Harry Potter Totalitarianism
Topic:
The use of themes, stereotypes, mirror effects and totalitarianism as shown through the protagonist and antagonist in ‘Harry Potter’.
Research Question:
How does characterisation creates the theme of good versus evil in the ‘Harry Potter’ series.
abstract
Out of curiosity of how the ‘Harry Potter’ series, authored by J.K. Rowling, has achieved its immense level of success and why this may be, I decided to investigate how characterisation of the protagonist and antagonist created the theme of good versus evil in the novels. As main components, the use of stereotypes, mirror effects, thematic developments and extended allusions are analysed. The primary sources that were used were all seven ‘Harry Potter’ novels, as it was determined …show more content…
What will happen to those who call themselves – or so rumour has it – Death Eaters?” … ‘My friends,’ he said, after a moment’s pause, ‘will carry on without me, I am sure.’ ‘I am glad to hear that you consider them friends,’ said Dumbledore. ‘I was under the impression that they are more in the order of servants.’”19 Voldemort applies for the job at Hogwarts with no intention of becoming a teacher, but rather for an excuse to visit the school for own personal benefit; to create another Horcrux, and attempts to lessen Dumbledore’s suspicions of him through the false pretences of not being a deranged psychopath. It can therefore be deduced that in good, you are capable of love and loving your friends, while in evil you are not because a person having succumbed to evil will always have his or her best interest ahead of others, regardless of the situation. As was briefly mentioned before, sacrifice also plays a distinctive role in differentiating between good and evil through their respective interpretations of the act. Good veers towards self-sacrifice and favours inflicting pain upon itself rather than upon others, innocents in particular, and this is heavily portrayed through Harry in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. A specific example of this is seen in ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ where Harry, acting upon his gut intuition of evil being omnipresent beyond the usual, decides to give his only supply of lucky potion, Felix Felicis, to his closest friends to ensure that their lives will be saved through liquid luck: “’Why do I need socks?’ asked Ron. ‘You need what’s wrapped in them; it’s the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourself and Ginny too. Say goodbye to her from me. I’d better go, Dumbledore’s waiting –‘ ‘No!’ said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. ‘We don’t want it, you take it, who knows what you’re going to be
The use of themes, stereotypes, mirror effects and totalitarianism as shown through the protagonist and antagonist in ‘Harry Potter’.
Research Question:
How does characterisation creates the theme of good versus evil in the ‘Harry Potter’ series.
abstract
Out of curiosity of how the ‘Harry Potter’ series, authored by J.K. Rowling, has achieved its immense level of success and why this may be, I decided to investigate how characterisation of the protagonist and antagonist created the theme of good versus evil in the novels. As main components, the use of stereotypes, mirror effects, thematic developments and extended allusions are analysed. The primary sources that were used were all seven ‘Harry Potter’ novels, as it was determined …show more content…
What will happen to those who call themselves – or so rumour has it – Death Eaters?” … ‘My friends,’ he said, after a moment’s pause, ‘will carry on without me, I am sure.’ ‘I am glad to hear that you consider them friends,’ said Dumbledore. ‘I was under the impression that they are more in the order of servants.’”19 Voldemort applies for the job at Hogwarts with no intention of becoming a teacher, but rather for an excuse to visit the school for own personal benefit; to create another Horcrux, and attempts to lessen Dumbledore’s suspicions of him through the false pretences of not being a deranged psychopath. It can therefore be deduced that in good, you are capable of love and loving your friends, while in evil you are not because a person having succumbed to evil will always have his or her best interest ahead of others, regardless of the situation. As was briefly mentioned before, sacrifice also plays a distinctive role in differentiating between good and evil through their respective interpretations of the act. Good veers towards self-sacrifice and favours inflicting pain upon itself rather than upon others, innocents in particular, and this is heavily portrayed through Harry in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. A specific example of this is seen in ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ where Harry, acting upon his gut intuition of evil being omnipresent beyond the usual, decides to give his only supply of lucky potion, Felix Felicis, to his closest friends to ensure that their lives will be saved through liquid luck: “’Why do I need socks?’ asked Ron. ‘You need what’s wrapped in them; it’s the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourself and Ginny too. Say goodbye to her from me. I’d better go, Dumbledore’s waiting –‘ ‘No!’ said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. ‘We don’t want it, you take it, who knows what you’re going to be