From the very beginning we see Hermione as the smart one, not just in terms of academics but also emotionally. She’s always been more mature than rest of her classmates, capable of understanding human motives and emotions. Throughout the series we see Hermione grow. In the beginning, we see her as friendless and easily upset. Her classmates, especially Ron, found her extremely bossy and irritating. Only after did she lie to Prof. McGonagall, Harry and Ron realized that she was more than just “books and cleverness.” In the third book we see some major changes in Hermione’s character. In the beginning Hermione had “too much in her plate” by taking up all the subjects. Ultimately, she realizes that the subjects were too much for her and end up dropping two classes. We can see that Hermione strongly detests divination, which ultimately lead to her leaving the class. Her skeptic side found it extremely irrational and illogical. Despite of all the evidences pointing towards it, she refuses to believe that Scabbers is under threat from Crookshanks, which results in an immense conflict between her and Ron. But later she apologizes to Ron, realizing for the first time ever that she too can be at fault. When she tells Prof. McGonagall about the Firebolt that Harry receives, we see that she is the only one among her classmates to notice that such
Hall once said, “It’s not often you get female characters who don’t fit into a box.” She is implying that women are often portrayed as one dimensional. To be in this box that would require them to have no emotion and not create any conflict. However, in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Marguerite and the Comtesse are interesting characters because they are never put into that box.
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist, is empirical. To begin, in chapter 34, Fitzwilliam Darcy approaches Elizabeth in Mr. Collins’ house with intentions to propose to her. Before Darcy steps foot into the house, Elizabeth is aware that he is the reason that Mr. Bingley (Darcy’s friend) and Jane Bennet (Elizabeth’s oldest sibling) split up. This causes Elizabeth to dislike Darcy from the beginning, as the Bennett's’ mother has been urging her daughters to get married. Not only this, but as Darcy proposes Elizabeth finds it insulting to her and her family. Baring all of this in mind, Elizabeth replies to the proposal by saying how “‘[She] has every reason to think ill of [Mr. Darcy],’” (113). Not only this, but she also expresses her frustration by declaring to Darcy that “‘You [are] the last man in the world whom [I] could [ever prevail] on to marry,”’ (114). With all of this being said by Elizabeth, it is obvious that her response to Mr. Darcy was solely based on her experience with him and how he acts. Her opinions of him are justifiable, but they continue to formulate throughout the book when she begins to observe him more thoroughly. On the contrary, despite Darcy’s previous actions, towards the end of the novel Elizabeth is much more fond of him again. This occurs because Darcy mends a marriage
Dwight Lyman Moody once said, " Character is what you are in the dark." This means that a person's true character is brought forward when they go through challenges. I agree with this quote, when people go through hard times the unimportant things are stripped away, and they have to learn to grow and adapt despite the obstacles they face. In the book "The Hunger Games," Suzanne Collins shows how some people's challenges change them for the better, other characters don't know how to cope and take longer to adapt, and how people's reactions differed from each others.
The Vengeful Miss Havisham - Great Expectations. In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, Miss Havisham is a complex character whose past remains a mystery. We know about her broken engagement, an event that changes her life forever. Miss Havisham desperately wants revenge, and Estella, her adopted daughter, is the perfect tool to carry out her motives.
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 many works of literature, it is often a crucial component for characters to sacrifice opportunities that arise in their lives in order to help loved ones. In Suzanne Collin’s “The Hunger Games,” protagonist Katniss Everdeen sacrifices the chance to live her own life in order for her sister, Primrose Everdeen, to not experience potential death in the arena. Another character that has similar attributes to Katniss Everdeen would be Pari II in Khaled Hosseini’s, “And the Mountains Echoed.” This novel depicts a strong relationship between parents and a daughter that results in missed opportunities due to the health risks that have developed in the parents. The fundamental values of such a character have developed through years of witnessing
In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Mayella Ewell, a young woman as well as the daughter of Bob Ewell, lives a life of insolence and isolation in the town of Maycomb. As a Ewell, which they are familiarized as being vulgar, uneducated, and indigent, Mayella is disrespected by the people of Maycomb as well as by her father. During the court case, Atticus shows courtesy towards Mayella by addressing her as a miss and a ma’am, which is not surprising for his values of equality. Mistaking his manners with sarcasm, she replies with, “Won’t answer a word you say as long as you keep mockin’ me” (pg.181). Harper Lee is demonstrating the amount of disregard Mayella faces in her life, so much that courtesy can’t be identified as just that. Mayella finds that Atticus is ridiculing her for what she doesn’t have, respect from others. With a reputation such as Mayella’s, people treat her like an outcast. Her lonely life can be a reason to explain why she always asked for Tom Robinson’s company, she wanted to experience friendship and perhaps love for the first time. Her loneliness was so clear to see, even Scout, who still has their childhood-innocent mind, can see through it. Scout compares Mr.Dolphus Raymond’s “mixed children” to Mayella because they both don’t know where to stand in their social class, “white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn’t have anything to do with her
