Category: Harry Potter

Introduction

Hooters Translates in China is a piece of literature done by Craig Simon, an American author who has done a lot of literary work in the country. Having stayed in china for a long period, Craig wanted to bring to focus the culture and the lifestyle of the Chinese.

He closely brings to focus the current culture, which he describes as liberal and compares it with the past conservative practices. To help put this into perspective, he uses a popular American restaurant, Hooters, which was contracted in China successfully.

Harry Potters and Magical Realism, what others have preferred to call Harry Potter phenomena, is a series of literature that transcends various cultural backgrounds with custom-made messages. The books have been written with some sense of mastery of different cultures across the world.

As Mims (336) notes, the author has keenly knitted his literature using materials found in the specific targeted region. From the cultural perspective to the political and religious aspects, the series brings out different societies in different ways within their right contexts. It also focuses on mass media and its role in the society.

Given a close comprehensive look, the two sets of literatures that is, Hooters Translates in China and Harry Potters and Magical Realism, compare closely not only in terms of the context but also the intent.

This essay seeks to analyze the similarities between Hooters Translates China and Harry Potters and Magical Realism.

Comparison

Literature is one of the most powerful tools used to pass a given message to a specific audience. Literature has seen some transition from the time it was just orally told (oral Literature) to the current written Literature. In both cases, Literature has always been used to express some feelings that the authors seem to realize.

According to Zipes (54), no piece of literature comes from the blues. Literature comes from within the society we live. It is what we see and the writer experiences in the society.

The process of retelling the story may involve adding a few factious aspects, but even the factious parts are real occurrences only that they are presented in supernormal manner. For this reason, many of the current world literatures compare closely, apart from a little differences that may be caused by cultural, political, and social differences.

The essays Hooters Translates in China and Harry Potters and Magical Realism compare very closely. Below are some of the aspects that make the two essays appear similar.

Culture

According to Reynolds (69), no piece of literature would go without touching on the aspects of culture. The two essays touch on cultures of different societies. Craig, in his essay Hooters Translates in China talks about an American firm with American values gaining popularity in China.

In this essay, the director of Hooters restaurant in Shanghai once said, Hooters isnt just a restaurant, it is also an American culture, and that appeals to many Chinese, (Mims 334). The author brings out the culture of American society and closely connects it to that of china. She notes that for a long time, china had been weary of the western culture but this seems to have changed.

The same idea regarding culture is also brought out in the writings of Daniel Nixon in his series Harry Porters and Magical Realism. Just like Craigs comparison of the American culture to that of china, Nixon compares the cultural practices of the Muslims and Christians.

Basing his essays in Indonesia, Gulf States and other Islamic nations, the book has gained popularity in many Islamic societies that seem to appreciate it. As Craig notes, the culture of American people was resented in China in the past but this is changing (Mims 335).

Similarly, the Christian culture was strongly resented in among the Muslim. Although this hatred is still evident, both sides are currently tolerant to each other, with each side trying to understand the others way of life.

Traditionalism and Modernism

Both essays have given relevance to the current changes taking place in various societies, especially due to changes in technology. Both stories give accounts of societies transforming from traditional archaic way of living to ways that are more modern.

In the account given by Craig, Chinese current society is contrasted with what was there before. From the text, we are informed that because of relaxed attitude of the Chinese, they would now accept the American culture without much trouble.

We are also told that in 1960s, the society in China never tolerated women who wore short skirts and kept long hair for this was considered a culture of the west. However, this has changed and women currently find it easy wearing short skirts and keeping long hair.

Xu, the director of Hooters in shanghai observes that, The younger generation is very different from our parents (Mims 334) This was in reference to the changes that had taken place in the society concerning cultural norms.

The account given by Nixon also reflects the changes within various societies in response to technological and social changes. One aspect of culture that has great impact on the lives of people is religion. Zipes (97) argues that the worst prison on earth is religion. Religion comes with very many rules and regulations that believers must observe.

Some of these beliefs are literally retrogressive. They are practices that have serious complications and restrictions in ones social life. Nixon gives an overview of Islamic religion and how it related to Christianity in the past and how it relates presently.

There is a marked difference. In many societies, especially among the Muslim societies, women were denied several rights and freedoms. There were places they could not go without permission. They had to dress in a given manner as a sign of etiquette. This is fast changing and women are getting into the corporate world.

Gender Inequality

Both essays give an overview on issues relating to gender inequality within various states. In china, Craig notes that the perception of the society towards women has changed (Mims 333). However, issues relating to the use of women as a tool in marketing are still in practice.

This author observes that many companies within China still prefer associating some of their brands with beautiful women to attract sales. From the two texts, women have never enjoyed their rights in human history. Men have always used women to fulfill their wishes and desires.

In the Islamic world, women are never allowed to participate in political processes such as voting. In the western world, women are incorporated in the financial system as underdogs.

In society, women are not allowed to interact freely as compared to their male counterparts. Their culture is devalued and their opinions are not considered when major policies are made in government.

Many firms would also demand that job applicants attach a copy of their recent photo so that merit would be given based on the attractiveness of an individual.

This has been a concern as many communities have come strongly to oppose the culture that makes one gender appear to be a tool of trade. It is a sign that women are yet to realize their full freedom in a society that claims to offer the same treatment to everyone, irrespective of gender.

Intent

Both essays had a similar intent to the target audience. The message that majorly comes out from the two essays is that the world is changing and there is need for every society to realize this fact and make adjustments as would be appropriate.

Technology has dramatically redefined the way human beings approach various issues. It has turned the world into a global village. Information is everywhere. In order to realize a harmonious co-existence, there is need to eliminate the walls created in the past that defined boundaries in terms of tribe, religion or country.

We are a single family, and therefore should live peacefully. Women should be empowered economically and politically in case the society is to develop uniformly. No sustainable growth can be realized in case the society mistreats the majority of its members.

Conclusion

Literature is one of the most powerful tools that man has ever discovered. Through literature, messages have been coded in order to advise, inform, warn, or just entertain. The two essays, Hooters Translates in China and Harry Porters and Magical Realism are such literatures.

They have both successfully brought different societies into focus in terms of their culture, religion and issues pertaining to gender equality. The messages in the two essays are similar that is, we need to appreciate one another in our society, embrace the culture of unity, and work as a team in order to our aims and goals.

Works Cited

Mims, Joan. Mirror on America: Essays and Images from Popular Culture. New York Bedford Martins, 2011. Print.

Reynolds, Kennedy. Childrens literature: a very short introduction. Gosport: Oxford Press, 2011. Print.

Zipes, James. Happily ever after: fairy tales, children and the culture industry, New York: Routledge, 1971. Print.

It has been said that J.K. Rowling has a remarkable way of discussing history, current events, and even human rights within the pages of her Harry Potter book series. As a fan of her work, I can attest to the fact that the woman writes stories that give the readers a peek into events that have historical significance. One of the sub-plots in the book is the story of house-elves and Hermione Grangers attempt to get them either freed or at least given equal rights and wages.

As slaves, the elves in the story are the wizarding counterpart of the muggle slaves and helpers from an era we have long forgotten. Just as the human slaves were judged by race, so were the elves. They were looked upon as stupid and worthless by the wizarding family owners and were often subject to the same verbal and physical abuse as their human counterparts. The elves also came from generations of house slaves and most of them, such as Winky, the Crouch family elf, never knew anything else in life and therefore did not bother to ambition beyond her work station the way that Dobby, the Malfoy family elf did.

In a way, one might say that the elves created the enslavements themselves because they became dependent upon their masters for their everyday needs and personal well-being. Just like other slaves, they viewed their masters in an almost god-like manner. They tried to emulate their masters attitude towards other elves whom they deemed beneath their station and oftentimes, absorbed everything in terms of their masters negative attitude towards others. Their need to please their masters was more than their desire to develop an identity of their own so that when a chance came for the two of them to go free, both seemed at a loss as to how to lead their masterless lives.

