Harry Potter Archetypes

The narrative structure of a story is extremely important because it is the reason the reader feels attracted or not towards the story. J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, narrated her story in a way that makes it easy to comprehend and maintains the reader attracted to it. Rowling included several types of events throughout the novel that makes the reader follow the story without getting lost in the middle of the story. The author introduces characters without getting the reader lost, makes the reader dislike certain characters due to their characteristics, and presents conflicts between good and evil.

Harry Potter was a very famous series of fictional books and movies by J.K. Rowling. Harry is the main protagonist, who goes to a large, seven-story high castle supported by magic called Hogwarts. Through all the adventures of Harry’s life described in the books, I see it as a very intriguing topic to talk about. Diction, language, and imagery are going to be talked about for the fictional character chosen, also followed by answered questions to give a better idea, through details, of how Harry Potter really is seen.

Harry Potter is a fictional character invented by J.K Rowling in the series of seven books starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Wikipedia, 2015). Harry is the main character in this series whose parents died when he was young and he was brought up by his aunt and uncle (Philosopher’s Stone, 1997, p.5). Harry was neglected by his aunt and uncle (Philosopher’s Stone, 1997, p.27). Harry is presented a whole new reality when he goes to the zoo one day and his integration into the magical world changes him from the foundation. These changes within him will be analysed using the developmental psychology theories of Lawrence Kohlberg and Erik Erikson to explain how the environment aided or obstructed Harry’s development.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter encounters many new people and obstacles that help Harry development as a character. With these obstacles J.K Rowling provides our readers with imagery that engages our senses. Through the use of imagery Rowling plants symbols throughout the narrative that are crucial to the creation of the fantasy. The obstacles that Rowling uses to provide imagery are the Sorting Hat, the introduction of new characters, the Mirror of Erised, the trials needed to reach the Sorcerer’s Stone, and, finally, The Sorcerer’s Stone.

For many years, stories have been a part of children’s childhood. The countless tales of magic and valiant heroes with daunting adventures have entertained and enlightened the minds of many people. In this generation, stories of warriors captivate heats with their selfless and their quests for a greater purpose. However, with the increase of stories told by authors, readers might realize that a hero might have similar characteristics to another. Perseus “Percy” Jackson and Harry Potter are two different heroes with many parallels in their stories.

All this has added to the growing popularity of the Harry Potter brand that is everywhere today. Young readers can relate to Harry’s issues and the books create another world the readers can subconsciously ‘escape’ too.

The classic fantasy The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a story written by L. Frank Baum, who suffered from a heart condition. Since he was unable to participate in many activities as a teen he resulted in writing, allowing him to escape the real world and live through his fantasies. Starting in Kansas and moving into the Land of Oz it is the reoccurring patterns of symbolic and situational archetypes that bring the story to life. Although originally written as a piece of children's literature, it is a story that people of all ages love. Literature has the ability to take readers to another place better than the real world. Expressive use of vivid colours throughout the Land of Oz, unfortunate situations that lead to newfound friendships and Dorothy's purposeful journey allows readers to visualize how life would be living in a childhood fantasy.

Author Thomas Foster thoroughly examines the overall concept of characters in his book “How to Read Literature Like a Professor.” He discusses round and flat character and how this impacts the eventual outcome of the characters, themselves. Although all characters are vital and add their own value to the plot, it just so happens that certain characters are more significant than others. This results in the more minor character suffering more hardships and in many cases dying in the story. This part of Foster’s book brought up many similarities to the novel “The Book Thief.”

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.”(Ralph Waldo Emerson) ¨Percy Jackson¨ draws on the legend of ¨Perseus¨ by having similar archetypes, and fighting some of the same monsters, but making it modernized.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone An archetype is a character who can be either a shape-shifter, mentor, or shadow. A mentor is the main reason why a character is a hero. In the movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” a film by Chris Columbus there is a bunch of archetypes like mentor, like Hagrid, I believe that Hagrid is the reason why Harry Potter is the hero.

Behind Every Man of Power is a Lady Telling Them Exactly What to Do: The Differences in Character Development of Eilonwy in Lloyd Alexander’s The Book of Three and Hermione in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

In the previous century there have been two major series of fantasy novels; "Lord of the Rings" and more recently "Harry Potter". The genre, fantasy, is very broad, but generally contains one main character, the protagonist, who is fighting for, or against something, often against evil. In both these novels the main protagonist is fighting against evil and endures a kind of adventure and personal growth. As in most fantasy novels, the main characters are in an ulterior world, which is comparable in many ways. I intend to investigate into some of the many comparable components of these two novels.

But what makes him so special. He has many defining character traits that makes him a hero.

Using imagination and creativity, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has defined literature as transformative. In this seven-book series J.K Rowling imagined and creatively pieced together a fantasy world of muggles, wizards, tyrants, and heroes to symbolically share with readers problems plaguing modern society. Similar to Shelley’s work of the past, never before have readers in the modern era seen teenage and adult mania surrounding an 11-year-old wizard. Some will argue that J.K. Rowling’s young-adult series lacks depth or wants to twist young minds by using magic and evil, but through close examination it is evident that

From living with his aunt and uncle and sleeping under the stairs to his life being completely changed around to practicing magic and becoming one of the most well-known wizards in history. The character Harry Potter in the well-known book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone” is an astonishing example of how the hero cycle is applied to the protagonist. Harry is living his most ordinary life in the regular world and suddenly the call to adventure approached him when Harry begins to receive mysterious letters. Refusal of the call comes next and after that the meeting of the mentor. Secondly, the crossing of the threshold is used when Harry joins the wizarding world. Tests, Allies and enemies when he arrives at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. Approach when the trio prepare themselves to face Voldemort. Ordeal death and rebirth, reward and seizing the sword. Lastly. The road back when Harry, Ron and Hermione try and face Voldemort. Resurrection and the return of the elixir.