He stared at his hands, watching with morbid fascination as dried blood flaked of. Staring up at the sky, he gagged. He hunched over, dry heaving into the ground, until his throat was raw and tears sprang into his eyes. He tried, in vain, to stymie the flow of tears but he knew it was inevitable. Tears that had been forced down for so many years had finally had a chance at being released.
Gasping, painful sobs erupted out of his mouth.
He curled up on the ground, wanting to lay there for just a little while longer. He hadn’t had a chance. They wanted him to die. To give himself over for the good of the world. But what was good for him?
Hiccups escaped his mouth, leaving him gasping for breath.
And so he did; his head held high. Mouth quirked up in a parody of a smirk, a taunt on his lips, he walked.
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He walked to his death. Snot and tears mixed, leaving a sticky, salty mess down his face. And it hurt. My god did it hurt. His body, his magic, fought and fought. It refused to bend to the will of such hurt. But all those who fought would eventually fall. And so it did, all at once, allowing the killing magic to hit him full force. It attacked his body, removing all that he was and leaving the remains for the critters. Heart wrenching screams pierced the relatively quiet forest. And for one second he knew peace. He could feel the cold nothingness that was death and he reached out to it with a relieved sob. Finally it was over. Finally he could rest. Finally he could sleep. Hysterical laughter followed the screams. It would appear that he would never know peace. In that moment that he began to hope, to believe that he could finally rest, he was yanked back. “You have to back,” Dumbledore had told him, “they are counting on you.” He wondered though, who did he have to count on? Who did he have to hold him? Who did he have that would accept him the way he was now? Hysterical laughter rose in volume.
The destroyed mess that he was, had no one who would comfort him. His mind flashed back to red hair and intelligent brown eyes before he shook his head.
His hunched over body rose to a crouch. Cradling two wands, a ring, and a cape, a weary Harry Potter made his way to Hogwarts. He needed to make an appearance. He needed to comfort people-oh god Ginny, Ms. Weasley how would they cope with losing so many people? He needed to be strong. He needed to be strong for the people who couldn’t. He could break later. He could break-
“Harry? Blimey mate, we were looking all over for you.” Dean Thomas’ voice ripped through the thinly veiled calm Harry had erected. In that moment, the boy-who-lived collapsed into the arms of a concerned boy. Sobbing, screaming for all those who had lost something in the war.
In that moment Harry Potter cried for his friends.
He cried for Teddy. For Remus and Sirius and his parents.
But most of all, he cried for himself. He cried for the life he had lost, the life he could’ve had. The life he had wanted to have. He screamed and cried until he couldn’t anymore.
And in that moment, The-Boy-Who-Lived
died.
and the life he knew was now gone . All he could do now was cry , the only way he knew
"Different emotions battled for dominance in his mind and heart. Confusion. Curiosity. Panic. Fear. But laced through it all was the dark feeling of utter hopelessness..."(Dashner, page #(chapter 2 paragraph 11)
Since the first segment of the series was released in 1997, Harry Potter has been challenged by churches and parents due to the practicing of magic by children found within the books. The books have been removed from school shelves, discouraged by churches, and censored by parents. It is claimed that Harry Potter is devilish, satanic, and encourages children to practice the occult, damaging their religious views (LaFond). Therefore, many parents keep their children from reading the book series. Yet, Harry Potter has been such a positive influence on my so many lives. Evident through the movies, theme parks, stores, and much more, J.K. Rowling’s series has been an overwhelming success for many reasons (“Because it’s his…”). In order to encourage
Abanes, Richard. "Harry Potter: Harmless Christian Novel or Doorway to the Occult?" Interview. The Christian Broadcasting Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. In this interview, Author Richard Abanes provides information to parents about Harry Potter and the concerns and dangers with modern day fantasy literature. Supplying a priest’s expert opinion, this interview discusses children’s susceptibleness to outside influences and the different types of fantasy literature. Its unyielding, yet respectable position, including references to other Christian fantasy series such as The Chronicles of Narnia, will be advantageous for my argument in that it provides an alternative viewpoint from my own. Being a counterargument, this source can be used to help shape an argument in rebuttal of the points made in this argument. Sources that argue that Harry Potter does indeed contain Christian aspects will be helpful in a rebuttal of this source.
