fearing it, but by embracing it and overcoming it with love.

Show More
Related

  • Snows Of Klimanjaro And The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock Analysis

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    He discusses demise in the primary sentence, saying, “The marvelous thing is that it’s painless” (Hemingway 826). As the story creates, Harry as often as possible specifies his desire to pass on or the way he feels that passing is close now. “You can shoot me.” (Hemingway 826) and “I don’t want to move” (Hemingway 827), and “There is no sense in moving now except to make it easier for you” (Hemingway 827) and “Can’t you let a man die as comfortably as he can without calling him names? “ (Hemingway 827). It sounds as though Harry is surrendering, not so much, since he is a weakling, despite the fact that his wife calls him that, yet more since he feels that, it is more agreeable for him right now to set down and pass on as opposed to sitting tight for a truck or plane that will most likely never arrive. During the rest of the story, Harry has several moments when he feels the proximity of

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows By J. K. Rowling

    1208 Words  | 3 Pages

    It 's in 2011 in which J.K. Rowling 's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 has

    Read More

  • Analysis of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

    1824 Words  | 4 Pages

    he is really creepy , when he walks in the class goes quiet this tells

    Read More

  • Secondary Characters in Harry Potter

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    When an intended children's story can become a worldwide bestseller, there's something more to learn than some hidden common moral. As a mother, teacher, charitable volunteer and author, J.K. Rowling wrote a series of seven books known to most people as the exceptional Harry Potter. Being there is more to gain from the reading than just a hero defeating his nemesis; not only children, but teenagers and adults are caught carrying the bewildering stories of Harry Potter all over the world. Written for the reader's of imagination, J.K. Rowling presents a magical world designed for magical characters that leak an enormous resemblance of real-life tribulations, emotions and consequence. In the first novel of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, we see more than just our main character closing in on his toughest opponents and overthrowing them on his own. The other characters in the story contribute a substantial amount to Harry's success. From Hagrid to Snape, Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers at Hogwarts School's of Witch Craft and Wizardry- without them, but not forgetting the question less Ron and Hermione, Harry would be nothing more than a young boy with a scar and a lucky fight.

    Read More

  • The Difference Between Harry Potter And His Fight Against Lord Volde-Mort?

    1898 Words  | 4 Pages

    The story of Harry Potter amazed a whole generation of not only children, but also adults, and still does. Rowling’s series, tells the story of Harry Potter and his fight against Lord Voldemort, which takes place in the world of magic. The difference between Harry Potter and Lord Volde-mort is explained by Dumbledore at the end of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone using the following words: „’If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply [...] will give us some protection for ever.’“ (Rowling 216). This love, which is described by Dumbledore as „’ [...] something

    Read More

  • How Did Dumbledore Leave Harry In The Wizard World

    289 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the wizard world, news has floated around that the dreaded Lord Voldemort had found and murdered Lily and James Potter, however, their son, Harry Potter, a mere child, had defeated the deadly and widely feared Lord Voldemort. Due to loss the of his parents, Albus Dumbledore fetches Harry (with the use of Hagrid) from the scene of the murder, and ultimately decides that with Harry’s parents dead, best way to protect Harry from the fame he has garnered in the wizard world would be to leave him to live with his uncle and aunt; Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Moreover, the significance of the point is realized in the fact that it is astonishing to realize that Dumbledore would leave Harry with people who clearly have a strong hatred towards Wizards due

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Satanism In The Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling

    1415 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Harry Potter series, written by author J.K. Rowling, has been a subject of religious controversy since the first book was published in the year 1997. The seven-part fantasy series focuses on the life of a young wizard by the name of Harry Potter and his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Many religious groups argue that this series glamorizes Satanism or Witchcraft to the young adults who are reading them. All over the world, some have been denied the pleasure of reading these best-selling novels. J. K. Rowling writes these novels not as a Christian, trying to persuade people towards certain religious beliefs.