For instance, Dobby had always had these dreams of becoming a freed elf, which is why when he got the chance, he traveled for 2 years and slowly came to realize that he was getting shafted in the enslavement method of his existence. He came to realize that it was not wrong for him to expect to be amply remunerated for the hard work he puts into activities for other people. Dobby explained the way people viewed house-elves quite clearly when he said :

But most wizards dont want a house-elf who wants to pay, miss. Thats Not the point of a house-elf they say, and they slammed the door in Dobbys face! Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid, Harry Potter& Dobby likes being free! ( Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, p. 378)

Dobby is portrayed in the story as the slave who has had an awakening as to his real worth and reason for existence in the world. He has come to the realization that he does not need to be a slave all his life. Thanks to Harry, Hermione, and Ron, he began to value his worth as a person and as such, demanded he is treated equally in order to show respect for his individuality and beliefs in life. Dobby embodies the new era of house-elves, those who have a sense of self-respect and demands that his rights be recognized by those who wish to have him in their service.

Winky, on the other hand, is the embodiment of the old school of house-elf enslavement. The dependent kind never wished to be anything more than that which they were told they can be. Without any sense of self-worth or self-respect, she like most often took refuge in the abusive treatments of their masters. In their minds, freedom could be the worst thing that could happen to them because, as Winky believed, she must be properly ashamed of being freed.

The message of J.K. Rowling in the book is that everyone is entitled to equal rights and opportunities and nobody is ever too beneath any station to deserve that kind of respect. Just because one is born a slave, does not mean that one cannot ambition to be more than that. On the contrary, it is of the utmost importance that they ambition to be more than they think they can be because it will help them get out of their slave-master-dependent relationship.

But it is not something easily overcome. As we can see from the tantrum that Winky was throwing in the kitchen of Hogwarts, a whole generation of house-elves exist and their mental conditioning has been the same since the day they were born. As such, it would take another generation of retraining and mental conditioning for them to realize that they are individual beings who deserve the same treatment and rights as their fellow magical beings. This is something that was best explained by Hermione Granger when she said :

I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know, Dobby coming to work here, I mean. The other elves will see how happy he is, being free, and slowly itll dawn on them that they want it too! (Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, p 383)

Work Cited

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. Dir. Mike Newell. Perf. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint. 2005. DVD. Warner Bros. 2007.

J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. Scholastic Books: New York, 2000.

Dempster, Steve, et al. What has Harry Potter Done for Me? Childrens Reflections on their Potter Experience. Childrens Literature in Education, vol. 47, 2016, pp. 267-282.

The importance of Harry Potter as a global cultural phenomenon is explored by scholars from the perspective of literacy as a part of social practices. The authors suggested that reading the book series enabled young readers to build a strong vocabulary and other literacy skills. It was also considered that the series improved younger readers attitudes toward reading and encouraged further literary exploration. The study is useful because it illustrates the importance of Harry Potter books within popular culture through the lens of improving young readers literacy.

Kidd, Dustin. Harry Potter and the Functions of Popular Culture. The Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 40, no. 1, 2007, pp. 69-89.

The research studies the Harry Potter book franchise from the standpoint of popular culture functions. These include social behavior, community characteristics, the differentiation between social classes, cultural elements ranging from music to visual art, and more. The author suggests that by way of example, Harry Potter remains a very important source of social norms. It is also categorized as an illegitimate extra-curricular culture that became a shared interest for many individuals, thus creating a pop culture phenomenon that is closely connected to societal changes, trends, and developments.

Lauer, Emily, and Balaka Basu. The Harry Potter Generation: Essays on Growing Up with the Series. McFarland & Company, 2019.

The collection of essays contains the opinions of adults who grew up reading Harry Potter. The essays explore the way in which the books influenced peoples coming of age, the way in which they matured together with Harry and his friends, and the lessons they learned along the way. The source is highly relevant to the current discussion about the importance of Harry Potter in pop culture because it draws from real-life examples and reflections of individuals who were growing up reading the book and engaging with the magical narrative.

Benson, Jenna. Violence in Pop-Culture Media and The Hunger Games as a Prime Artifact. Platform, vol. 5, no. 1, 2013, pp. 52-66.

The researcher aims to criticize the assertion that exposure to violence in popular culture literature and cinema is inappropriate for younger audiences, drawing examples from The Hunger Games books and movies. The franchise was chosen for analysis because of its high importance as a pop culture artifact targeted at teens and young adults and is an example of the exposure of the age group to the regularly displayed and described violence. Therefore, the author seeks to raise awareness of the misconceptions, claiming that exposure to violence is a necessary part of learning about the world.

Ruthven, Andrea. The Contemporary Postfeminist Dystopia: Disruptions and Hopeful Gestures in Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games. Feminist Review, vol. 116, no. 1, 2017, pp. 47-62.

Through analyzing The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the author considers the different ways in which modern post-feminism can relate to a dystopic narrative. The book series is essential within the popular culture context because it has a female protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. Through the ethics of care and the heteronormative narrative disruption provides a new alternative to the present social structures. In the world of Katniss, female empowerment was a crucial part of growing up. Her example of a strong young woman is important for pop culture because it enables social participation and advocacy for the rights of the oppressed.

Sandoe, Kathryn. Hungry for Justice: The Hunger Games and Developing an Activist Identity in Women Fans. Etda Libraries, 2017.

In their study, the researcher aimed to examine popular culture as an educational context in which women can learn about their social roles. Using the example of The Hunger Games franchise, the author focused on how the series helped younger audiences learn about the importance of activism and advocating for social justice. The source is important for the understanding of the social value of The Hunger Games because it reveals data acquired from real-life participants who have read the books and watched the movies. Their experiences are vital for illuminating the influence of the franchise on pop culture.

Works Cited

Benson, Jenna. Violence in Pop-Culture Media and The Hunger Games as a Prime Artifact. Platform, vol. 5, no. 1, 2013, pp. 52-66.

Dempster, Steve, et al. What has Harry Potter Done for Me? Childrens Reflections on their Potter Experience. Childrens Literature in Education, vol. 47, 2016, pp. 267-282.

Kidd, Dustin. Harry Potter and the Functions of Popular Culture. The Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 40, no. 1, 2007, pp. 69-89.

Lauer, Emily, and Balaka Basu. The Harry Potter Generation: Essays on Growing Up with the Series. McFarland & Company, 2019.

Ruthven, Andrea. The Contemporary Postfeminist Dystopia: Disruptions and Hopeful Gestures in Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games. Feminist Review, vol. 116, no. 1, 2017, pp. 47-62.

Sandoe, Kathryn. Hungry for Justice: The Hunger Games and Developing an Activist Identity in Women Fans. Etda Libraries, 2017. Web.

Introduction

Literature is the heart of a language that manifests human language in real sense which the writers can express their ideas and use their imagination to create an artistic world rich of mysteries and creativity including poetry, drama and fiction through its elements.

This chapter is about the magnificent story Harry Potter that is full of fantasy and supernatural creatures and rich of its themes and characters including the protagonist Harry and his surroundings and the antagonist Voldemort.

Definition of Literature

Literature is like a mysterious world that is full of Knowledge, imagination, fantasy and inspiration. It encourages individuals to improve their knowledge in a various field through reading by tasting the flavor of the things that is surrounding them. It represents the culture and tradition of a language or people via discovering their lifestyle and believes that make them more open minded to this world and well-versed.

Types of Literature

Literature in general is based on three main types which are Poetry, Drama and Fiction and any type of writing is considered as a type of these three genres: Poetry, Drama and Fiction.

