Harry Potter: A Journey From Orphan to Magic World - Essay Sample

Introduction

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a tale about a Harry Potter, a ten-year-old orphan who is informed that his parents had died on a road accident. After the death of his parent, Harry went to live with his Uncle Vernon, uncaring Aunt Petunia and Spoiled cousin Dudly in fictional London. One day, Harry found a letter sent to him; however, before he opens it, his uncle took it away. The letters sent to Harry began arriving each day, but, Uncle Vernon tears all of them, finally to prevent additional messages reaching his nephew, the Dursleys relocate to shack on a small island. When Harry turned eleven years old, a giant named Hagrid came to him on his birthday. Hagrid reveals Harry's past and how his parents were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort because his father and mother were a wizard and a witch. Hagrid also reveals that Harry is a Wizard who has been accepted to join the Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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Upon reporting to Hogwarts Schools, Harry receives more attention because of the lightning bolt-shaped scar in his face. He also gained popularity because of his skills in flying using a broomstick. In the broomstick flying lesson, Harry conflict with Malfoy, a student who had taken a toy belonging to Harry's friend who had an accident. Although Harry enjoys most of the lessons, he discovers that Snape, his Potions professor, dislikes him. To settle the score, Malfoy arranges for a midnight duel. As Harry and his friends were going for the duel, they accidentally enter the forbidden corridor, where they met a three-legged dog guarding the trapdoor. Harry concluded that the dog is guarding the mysterious package from Vault 713. He later realized that the mysterious package was a sorcerer's stone and suspected that Voldemort is planning to steal it. To protect the sorcerer's stone, Harry and his friends attempt to reach the stone first. When Harry managed to access the place where the stone is stored, he met Professor Quirrell trying to steal the stone. Upon confronting Quirrell, Harry realized that Lord Voldemort had possessed. Quirrel, however, crumbles after touching Harry's hair, while Harry fainted. Harry later wakes up in the hospital, where he is informed that the Sorcerer's stone had been destroyed to prevent Voldemort from stealing it.

Analysis of the characters

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is the protagonist of the story, who transforms from a fearful and weak individual at the beginning of the story to a powerful hero. He is marked by a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, as well as marked by the confrontation between bad and good magic that caused the scar. Eventually, the story becomes a tale of Harry's vengeance on the evil and good magic that caused his parents' death. As the character mature, he becomes an intelligent, caring, and loyal friend to those around him, as well as a gifted Quidditch player.

Voldemort

Voldemort is depicted as a great wizard who had turned evil. He is a heartless murderer who killed Harry's parents and put a lightening-shaped scar on the face of Harry. The character is associated with deceit and high-flying magic. His weaknesses, however, are that since he does not understand love, he cannot touch Harry's body that is protected by his mother's love.

Hagrid

He is a rough giant groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizards. He is a creature with more kindness than the brain, who genuinely cares for Harry. He loves animals, the extent that sometimes his fondness to them gets him in trouble. In the story, he symbolizes the roles of human warmth and generosity in a world characterized by the presence of devious villains.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as Children's Literature

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a story that fits into the canon of children's literature. Children's literature is determined by some features that are evident in the book. In the book, the subject matter, apart from informational works, is children. Most of the characters, including the protagonist, are children. The setting of the story captures the daily environment of children in society. The main setting was the school environment, where the significant population is children. In compliance with children's literature, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has some elements of fairy tales and imagined characters that are common in this cannon. For example, flying with a broomstick is a form of imagination common among many children.

Analysis of the Appropriateness of the Book to Children

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a book meant for typically 9-to-12-year old. Children at this age generally like to read the stories about protagonists. Besides, the books are written using simple vocabularies that children within the targeted age bracket can understand. In most cases, however, the features that determine age appropriateness of any work to children include the absence of violence and sexual, provocative content. Since the books do not have any of such censored content, it appropriate for the targeted children. The books, however, some scary content such as three-headed dog, and the deed and bleeding unicorn, that have no short or long term impact on the reader. Lastly, the book as a moral story: good win over evil. The books aim at installing morals to children by encouraging them to pursue goodness even in situations that they are facing obstacles that hinder them from pursuing their goals.

Recommendation of the Book

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone is excellent literature for children, particularly those between the age of 9 and 12. It respects the intelligence of children and motivates them to use it in greater complexity and length in solving puzzles and playing imaginative games. The moral lesson in the book is worth instilling in children.

Bibliography

Rowling, Joanne. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. UK: Bloomsbury, 1997.