    Read More

  • Harry Potter Controversy

    988 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • How Does Harry Potter Use Magic

    1772 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Philosopher’s Stone is one of the most important magical objects in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and is the object that Voldemort is determined to obtain. Not only is the Philosopher’s Stone able to turn any base metal into pure gold, it also brings immortality to the user of its elixir (Rowling 161). Turning base metals into gold is one of the main goals of alchemy. In addition, alchemy is linked with magical subjects such as potions at Hogwarts, as it is considered a protoscience (Cooper “Rowling ‘Harry Potter II’”). Nicholas Flamel, a real historical figure, is believed to have created the only Philosopher’s Stone in existence. Voldemort kills unicorns to drink their blood in order to remain alive, but his greatest desire is to steal the Philosopher’s Stone for the power of immorality. It is evident that Voldemort is willing to make choices without remorse for their consequences in order to fulfill his dream; he uses Professor Quirrell to try to kill Harry and eventually possess Quirrell’s body, leaving it to die when his body becomes too damaged that he is unable to retrieve the Stone (Rowling 213). Voldemort is blinded by what the Philosopher’s Stone can provide for him that he is reckless in his actions; he reveals that Harry’s mother “needn’t have died … she was trying to protect you [Harry]…” (213). He desires the Stone to gain wealth and power solely for himself and he disregards the well-being of others, especially since he dominates another wizard and uses their magic until he no longer needs them. This misuse of power is imperative to remember because a magical object so significant implies that a great deal of responsibility in protecting it is needed. If one abuses the power of the Philosopher’s Stone, it is possible that the user will be willing to inflict harm onto others in order to remain feared, especially since they were willing to physically harm others while seeking the

    Read More

  • Examples Of Compassion In Harry Potter

    479 Words  | 1 Pages

    One quality of character is compassion. Harry Potter shows great compassion throughout the Harry Potter series. In the end, he was able to forgive Snape, who made his school years awful, and Dumbledore, the man who betrayed him. This is shown because Harry named one of his children after them. Harry was also ready to die just so his friends wouldn’t have to suffer. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone else. Harry also shows perseverance.

    Read More

  • Harry Potter Parallels

    1859 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this study, I set out to find how freshmen UT Engineering students’ battles correlated to the struggles of first-year students at Hogwarts and how that proved J.K. Rowling’s characters were relatable and that the fantastical themes presented in the Harry Potter series were realistic. This is a qualitative study focused on paralleling a fantastical series to normal life. Many scholars are curious about the millennial generation’s behaviors and attitudes, and by having representative people of the age group compare a work of literature to their lives, these questions can be dissected. This study clearly complements current discussions of the fantasy genre. Many people believe that fans of fantasy read (or watch) the genre to escape into an exotic new world. This research question helps ask why people want to run away to the made-up worlds created by fantasy authors by comparing struggles and characters to actual, real life situations. This can aid scholars in “figuring out” the millennial generation.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

    699 Words  | 2 Pages

    It’s amazing how one book can change you, give you a new perspective, and connect with you in so many ways. Your book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, did that for me.

    Read More

  • Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone Archetype Analysis

    2127 Words  | 5 Pages

    Harry Potter’s life is a bumpy due to living a miserable life with his aunt and uncle and losing his parents at a young age. The ordinary world he lives is a complete nightmare because his aunt, uncle, and cousin do not treat him like the darling nephew/cousin he is. For instance, one morning Harry was casually sleeping and he gets out of bed due to his aunt screaming at him. Harry ,

    Read More

  • Harry Potter Informative Speech

    482 Words  | 1 Pages

    Harry Potter is about a boy who lived from Voldemort, (the wizard who use dark magic) fighting him back. Everybody in Wizarding world are very scared of voldemort and call him YOU KNOW WHO instead. And there is reason for that. Anyone who stood against him all died in the end. Except Harry Potter. He survived from Voldemort when he was only a year old. Then his parents dies to protect him and that’s why he have a scar that looks like a lighting bolt on his forehead.

    Read More

  • Informative Essay On Harry Potter

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    The storyline speaks volumes to me because the three sole characteristics are some of the most valuable in life. Love: whether one refers to being loved, or loving, the feeling is irreplaceable. Our family and friends are often the ones whom we have the most affection for. Despite Harry’s parents’ departure from the world, they maintained a consistent presence in guarding his life. Sirius, although not known long by Harry, was one of his few trusted confidantes, along with Professor Dumbledore and gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid. In life, I believe we all have relationships we refer to as friendships where the trust and respect is mutual. Our companions are the ones who share our life experiences and help us pull through the bad times and celebrate the good times. Harry Potter succeeded only with the help of his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, and their everlasting support for him. Without strength, courage, and persistence, Lord Voldemort may have never been defeated. With the help of his peers, Harry had the confidence necessary to conquer Lord

    Read More

More about Analysis Of The Harry Potter Series

Open Document