Fiction is defined as any kind of written text based on fantasy, imagination and supernatural things. It is structured in a complete sentences and clear paragraphs and dialogues without focusing on the sound and the rhythm as poetry.

Literary Definition of Fiction

It is a meld of creativity, imagination and fantasy which makes the reader travel from a place to another without moving a leg. It makes him/her living the story that has some resemblance to real life events and characters in a supernatural way. Fiction contains certain symbolic and thematic features known as “literary merits.” In other words, fiction narrates a story, which aims at something bigger than merely a story. In this attempt, it comments on something significant related to social, economical, or human related issues.

The author of a fiction work is full of imagination that invents the story and makes up the characters, the plot, the dialogue and the setting. Fiction genre is not made to tell a true story. Instead, it leads the reader to experience situations that they may never have experienced in real life. It takes them to places that they may never visit and introduces them to some characters they may never meet. Moreover, Fiction can inspire, encourage, and engage people in new ideas; it can help them see themselves and their world in new interesting ways.

When people read fiction, they can be someone they would never otherwise have the chance to become ; another gender, another age; someone of another nationality or another circumstance. They can be explorers, scientists, supernatural men, artists or soldiers.

Elements of Fiction

The elements of fiction are one of the writers’ tools to make their work more professional and coherent. On the one hand, they are used to entertain the reader as well as make him/her figure out the different literary pieces including character, setting, plot and theme. On the other hand, the more the reader becomes familiar with these various elements; the better he will understand and analyze different stories.

The Character (s)

Characters differ from one to another depending on their mental, emotional and social background and it could be people, animals, or animated object. The importance of the character in the story whether the primary, secondary, minor or main character, reflects their role and how they are developed. they make the reader experiences the tale, and the trick so that they feel the total real fictional characters ..

Major characters

1. Harry potter : the protagonist
2. Hermione granger: Harry’s best friend and the smartest girl at Hogwarts School.
3. Ron weasley: Harry’s loyal friend
4. Professor Dumbledore: the headmaster of Hogwarts School.
5. Voldemort: the antagonist. The direct enemy of Harry potter

Minor characters

1. James potter: Harry’s father
2. Lily potter: Harry’s mother
3. Vernon dursley: Harry’s muggle uncle
4. Petunia dursley: Harry’s aunt and Vernon wife
5. Professor Flitwick: he Hogwarts Charms professor and the head of Ravenclaw House

The Setting

The setting is the physical environment for actions and characters in a story including social conditions, historical time, geographical locations, weather and timing. It is the external world that everyone has to deal with because all internal changes in characters are affected by setting. It includes the time and the place which control and define characters and force them to interact with it wherever they go or not, and whatever they do. In addition, it develops and demonstrates to the reader who the characters are.

Plot

The plot demonstrates the connections, and the structure of the story which makes the reader interested and motivated to read the whole story. It is a storyline of a text that the author develops as a series of events to create a story in a logical manner . Example:

Harry Potter the protagonist is an orphan boy who was living with his maternal aunt and uncle and their jealous son. At the age of 11, Harry realized that he is a wizard and he knew that he is quite famous in the world of magic and that there was an evil wizard, the antagonist Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents and wanted to kill him because he wanted to revenge.

Theme

The theme allows the reader to get involved with the story through the character’s experiences and conflicts. It facilitates the prediction of what will happen next. Also, it is considered as the central idea or the moral of the story. In addition, it is abstracted from the character’s and the action’s details that compose the whole story. The themes provide a unifying idea in which the plot, characters, setting, and other elements of a story are organized .

Novel

It has a certain complexity than novellas that deals with human experiences in an imaginative way. Novels usually have more than one plot and many characters involving a group of persons in a specific setting throughout a series of events that are unfolded by the actions, speech and thoughts of varied characters. Novels can be as long as their authors want them to be. There is no outer limit to their length.

In this Harry Potter essay, one famous example of fiction novels is Harry potter by J.K.Rowling. The story narrates various adventures of the main character Harry and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley; all of them are pupils at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a kind of fiction’s stories that influences many persons in this world in enhancing their cultural awareness, and it motivates many writers to do a similar work and the same global echo.

ROWLING J.K. Small Biography

Joanne Rowling was born in July 31, 1965.She is a British author and screenwriter. Best known for her seven-book Harry potter Children’s book series. The bestselling book Series in history with more than 400 million copies Sold and one of the most popular movie series of all time. She also writes novels for adults like: Casual Vacancy, Career of Evil and some other detective series including crime novels Under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

The idea of Harry Potter came to her in 1990, when she was stuck on a delayed train between Manchester and London. In the same year, she moved to Porto to teach English as a foreign language. In parallel with her teaching work, she sketched the plot of the different volumes of the saga and began writing the first part.

J.K.Rowling has attracted success both in terms of a massive sales figures and critical acclaim. This study will look at her books and considers some of the reasons for their phenomenal success. This will be done against a back ground of how Harry potter relates to other contemporary children’s books so that students and teachers can place them in the context for which they were written.

After writing the story on which the script of the play The Cursed Child (2016) is based, she also tried scriptwriting for the film, with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) [Fantastic Animals], an experience that should continue if the next four films are released.

Harry Potter Story

The Novel Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is about an orphaned boy named harry a skinny boy with black hair and bright blue eyes who has grown up to become a pale. A giant named Hagrid appears and gives harry all the important news. In the beginning Harry is told that his parents had a car accident but unfortunately, they were killed by Voldemort, the evil wizard who made a scar in Harry’s forehead to sign him in order to kill him when he gets reborn.

Harry lived with the Dursley, his muggle aunt, uncle and cousin. The Dursley family, who took him in Harry’s relatives decide to conceal his magical heritage from him and make him live in a cupboard under the stairs for ten years. He was young when he realized that he is a wizard and he has the capacity to communicate with snakes a well. Harry was invited to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Reubeus Hagrid the giant man brought him to London and took him to the secret magical location hidden behind the famous wizarding pub. During that trip, Harry met Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley and they became his best friends.

When Harry entered the wizardry school for the first time, he was amazed and surprised that he is famous. On the one hand, he noticed that everyone at the school is wearing an official uniforms depending on their branches of house’s categories, and the ministry of magic is well organized and strict; besides, teachers were disciplined and competent in their classes. In the other hand, he has observed the love between the students he needed in his life and the respect between men and women, every one there was respectful using only formal way to talk with each other except a few members who did not like him because of his past.

Harry discovered the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world .Upon arrival, the Sorting Hat places Harry, Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor House one of the four house branches found at this school. Draco Malfoy, an arrogant and elitist student, gets placed in Slytherin house. At the end of their first week at Hogwarts, Harry and Ron discover that Gringotts, the wizarding bank, was broken into and a vault that Harry and Hagrid visited had been the subject of the robbery. Later, the head of Gryffindor allowed Harry to play Quidditch, a game like aerial soccer on broomsticks when discovered that harry has a talent for riding broomsticks and this game was very popular at howgwart’s school.

At the first Harry’s Quidditch match, Harry’s broom got manipulated, nearly knocking him off by . Professor Severus Snape , the head of Slytherin House and Hermione has noticed that and she saw him staring at Harry and mouthing words, making her believe that Snape has caused the broom to get uncontrolled with a dark curse. At that moment Hermione sets Snape’s robes on fire, in order to allow Harry to survive.

At Christmas, Harry received an Invisibility coat that belongs to his father, which makes its wearer invisible. Harry worn it to discover the Restricted area in the library to look for information about Nicolas Flamel, Eventually, Harry figured out that ‘Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer’s Stone, which produced the immortal drink.