Her modesty is such that she tends to self-denigrates herself, despite the fact that she contributed to a large extent to the the success of Harry. Because of this episode, among others, these scholars that think that the Harry Potter series presents a stereotypical gendered vision therefore argues that Hermione is only an enabler of Harry and Ron's adventures, that she is kind of passive. However, during this episode, Ron can also appear as an enabler, as he sacrifices himself on the chessboard so to allow Hermione and Harry to go on. Then, Hermione makes her own sacrifice as well, like Ron did. But as argues Klingbiel, “like a good fairy tale hero or new female superhero, Hermione is flawed; her over-reliance on books, annoying people to prove she is smart, shows her uncertainty and fear. The adventure she embarks on and the experience she gains teaches her a lesson.” (174-175). She also states that, “in the world of wizards and witches, magic is strength” and “in order to gain magic, along with certain innate ability, one must also study for it. In Rowling's world, knowledge is power.” (172). In this world then, Hermione should be one of the most powerful character, as she is “the cleverest witch of [her] age” (Rowling, 1999, PoA, p. 372), according to
Pip’s journey reinforced towards self- discovery by saying “As I had grown accustomed to my expectations, I had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon myself and those around me. Their influence I disguised from my recognition as much as possible, but I knew very well that it was not all good. I lived in a state of chronic uneasiness respecting my behaviour to Joe.” (P.243 chapter 34) Pip discovered his rudeness and snobbishness towards Joe. Pip was influenced by the wealthy Miss Havisham because she is on the top of the societal hierarchy and Pip trusted her fully. This is an affair nowadays that people are mistreating their love when they are being on top of the social class. “Great Expectations, is a story about how pride separates a young man from the people who love him best, and from his own best instincts. Pip, who rejects the honest and simple man who raises him, and then the even less lofty man who turns out to be his benefactor, calls up every conflict we’ve ever felt between yearning for the larger world and wishing to remain loyal to the smaller one we came from.” A quote stated by a reviewer. He thinks that Pip is separating himself from true love that was offered by Joe. This quote can effectively shows the attitude of people towards their love when it comes to money issue. Another book reviewer commented that “The lesson that Pip learns comes in his
“We could be killed, or worse, expelled” Hermione Granger, student in the Harry Potter series. The character she portrays is a young witch who attends Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts is a school that accepts only witches and wizards, and teaches them to cast spells. These skills will prepare them for life in the wizarding world. Recently, strange things have been happening at Hogwarts ever since Harry Potter came. So, Harry and his friends take it upon themselves to save Hogwarts. Hermione is one of his friends, and she is a very complex character. She is very brave because she fights for what she believes in. In addition, her cleverness is inspirational as she is extremely good at spells and has a great work ethic.
Imagine you are a lawyer tasked with an impossible case, and everybody in your community is against you, but still there is a shred of hope you cling to. What might that be you ask? That to which you cling are your morals. In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch had been given the Tom Robinson case, where a black man was convicted of raping a white woman. As a single father of two children, he continues to reinforce his values throughout the trial and during his daunting task of raising his children. In To Kill A Mockingbird what Harper Lee suggests about the nature of morals is that you should try to stand up for what you believe in even if people oppose or reject your ideals. Even when faced with an insurmountable opposition you should stand up for your morals because in the end if your don't follow your beliefs you are just contributing to the problem. We should try to create a voice for what we believe in and impress that upon the next generation so they can continue to exercise their beliefs to make the world a better place.
But what makes him so special. He has many defining character traits that makes him a hero.
Hermione and Harry help each other with their strengths and abilities. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Hermione always wanted to do everything by the rules. Sometime during the year, she realized that friendship can be more important. Hermione explains, “ ‘Please, Professor McGonagall –they were looking for me. I went looking for the troll because I –I thought I could deal with it on my own…’ ” (120). For the first time ever, Hermione has lied to a teacher. This begins the turning point where Hermione, Harry,
Most readers are appalled at the cold-hearted and cruel ways of Estella, but any criticism directed at her is largely undeserved. She was simply raised in a controlled environment where she was, in essence, brainwashed by Miss Havisham. Nonetheless, her demeanor might lead one to suspect that she was a girl with a heart of ice. Estella is scornful from the moment she is introduced, when she remarks on Pip's coarse hands and thick boots. However, her beauty soon captivates Pip and she is instilled as the focal point of his thoughts for much of the remainder of the novel. The fact that Pip becomes infatuated with her is also not Estella's fault. By no means is there any evidence that she loved him. She does not flirt with
In the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling Harry starts of in the unfamiliar wizarding world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After lord Voldemort killed Harry’s parents he is sent of to his aunt and uncle's house as a baby. Harry does not like living with them but eventually at age 12 he gets a letter to attend hogwarts which he will soon find out that he is a wizard. After being sorted into one of the four houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, ravenclaw and slytherin)he gets sorted into gryffindor and finds friends in his house(Ron and Hermione). They have to stick together and work together to defeat him. This leads to one of the themes for this book series being that “You are much stronger when with friends”.