3 entries about Potter

Main character portrait

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets

You may think Harry would be a secretive and anxious person because of his traumatized passed. Already as a toddler he lost both of his parents and was forced to live with his aunt’s hostile family. Throughout the years he was both physical and mentally abused, but in some way he never lost the sparkle of life. In my eyes, he’s brave, curious and naive, which often leads him into dangerous adventures. Fortunately he also owns the gift of being a brilliant wizard with a warm and sensitive heart. For example, he sacrifices himself for Ginny in the chamber of secrets. He doesn’t run or hide as a child could do. Instead he fights the Basilisk and gets awarded with the sward of Gryffindor.  All together make Harry a great hero

On the other hand, there are other views. Harry’s aunt Petunia, her husband Vernon and their son Dudley, aren’t fond of him at all. Since they’re only humans, Harry’s magical powers scare them. Uncertainty creates fear and in this case I believe they express the fear in anger and hate. They are also chasing a perfect image where Harry is a pure obstacle in their way to success. For instance, when the Dursleys have a couple over for dinner, Harry isn’t even allowed to participate, instead he’s ordered to “…be in my room, making no noise and pretending I’m not there.” They don’t want people to know their terrible secret about Harry’s odd abilities.

Harry Potter has, beside his troubled childhood, a great fame. All over the world people look up to him as the boy who stopped Lord Voldermort. It’s easy to understand them. He was a dark wizard capable to take many lives on his way to the power. Even though Harry only was a baby and never did anything particular, he became the opposite symbol for Lord Voldermort, evil and injustice. He became the symbol for love, hope and future.

The other students at Hogwarts experience Harry’s fame and his close connection to Voldermort as both frightening and exciting. When the chamber of secrets against all odds opens once again, people believe it’s because of Harry. I suppose it’s superior to gossip about, at the same time as it would be truly dangerous if it was true.

Harry is always uncomfortable with the fame though. Maybe it reminds him of the death of his parents and the reason to his current home. I guess he wishes it never happened.

Among his friends he’s just like any other eleven years old boy and that’s where he feels comfortable. Ron and Hermione love Harry for his good heart. They rely, help each other and simply enjoy themselves. I believe they are so close friends that his fame and background aren’t what matter. They value his personality more.          The settings

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets is set in mainly two different environments.

First of all, London, with the suburbia. Harry lives with his relatives at number four, Private Drive in Little Whinging.  It’s a neighborhood of upper middleclass, where for instance perfect cut green lawns with water sprinklers are a must. People are sneak peeking over the impressive hedges or through the clean shining windows. If your car isn’t recently washed or there are other visual imperfections, it affects your value and position as a person. I imagine it as very strict and cold environment. Everything must be in control. I don’t believe the neighbors are friends in any way. It seems like they see each other more like enemies in some kind of exaggerated game.

As a contrast to this over the top normal society, there is magical Hogwarts. It’s situated in a green forest area in Scotland just by a lake. It’s an enormous castle with hundreds of towers and turrets. Surrounded by a high stone wall and powerful gates, the school is supposed to be one of the safest places in the country. Many stairs and corridors are constantly changing and moving as a contrast to stringency of Private Drive. Nothing here is predictable or controlled because of the age and all forgotten secrets of the castle. No one for example really believed the Chamber of Secrets existed until Harry and Ginny could prove it. There was a hidden passage in a sink which only could be opened by those who speak parseltongue.

I believe J.K Rowling chose these environments to create this specific contrast and energy to the story and also to make it real. In Little Whinging there are no signs of magic at all. It’s a calm normal area for humans. It makes this unbelievable plot truer.

At Hogwarts there’re green wild nature, unusual creatures like the Basilisk, magic and supernatural spirits. It’s the authors fulfilled fantasy world. Thanks to the unpredicted, she doesn’t need to relieve everything at once. There are 7 novels about Harry Potter. Through this way she could save surprises or put other fascinating details in the further book she wrote.

This world of witchcraft and wizardry is full of facts and everything fits perfect to the story, but I don’t think it would be as successful if it wasn’t for the contrast to the real world. The fact that there might be another world, a complete other society with magical powers, living next to us without our knowledge, is mesmerizing. 

He’s all alone in the night

In the cupboard under the stairs
An innocent child is found
There’s no one who cares
No one who’s there
He’s all alone in the night

Away took death his mother
One terrible accident
Gone is also his father
No parents to share their love
He’s all alone in the night

But somewhere in a hidden past
A great hero was found
One lightning so fast
One lightning went bad
And Harry Potter survived

A passed of tragic
A future of magic
He won’t be alone in the night