Harry noticed that Snape making some effort to get information from Quirrell about Fluffy the three headed dog; Quirrell denied everything and he pretended that he does not know what he’s talking about. Harry and his friend were sure that Snape is doing his best to steal the Philosopher’s Stone in order to reborn Lord Voldemort.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco are caught out late at night, and they obliged them to serve detention with Hagrid in the restricted Forest. Harry saw an unknown person drink the blood of an unicorn, which made Harry’s forehead scar start lightning and burning. Harry was told that the drinker of the unicorn blood will keep any one immortal, and that the unknown person in fact was Voldemort.

-Harry, Hermione and Ron find out that Hagrid has told a hooded stranger how to get past Fluffy, and they believe the theft of the Stone is imminent. Rushing to finally confide in Professor Dumbledore their news, they meet Professor McGonagall, who is shocked to find out how much they knew about the Stone, but reassures them all the same that it is safe in the castle. She also tells them that Dumbledore has been sent away on an important mission by the Ministry of Magic. Positive that Dumbledore’s summons was a red herring to take Professor Dumbledore away from Hogwarts, the trio make plans to thwart Snape’s theft of the stone. They set out to reach the stone first, navigating the security system set up by the school’s staff, which is a series of complex magical challenges. The three make it through together until finally, Harry must enter the inner chamber alone. There he finds that Professor Quirrell, not Snape, is attempting to steal the Stone. Realizing that Snape was trying to protect him from harm all along, Harry confronts Quirrell and survives a second encounter with Lord Voldemort, who has possessed Quirrell and appears as a ghastly face on the back of Quirrell’s head. Quirrell crumbles when he touches Harry’s skin, and Harry passes out because of his close proximity to Lord Voldemort. Voldemort then pitilessly abandons Quirrell, who dies in the aftermath of his possession.-

Harry woke up finding himself in the hospital. Dumbledore told the truth to Harry that his mother died to protect him when he was a baby. Her sacrifice provides Harry with a magical protection from Voldemort’s spells and also stopped Voldemort from touching Harry without suffering terribly. Dumbledore also said that the Sorcerer’s Stone has been destroyed to prevent future attempts by Voldemort to steal it.

Finally, at the feast in the end of the year, the House Points totals are given: Gryffindor is in last place. However, Dumbledore gives a few ‘last-minute additions’, granting points to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville for their bravery and service towards school, so that Gryffindor wins the House Cup .

The Time and The Setting of The Novel Writing

The Harry Potter books were written in England and were published during the period from the 30th of June 1997 till the 21st of July 2007. The genre of the series is fantasy, mystery and thriller. The books record the happenings in the life of a boy named Harry Potter as he battles the evil wizard, Voldemort. Each book also features his time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry except the last one in which Harry skips his last year of school to try to defeat Voldemort for once and for all.

Themes

As it has been mentioned before the theme allows the reader to get involved and in touched with the story which make him live and experiences the morals that the author wanted to convey. It is like a mirror which reflects society and people in the real life for example: good and evil, love, death and friendship.

Good and Evil

The author J.K Rowling has shown that the conflict between good and evil is one of the main themes throughout all the stories. The antagonist Voldemort embodies evil is the main enemy for the protagonist harry to fight against. The author has provided two characters which allow the reader to both compare and contrast, although Voldemort was shown to have been once a child and an orphan like Harry. It is that the similarities end.

Love

Love plays a crucial role in ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,’ as well as all of the remaining books in the series. The author shows the power of love from the beginning of the narrative by demonstrating that Harry’s ability to survive Voldemort killing curse is a result of his mother’s real love. By sacrificing her life to protect her son, she gave him a magical form of protection that shielded him from Voldemort curse and nearly destroyed the dark wizard. As Professor Dumbledore asserts, Voldemort is incapable of understanding love, particularly in comparison to the strength of his own dark power, and so he was taken entirely by surprise when it came to Lily’s sacrifice.

Death

Death is one of the most major themes in Harry potter’s books. The author J.K.Rowling once stated, ‘My books are largely about death.” There are various deaths throughout the story. It makes the readers understand and feel the emotions and the pain of losing loved ones. Some of them were Harry’s parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, Tonks and Remus, Hedwig.

Rowling made a clear distinction between the natural process of death and Voldemort’s warped attempts to ‘defeat’ it, and remain immortality. After his failure of killing Harry, Voldemort spent the next ten years existing only as ‘shadow and vapor,’ neither dead nor alive. Voldemort achieved a twisted form of immortality, but his stubborned’s mind and arrogancy to accept the natural order of life and death shown his evil nature and further differentiates him from Harry’s pure heart.

Friendship

Throughout the book, Rowling demonstrates the value of friendship, especially when it comes to facing challenges ,difficult tasks and hard situations, Harry was completely isolated, he did not have a loving family environment that takes care of him and treat him as a member of them, he did not have any friends to serve as a support system. But After he moved to the wizardry school and became a student at Hogwarts, Harry get in touched with the student and made a group of friends when he felt the importance and the value that he had never experienced. Moreover, the close relationship he made with Ron and Hermione helps him to overcome many obstacles. Yet, in Harry’s case, the author draws a parallel between friendship and difficult life challenges; the only way that Harry is able to reach the Mirror of Erised is with Ron and Hermione’s help. Hermione and Ron both tackle specific challenges that Harry would have been unable to confront alone, specifically Professor McGonagall’s challenge of the giant wizarding chess and Professor Snape’s challenge of the potions. In this case, Harry’s friendship with Ron and Hermione saves his life and allows him to keep Voldemort from finding the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The significance of Harry’s Friendship he made with Ron and Hermione distinguishes him from Voldemort. Even though Voldemort is far more powerful than Harry, he chose to be isolated and independent from people around him. Even Professor Quirrell, who drinks unicorn blood for him, is just a servant to Voldemort. Because Voldemort lacks the ability to form lasting friendships, he is always alone and has only himself to rely on. Harry, is able to rely on himself while still drawing upon the support and exceptional magical talents of his close friends .

Symbols

Harry potter story is full of marks, signs and characters used to signify an object, idea or a relationship which allow the readers to see the link between the story concepts and experiences.

Harry’s Scar

The scar that Harry received from Voldemort symbolizes all the unique things about Harry, he never thought twice about the scar until he realized the truth about his past, Harry’s forehead scar is a sign of honor, a sign of having survived a great battles and more to face in the future. It constantly links Harry to the past, not just to the epic battle against the evil Voldemort, but also to the loving parents who sacrificed themselves to protect him. The scar is also a symbol of Harry’s emotional sensitivity, because it hurts him whenever he feels the hatred comes toward him.

Quidditch

Quidditch is a very popular game like football nowadays; it is the significant of the virtues taught at Hogwarts. The Quidditch’simportance at Hogwarts demonstrates that magic is not only a theory, but a physical and practical application as well. Any wizard who uses it for such ends alone like Voldemort is no longer a member of the team-spirit philosophy of Hogwarts. A person should use magic with an awareness of others’ needs and values, just as winning at Quidditch depends on the successful interaction of several players acting cooperatively. No matter how talented a single Quidditch player like Harry might be, he or she cannot play the game alone.

The Mirror of Erised

Harry’s encounter with the Mirror of Erised symbolizes his growing self-awareness, as the magic mirror forces him to look within himself and face the question of what he really wants. Harry has never had to inquire into his own desires before, because the Dursleys never cared about his desires and, upon arriving at Hogwarts, he seems to have everything he needs in his daily schedule of classes and meals. But the Hogwarts experience is meant to be more than a routine of memorizing formulas and learning to transform matches into pins. It is meant to bring personal growth and character development, for which it is necessary to examine one’s soul.

Harry’s desires, as reflected in the mirror, are noble ones; he wants to see his family alive and then wants to find the Sorcerer’s Stone for the common good. Voldemort, on the other hand, is driven by nothing but his ego and his desires are wholly selfish. The Mirror of Erised shows the readers who they are (literally, the reflection of ourselves that we see in the mirror) is defined by what the readers want, their desires shape their identities; Harry is the one who ends up with the stone teaches the readers that they must temper their desires .

Conclusion

Literature’s world is limitless full of creativity and imaginations where the writers can express their feelings and experiences in their own artistic way of writing which represent their identity that reflect their social background and lifestyle that influences the readers and the world in many fields culturally, socially and economically.

Harry Potter is a character in the series of fantasy fiction novels written by J.K. Rowling. It is one of the most famous stories in the world and almost all people seem to know about it. There are seven series of the novels, which are Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. The novels sold millions of copies worldwide and the film adaptations were produced by Warner Bros and became one of the highest-grossing film series. The researcher conducts this study to discover how different media could convey different meanings of the story. Research shows that there is a difference in the use of the English language depending on the media that is used to deliver it.

To begin with, researcher finds out that the novel Harry Potter uses British English and even the character in the film speaks in British English. Besides that, Harry Potterhas the widest range of vocabularies. The novel is written by a British author and the series is inspired by 1990s British culture. Harry Potter is the main figure, the protagonist, in which he dominates and leads the action of the story. In the series, Harry Potter uses ‘trolley’ which means a shopping cart in British English. Based on the series, Harry Potter uses words like ‘squib’ to explain non-magical person born to wizards, ‘muggle’ to explain a person who doesn’t have any magical abilities, and ‘dementor’ to explain a dark creature that feeds on the human soul.

In addition, researcher discovers that each of the character speaks in a certain manner which describes their characteristics. There are several characters that stood out the most, which are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, and Voldemort. Harry Potter plays a big role in the series, with his two sidekicks, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. As for Severus Snape, he is portrayed as a mysterious person, while Voldemort is Harry Potter’s enemy.Harry Potter is a friendly and curious child. As for Ron Weasley, he is a brave and loyal person, he always does his best to protect his friends, but he often lacks self-confidence. The other friend of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, is described as a girl with a bossy personality and the ‘know-it-all’. Severus Snape, the Potions Master and the Head of Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is the most complex character in the series since his words are often at odds with his behaviour. He has a cold manner and controlled exterior, also he is sarcastic and hard on his students. Meanwhile, Voldemort, the antagonist of the series, is undoubtingly a villain. It is shown by his actions and words, he has no other motive than to keep himself alive, no matter the cost to his soul. In the series, Harry Potteris always finding a way to discover his curiosity and ask a lot of questions.WhenHarry Potter is brought to Hogwarts, he kept on asking Hagrid (Hogwarts’ Keeper of Keys and Grounds) along the way about anything, such as “What exactly are these things?” when he sees a passing tiny creature in the way or asking something like “What happened to You-Know-Who?” when people are too afraid to ask a question about Voldemort, Harry is still as curious as ever. Harry’s closest friend, Ron Weasley being the youngest among six brothers always feels like that his accomplishments do not mean much because his siblings have done so much, it is all expressed when he is saying “I’m the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I’ve got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy’s a perfect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they’re really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it’s no big deal, because they did it first.” While, Hermione Granger, is described a ‘nightmare’ by Ron,she has the desire to stand out and earn good grades, it is showed when she said “Look at you playing with your cards. Pathetic! We’ve got final exams coming up soon.” The most ambiguous character in the series, Severus Snape, always likes to test Harry by saying something like “As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” Snape is trying to see if Harry was more like his father or his mother. The antagonist, Voldemort, does not actually speak much but when he speaks, he would make sure to be threatening, it is shown by his statement, which is “I’m going to kill you, Harry Potter. I’m going to destroy you. After tonight, no one will ever again question my power. After tonight if they speak of you, they’ll only speak of how you begged for death. And how I being a merciful Lord… obliged.”

Moreover, researcher suggests that in the film the author is using a lot of positive words to present a likeable image of the character in the novel while the film is quite the opposite. The film has gone through the process of adaptation, so it operates differently. This idea is shown through the image that is created by the audience towards Harry Potter from the novel and the film. In the novel, Harry is described as something very special by the way the author explains how special he is because of the cut he has on his forehead and how special it is. The author also described Harry Potter’s face feature which creates a positive image for the audience. Meanwhile, in the film, the author does not explain Harry Potter’s importance but simply shows that his existence affects the world.

Joanne Kathleen Rowling, now as a world-famous author, has greatly changed modern fantasy novels with her ​Harry Potter ​series and has shaped modern literature and the public’s view of fantasy in a new way.

At an early age, she expressed a significant interest in books and writing which can be seen as she wrote her first novel at age eleven. In her collegiate years, Rowling studied French and Classic novels which gave her a strong background in Latin. This knowledge later influenced the ​Harry Potter ​series as many spells including lumos (light), crucio (torture), and accio (summon) are based on Latin phrases. During her time as a teacher after college, she was extremely busy but would continue to write in any spare moment. Much of her writing is influenced by real-life places or events and is true for the origins of the wizarding world. For example, she received inspiration from train ride to King’s Cross station and has been incorporated into every book of ​Harry Potter​.

After the release of the first book, ‘​Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’​, Rowling received a massive amount of praise and continued to write six more books in the series developing a gargantuan fanbase around it. When writing these novels, Rowling would often sketch scenes in the book to better visualize the scenario. This and many other parts of her early works were on display at the British Library and show Rowling’s attention to detail in her style of literature. Additionally, her notes tell us that the stories were well planned as she left notes about each character’s role in the drafts. Her notes and early drafts were so detailed that little about the plot was edited when changing the draft into a published book. This consistent attention to details also connects the continuity of the plot across the series. For instance, when Voldemort states, “The dementors will join us…they are our natural allies…” (Rowling, 651), it foreshadows future events like when the dementors fight with Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts in ‘​Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’​. Small actions in previous books have influenced the later books in the series showing that the plot is continuous throughout the books. The small details that frame the larger story in Rowling’s works help us visualize the scene and give us a better idea of how Harry Potter’s world works.

Even though ​Harry Potter ​is complete fantasy, much of the magical aspects of the novels are based on history. For example, the philosopher’s stone already had a history before Rowling decided to incorporate it into her first ​Harry Potter ​book, ​’Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone’​. The stone was first mentioned in the Ripley Scroll, an 18-foot long manuscript filled with alchemic symbols and directions to craft the philosopher’s stone. When examining the directions to craft the stone, many mythological creatures such as dragons and phoenixes are used to symbolize processes in alchemy that produce the stone of eternal life. These animals from the scroll have been incorporated into the wizarding world to make the magical creatures more relatable to the reader and the real world. In addition, many of these animals are hybrids of animals that can be found in our world. One example of an animal hybrid in ‘Harry Potter’ is when Beauxbatons arrived and the students saw a carriage “soaring towards them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses…and each the size of an elephant” (Rowling, 242-243). These horses are clearly a hybrid between a bird and a horse which could be considered a pegasus which has a previous history in Greek mythology. This animal along with most creatures in Harry Potter​ tells us that many creatures in Hogwarts can be traced back to normal human history or real life animals.

However, even though the story is well planned, widely praised, and based on real life, some believe that the ​Harry Potter​ series is promoting witchcraft. Some fundamentalist Christian groups believe that children reading these books will result in increased attempts and interest in witchcraft. For this reason, these groups have initiated book burnings as a move to keep witchcraft out of schools. On the other hand, there are other Christian groups that praise the series as they view Harry’s journey as, “an edifying allegory for Jesus Christ” (Olukotun). This conflict between supporters of the Harry Potter series and those who want the books banned is greatest when scenes of pagan-like traditions like potions or transfiguration are used or when significant amounts of magic are used to enhance the story. But even if ​Harry Potter​ were to be banned, it would still be easy to obtain a copy since over 400 million books have been sold and they are in almost every bookstore.

In addition to censorship over magic covered in the books, there has been some conflict over copyright pertaining to fan-based works. Some fans have created fanfiction which uses pre-existing characters and plot which sometimes results in the violation of Rowling’s copyright. As the copyright holder, “the law gives Rowling the ability to turn on and off the tap of creativity’ (Olukotun). In theory, she could shut down some fan websites based on this interpretation of the law. But for the most part, she has allowed these fanfiction websites as it spreads the popularity of the series to newer audiences. This has developed over the years into a large community of fans that collects facts and analyzes the books for deeper meaning into how the wizarding world works. However, she has sued on occasion when a website attempted to copy one of her novels without editing the original. But after this instance, she has taken no significant legal action against fans’ websites. Even though fanfiction lies on the border between fair use and copyright infringement, it seems for now these works are acceptable.

Despite sporadic legal conflicts and movements to ban her novels from schools, Rowling’s novels have received praise from a variety of sources. Numerous example includes Children’s Book of the Year, British Book Awards, WH Smith Fiction Award, and PEN America Literary Service Award. The books have been a massive success, especially in the United States. Around the same time the ​Harry Potter​ series was published, there were many initiatives created in the US to get children reading more. As a result of these initiatives, “​the Harry Potter​ phenomenon made books and reading a shared activity, and something that had a breadth of appeal, bringing in people who were not habitual readers” (Fulleylove).​ For most, even skeptics of reading saw the series as intriguing which generated a broad audience of readers as more people got hooked. To get people to start reading, ​’Harry Potter’ ​was a great choice for almost everyone. Furthermore, this cycle of people getting hooked and recommending it others increased the popularity of the books leading to more praise worldwide.

After reading all of the books in the ​Harry Potter ​series, watching almost all of the ​Harry Potter ​films, and watching the film ​Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them​, it can be concluded that Rowling has developed a whole world of magic that successfully engages the reader and makes for an excellent series of stories that continues to grow. Even though many of her first novels seem weaker than some of the books later in the series, all of them serve a purpose to forward the plot and keep people engaged. Most of the wizarding world films are good at fitting a 700-page book into 150 minutes and the new ​Fantastic Beasts ​movies add a new fresh take on the wizarding world, before the time of Voldemort and Harry Potter. In a move away from the already used Harry Potter series, future wizarding world movies are going to be based around a ‘new adventure of Magizoologist Newt Scamander marked the start of a five-film series to be written by the author. The second of the series of movies should be interesting as it continues the plot from the first. Overall, the wizarding world of ​Harry Potter​ showcases an outstanding piece of literature that can be appreciated by all audiences and ages and has continued to this day in the form of popular full feature films.

Works Cited

1. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Pegasus.” ​Encyclopædia Britannica​, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 12 Feb. 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Pegasus-Greek-mythology.
2. The British Library. “The Journey – Google Arts & Culture.” ​Google​, Google, 18 Oct. 2017, artsandculture.google.com/project/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic.
3. Fulleylove, Rebecca. “The Enduring Magic of The ‘Harry Potter Effect’ 20 Years Later – Google Arts & Culture.” ​Google Arts and Culture​, Google, 2017, artsandculture.google.com/theme/BQICb_K5wDNKLg.
4. J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD. “J.K. Rowling.” ​J.K. Rowling​, J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD, 2016, www.jkrowling.com/about/. Olukotun, Deji. “The Banning of Harry Potter.” ​The Huffington Post​, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffingtonpost.com/deji-olukotun/the-banning-of-harry-pott_b_1864502.html.
5. Oxford Dictionaries. “The Classical Roots of Harry Potter’s Magical Spells.” ​OxfordWords Blog​, Oxford University Press , 17 Dec. 2015, blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/07/23/spells-harry-potter/.
6. Tucker, Trisha. “Some Schools Still Ban ‘Harry Potter.’ Here’s How They Justify It.” GoodEducation​, 26 June 2017, education.good.is/articles/harry-potter-censorship-schools.

When we think of heroes, we tend to associate them with a cape or a mask. This statement has not remained true in both early and modern times throughout history. Odysseus who was King of Ithaca and a hero in Homer’s poem “The Odyssey” was a prime example of an individual with nobility and strength. Now Gilgamesh did not quite show nobility in the beginning, but eventually showed true heroism and strength following his transition into a better King. An example that may not be as quite similar to the others, would be a fictional character I consider to be a modern hero, and that is Harry Potter. Through Harry’s bravery and intellect, he can overcome many obstacles. He is also able to save the lives of many both close and not as close from the evils in Hogwarts. Odysseus, Gilgamesh, and Harry are three individuals who share many of the same characteristics/traits that mold them into saviors we know as heroes. Three of these traits that the ancient heroes share with my modern hero are bravery, intelligence, and strength.

One trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both Gilgamesh and Odysseus is bravery. We define the trait bravery as “courageous behavior or character.” It is also known as an admirable quality of the ability to confront things or people that are frightening. Harry shows his true bravery through obstacles and trials that are thrown his way, especially when trying to save his friends in Hogwarts from Lord Voldemort. This is similar to that of the ancient heroes because their bravery was shown through the deadly obstacles they overcame on their hero journeys. For example, Odysseus was able to defeat the deadly sea monster Charybdis, attempting to save the rest of his crew from being swallowed. There were many instances where Harry Potter would try and sacrifice himself to save his people, especially when walking straight into the deathly hallows. Gilgamesh may have not fought with bravery for a large group of people, but he did to keep Enkidu safe. All of these heroes show their true bravery not only by saving others first but also by their leadership in their communities. The ancient hero Gilgamesh is a King, while Harry and Odysseus are both leaders, showing part of the reasons why bravery is a shared trait between the three.

Another trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both ancient heroes is intelligence. We define intelligence as the ability to acquire and apply any knowledge and skills. If it weren’t for intelligence most of these heroes would be running into serious problems when attempting to overcome all of the supernatural forces they come across. Not only is this trait valuable to the hero himself but to his society as well. Odysseus must use intelligence to overcome the supernatural forces of the gods because they are much stronger than him. The only way to end up defeating them would be by using his mind and not just pure strength. For example, when introducing himself to the cyclops Polyphemus he uses the name “Nobody”. His thought process in doing this was so that when he blinded Polyphemus to escape, the other cyclopes would not come running after him. Gilgamesh was granted “the totality of knowledge of all”, which helped him in his thought process throughout his journey of overcoming the supernatural forces he came across. For example, he used his wisdom and knowledge of the demon Humbaba to defeat him by using insults and strength. These examples are similar to that of Harry Potter’s use of intelligence. He must use his intelligence to be able to master the spells that he was taught and use them against superior wizards and supernatural forces, just as both Odysseus and Gilgamesh did. For example, when killing Lord Voldemort Harry was able to figure out how to get Voldemort’s spell to reflect and kill him. This takes real knowledge, especially when making sure that the right spell is used.

The last trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both ancient heroes Odysseus and Gilgamesh is strength. Strength is defined as the quality or the state of being physically strong. It could also be described as the capacity one has to withstand great force or pressure, and in this case from supernatural forces. An example of strength that Odysseus shows is the fact that he was able to lift such a large stake to stab through the Cyclop’s eye. It was not just any normal stake, it had to of been big enough for the size of the giant, and it was done without any help from his crew. Gilgamesh’s strength was shown through his victories against supernatural demons and creatures. An example of this would be Gilgamesh’s victory against the Bull of Heaven. Although this victory was not one alone, he shows true strength in his fight, especially since the Bull of Heaven was a supernatural creature. In Harry’s case, his strength did not just revolve around physicalness but also in his mind and power. Harry performed lots of potent magic, which is magic with great influence or effect. We realize that this kind of magic wasn’t just pure magic but also had to involve some of his strength and skill. He physically has to show strength to keep the magic ongoing to spread to whatever amount of evil It may have to, and if not then his mission would not be complete.

Although many believe that a hero must wear a cape, it is shown that many heroes such as Modern Harry Potter, and Ancient Odysseus and Gilgamesh fit right into the same category. Ancient heroes may be the earliest sign of power, but modern heroes like Harry Potter share many of the same traits such as bravery, intelligence, and strength. These traits all contribute to their meaning of being a true hero, which is to keep many safe and strive for greatness. 

A posse of people consists of specific and international behavior that sets them apart from other distinctive groups. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling is a magical realism novel. In it, the protagonist, Harry Potter, sets off to Hogwarts – a school of wizardry. There, he learns about what it takes to become a wizard. Before he can start with lessons and lectures, new students like him are placed into particular houses by who they are as individuals. There are a total of four houses and they are known as Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, however, only three of the four will be discussed. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster, Thomas describes symbolism as a particular meaning (or various amounts of meanings) behind practically anything, as it all depends on what had been deduced while reading. Due to this, it can be inferred that each house correlates to a certain kind of symbolism, their corresponding names revealing much about the houses as well.

Harry, along with his friends Ron and Hermoine, have been placed in the House of Gryffindor. A while before that though, when Harry is to be assigned to be in one of the four houses for the very first time, the new students are told by the Sorting Hat at the ceremony that “You might belong in Gryffindor, / Where dwell the brave of heart, / Their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart;” (Rowling 118). The word “Gryffindor” shares a root with the word “Griffin” which is a type of mythological creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. This creature typically represents strength and courage in Greek Mythology. As such, Gryffindors are mentioned to stand fierce when met with difficult situations. An example of this would be Neville, who is constantly attempting to persist alongside his peers, although he is often shown to flounder with internal struggles and is frequently challenged by those of Slytherin. Such behavior is recognized by Dumbledore as he awards Neville ten points for his courage (Rowling 306). Gryffindors are also rather daring, often placing themselves in the face of danger. Harry, Hermoine, and Ron are frequently seen placing themselves in danger for the greater good, as represented when they are off on a quest to retrieve the Sorcerer’s Stone from the Forbidden Corridor. This reflects how dearly Gryffindors hold a strong sense of morality, turning to even the most absurd of ideas to protect the good against what is evil.

Slytherin has a rather controversial prominence in the novel. Being highly regarded as the root of evil, since Voldemort had once been sorted into that house, the house had gained a rather off-putting reputation. It is not entirely correct as the students that pertain to the house are trying their best to rid themselves of their adverse repute, though the qualities are still within every one of them. During the same opening ceremony in which the students were to receive the name of the house they would be in, Slytherin is to be brought up when the Sorting Hat states, “Or perhaps in Slytherin / You’ll make your real friends, / Those cunning folk use any means / To achieve their ends” (Rowling 118). The word “Slytherin” has a similar sound to the term “Slither”, which is easily associated with the movement of a snake. Snakes are depicted as guileful creatures, and this equates to the fact of how Slytherins are cunning. Slytherins are shown to be intelligent, though in the sense of using information for certain advantages, as did Voldemort when he used Professor Quirrell in an attempt to obtain the Sorcerer’s Stone to regain his body. Slytherins are also filled with vast amounts of determination. Howbeit, this determination is all for self-centered purposes in the novel. Snape held a close eye on Harry and was set on protecting him against Professor Quirrell for the sole reason of making it up to Harry’s deceased father, who had once saved his life. Slytherins have a strong sense of resilience and will stop at nothing if it means gaining something for any personal reason.

Out of all of the houses in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hufflepuffs are seen as a more inferior type of group. Draco Malfoy had his fair share of negative opinions when he met Harry for the first time when they were to get their robes measured, saying, “Imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” (Rowling 77). Although not taking away the spotlight for the entirety of the novel, it is important to note that positive words were said about the house, yet it exemplified mediocrity to every other student. When the Sorting Hat announced what the Hufflepuffs were capable of during Harry’s first Hogwarts Ceremony, it stated, “You might belong in Hufflepuff, / Where they are just and loyal, / Those patient Hufflepuffs are true / And unafraid of toil;” (Rowling 118). Hufflepuffs are described to be the most faithful out of all the other students in Hogwarts. They are patient and portray dedication, usually giving it their full potential in whatever task they are to face. Additionally, Hufflepuffs are introduced as honest and humble individuals, epitomizing everything they do with ethical morality, similar to that of a Gryffindor. Because of the lack of richness within Hufflepuff’s characteristics, they are looked down upon by the other houses. In other words, Hufflepuff does not exuberantly stand out in Hogwarts.

Coteries, factions, and blocs are included in literature to serve as dividers between a large number of people to distinguish them more efficiently. Every group symbolizes a grander meaning based on characteristics and behaviors. In Hogwarts, students are categorized by their personalities into four houses. Those houses have different views regarded towards them just as much as they differ from the other houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff all provide insights as to what their house stands for. The students also have a lot to do with the representation of the houses as well. Harry is a Gryffindor, and Voldemort is a Slytherin. Both characters have contrasting characteristics that pertain to the house they are in. Each house has its ideals, thoughts, and views on how things should be done.

Myth is an important stage in the human experience. Without you, the world would be a terrible place. Thought is essential to human wisdom and happiness. Dreams teach us about the right people.

Although mythical characters are woven from a series of dreams, their basic nature is based primarily on real people. Fantasy teaches us to admire the interior of the pinnacle notch in general. Unfortunately, we take reality for granted. Because it is part of our daily routine, it is by no means new that we are as young as we were when we were children, we separate it. Happily, myths are redirecting our view. Dreams teach us to embrace solid truths.

There are some uncomfortable facts with which we now decide not to think. Every day we are confronted with poverty, hunger, war, mental illness, and even the evils within us. Life is a wonderful, uncomplicated covenant that enables us to forget that the world is a dark place. As a result, we create a mental divide when it comes to topics that touch our hearts.

Reading fairy tales is one way to grow up to be more receptive. Because myths are not true (at least above), we have an accurate agreement that has increased tolerance for controversial ideas. We open the gates and let the author’s beliefs do what is in our hearts.

As one of the best-selling fairy tales in history, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone introduced one of the most popular and traditional heroes to Harry Potter. Harry is an ordinary orphan boy who initially did not know about the complex future that awaited him at Hogwarts ‘School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In the first installment of the Harry Potter series, Rowling introduces the treacherous land of Hogwarts and its inhabitants to the full extent of the human condition behind that deceptive world.

Rowling may have chosen to write just a simple fictional message conveying the same message as a deceptive novel but he craved the illusion that overshadowed complex morals, maturity, love, family, and the theme of right and wrong. Writing fictional narratives offers greater freedom in artfully conveying accurate information than fiction based on fact. Dreams and Realities of Harry Potter Character

According to some critics, the cause behind the success of the novel in history is its ability to create a single, localized world of amazing characters that evoke common problems. ‘Memories are full of the right ingredients: intelligent and courageous characters, magic, humor, humorous and bizarre settings, and a satisfying mix of myths and facts.’ People can relate to the characters’ behavior because of the truth they do now. you can no longer act honestly like a normal person everyone is familiar with; instead, most of the main characters have complex personalities that are familiar to the person.

Harry Potter’s fictional character is an 11-year-old orphan living with his common cousin Dudley Dursley as well as his ruthless uncles and uncles, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. His dramatic ending begins when he is summoned to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft with the help of headteacher Albus Dumbledore. As he grows up, facing his journey, and the adventures with his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, he turns into a picture of a young boy growing up as he faces critical situations regarding his recognition and the death of his parents. Despite the fact that the story is set in a dream world, Harry is known as the most familiar person in his age group.

His frustrations, desires, and loneliness are largely based on the thoughts and feelings that are common to real people. When confronted with the Mirror of Erised, where the word ‘awakening’ is the ability to ‘desire’ when reading backward, he expresses his desires for sincere longing as true people do. Desire is an important part of a person’s lifestyle and being in a position to manage it can appear as frustrating as Harry’s state of affairs when he longs to see his mother and father and meet them. However, frustration leads to hatred as he discovers that it was formerly Lord Voldemort, the main villain in the story, who is responsible for the death of his parents.

The conflict between the two characters can also be seen as confusing as both are guilty of killing each other. Clearly, social and moral issues, such as selfishness, power, prestige, and prominence, appear to be among the darkest issues in the world today. These stories show how they should be blamed for war, apartheid, and crime in the real world as it is in Harry Potter’s world. All of this is very evident these days when Rowling criticizes such problems in the age-old war of good and evil.

Hogwarts specifically represents the wisdom of daily living where students are disciplined and taught to stay inside the school. Instead of teaching topics such as Mathematics, Language, and Science, Hogwarts ‘teaches a challenge like Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions to allow them to use their magic gadgets in the right way.

These courses are very similar to academic subjects as they will in time become the prerequisites for the work that each scholar should see in the future. Clearly, this ingenious set-up combines daily computer programming with real-life intelligence and purpose. Hogwarts also revealed

Ancient Myths, legends, and folk tales have played a huge role when it comes to modern media, especially in the film industry. A big example of the influence of mythology, specifically Greek Mythology, in today’s entertainment industry is the Harry Potter series. Many characters, creatures, and even storylines that have happened in Harry Potter are based on myths or even a legend from Ancient Greek Mythology. The characters have a very interesting role when it comes to similarities and differences between what happens in the books and movies and what happens in the actual Ancient Greek myths, but what I found most interesting was the similarities and differences with the animals and creatures of Greek Mythology in the Harry Potter world.

One of the biggest creature inspirations from Greek mythology that is in the Harry Potter world has to be the three-headed dog or Fluffy as they call him. In Greek mythology, Fluffy is known as Cerberus. In Greek Mythology, it was Cerberuses’ job to guard to entrance Hades, which was the underworld where only dead spirits were allowed to enter and were not allowed to leave. Not only was Cerberus considered a watchdog for the underworld, but he was a loyal servant for Hades and also welcomed new dead spirits to the underworld while also preventing the spirits from reentering the living world and keeping those who didn’t have permission to enter into the underworld.

The twelfth and final labor of Heracles was the rescue of Cerberus for the King of Tiryns, Euripides. There are many different versions of the story of how Heracles obtained Cerberus, two of the more popular versions of the myth I read on www.greekgodsandgoddesses.net stated, “Heracles was told by Hades he could have Cerberus if he defeated the animal using only the weapons he carried with him. In this version, Heracles uses his lion-skin shield to protect himself from two of the dog’s heads as he chokes the third one. Cerberus then submits to Heracles.” While Cerberus has a very interesting myth to it, the way it’s portrayed in Harry Potter isn’t as intense as it is in the mythology stories that are being told.

In the Harry Potter world, Cerberus is named “Fluffy” and is originally owned by Hagrid. Fluffy was loaded to Headmaster Dumbledore to help guard the Philosopher’s Stone. One big difference between the myth and the film adaptation was Fluffy’s inability to remain awake when a musical instrument is played, specifically a flute, which was used in the movie. Another change that was made in the movie to Fluffy’s characteristics was to give each of the three heads their own personability. The movie had one head as smart, one as sleepy, and the last one as alert. Besides the inability to stay awake and the three different personalities, Fluffy is portrayed similar to Cerberus in the sense that Fluffy is a ferocious, savage, and violent creature.

Along with Fluffy, another mirrored creature from the Greek Mythology world and the Harry Potter world is the Phoenix. The Phoenix is known to be a maestoso bird-like mythological creature living in a “paradise”. In the myth, it is said that the Phoenix never really dies, the Phoenix was known for being reborn. For the Phoenix to be reborn, it would have to leave “paradise” and fly into the mortal world where it would sing Apollo, the God of the Sun, the most beautiful and soul-stirring song, so powerful that Apollo had to stop his chariots to listen. After the song, Apollo continued on his journey and the flames from his path fell onto the Phoenix’s nest causing the Phoenix to ignite and flames and end the life cycle, but three days later, a new Phoenix would ascend from the ashes and emerge into the next life cycle.

Similar to the myth, the Phoenix rebirth story is similar in the sense they burst into flames and then rebirth through the ashes, the only difference is the time period. In the myth, it’s about three days later the Phoenix rises from their respective ashes, and in the Harry Potter world, it’s almost an instant rebirth. In the Harry Potter series, specifically in The Chamber of Secrets, we see the Phoenix play a big role in the movie. In the movies, Headmaster Dumbledore actually has a Phoenix as a pet, named Fawkes. In the film industry, it is quite common to take a classic story and add characteristics or a twist to have something fall into place with the plot, which in this case, happened with the Phoenix. Unlike the myth, in the Harry Potter series, the Phoenix’s tears are considered the only antidote to a Basilisk bite.

Films might not always integrate every aspect of a person, creature, or storyline they use as inspiration for a film, but sometimes they take something and make it so much better. Earlier I talked about how the Phoenix would sing to Apollo while he would ride his chariot in the sky, they used the song The Phoenix in a way that would honor Headmaster Dumbledore in the best way. In Goblet of Dire, mid-duel in the graveyard when Harry’s and Voldemort’s wand cores connected, it created a sound, similar to the song the Phoenix would sing giving Harry giving him the hope he needed.

Another mirrored creature from Greek Mythology that shows up in the Harry Potter world are centaur. Overall, they aren’t mirrored very well between Mythology and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In Mythology, Centaurs are creatures that settled in the mountains in Thessaly. Like most creatures, there are many different origin stories. One story of how Centaurs were created was the mating of a Centaur and Nephele, who is a nymph created by Zeus, and they produced offspring and left them with Chiron, who is an immortal centaur. Unlike how they are portrayed in Harry Potter, in Ancient myths centaurs were depicted as unruly, unrestrained, and disruptive. The most well-known centaur is Chiron, who was civilized, rich, and wise. Chiron was a very minor character in Greek Mythology, he was the son of Philyra and Cronus, as well as an aide for many heroes like Hercules and Achilles.

In Harry Potter, Centaurs are portrayed the complete opposite as they are in Greek Mythology. Centaurs in the Wizarding World are super chill and basically, mind their own business. They live in herds in the Forbidden Forest and observe events and what goes on instead of involving themselves. Centaurs were even once offered to be classified as beings and to take part of the government but declined and would rather not be a part of the government. Over the many books, we have gotten to know some centaurs, Magorian who was the leader of the centaurs in the forest, and Ronan who was the first centaur we were introduced to.

It was important that the portrayal of characters and creatures of Greek mythology could make or break the future of the mythological production of movies. The series took many inspirations from Greek mythology and made it their own while still respecting the original myth. They were able to go beyond simple storytelling and created something that will stick with people, who normally would never have gotten into Greek mythology. They were able to take myths modernize them and create an entirely different world that will forever be a stepping stone in what has become a cinematic universe.

Overall, I think what modern-day society has done with the Harry Potter series and how the incorporation of Greek Mythology has influenced today’s work will influence movies and books for the rest of time. They were able to take different aspects of an entire ancient world and make it their own while still including the original origin of their inspiration and combining it with a series. I don’t think anyone could think of anything to change or incorporate to change the Wizarding World as it’s so unique to itself, that any outside change wouldn’t make it what the world is today.