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
...opped, choking with sobs, and, overcome by emotion, flung herself face downward on the bed, sobbing in the quilt” (223). The emotion of him were shown throughout the “Dead” and brought the individuals in society closer together through the dark times.
In movies, novels, and life, people are named as heroes. The heroes we establish and the heroes we recognize, however, may not meet the criteria for a mythic hero. A mythic hero ventures forth on his journey, and comes forth from the hero’s path to greatness. Joseph Campbell, a mythologist who studied many of the great human myths and religious tales, realized, in studying these myths and tales, that there were certain steps that every hero went through. Campbell called this “The Hero’s Journey”; it is based on Carl Jung's idea that all human beings have an archetype. After Campbell studied a lot of the great myths and realized this pattern, he published his findings in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Ever since then, authors have used “The Hero’s Journey” as an outline to tell their stories. “It is important to note that not all of these individual steps are present in every hero’s tale, nor is it important that they be in this exact order” (Vogler 20). The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives a sense of significance as it looks into the inner mind and soul. The author, Joseph Campbell, performs two extraordinary accomplishments: compelling his readers that myth and dream, those are the most effective and everlasting forces in life and a unification of mythology and psychoanalysis with a gripping narrative. One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby.
A Literary Analysis of the Themes of Identity and Self-Realization in the Fantasy World of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
This past March I visited Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida for the first time in years. As all things, it has changed drastically over time. Some rides remained the same, but others not so much. Universal Studios is a magical place to begin with, but add in two separate Wizard Worlds and you’ll be begging for more. As I have grown, I was never interest in Harry Potter; however, after only one day running through the Wizard World I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the books and movies. First, I dove into Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Then, to complete the first pieces in the series, I watched Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone directed by Chris Columbus. Both pieces were exceptional and I enjoyed both; however, I believe the movie is slightly better.
The first Harry Potter book came out in 1997, and no one at the time could imagine that in the 10 years that followed, it would become the most read children’s book and a $6.4 billion worth film franchise. The aim of this essay is to try to explain the reason for the popularity of the Harry Potter books. The aim is also to show the changes that the series caused, how they influenced the people who read them, how they had an impact on literacy and overall, on British popular culture. In the first part of the essay I will briefly explain the beginning of the Harry Potter phenomenon and its growing popularity in the countries all over the world. In the second part I will deal with the character of Harry, explaining why he has such an appeal to the readers and how come people identify with him. In the third part, I will explain the impact Harry Potter books have on society, how they influence young adults and children. The fourth part will deal with the controversies about Harry Potter, the views and thoughts of religious people who see Harry Potter as a book that should be banned. In the fifth part, I will mention the difference the phenomenon caused when it comes to the book business and the film industry of Britain.
It dawned on me, then and there, that Aaron had seen in me the same pain he had felt all his life. No, he had never lost his mother, but he knew what sadness was, the kind of sadness that leaves you breathless and unable to do anything but lay, helpless and hopeless, in bed. Our stories were so different, but our emotions were exactly same. We all felt, deep down, that there were so many battles being fought in our heads that we didn't think we had a chance of winning,
In the novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K Rowling introduces her main character, a 11-year old British wizarding student, Harry Potter. Harry is described to have jet-black hair, green eyes, and to be pale, skinny, and bespectacled. While Harry was still and infant, he was responsible for the downfall of a dark and powerful wizard, as a result his name is known to everyone wizarding world. In the novel, despite all the fame and admiration he has, Harry only recently finds out he is a wizard, and that he is famous. Therefore Harry feels burdened and insecure with all the attention he is receiving, and at the end of the novel, he proves himself to be an incredible wizard. Throughout the novel we learn Harry is brave, curious and modest.
One of the most read series in all literature is Harry Potter. The seven-book succession has sold over 400 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. What is it that makes this series so wildly famous? What is it about the boy who lived that makes frenzied readers flock to their local bookstore at midnight on the day of the release to buy the latest installment? How is a story set in a world that doesn’t exist about wizards, witches, magic, and mystical creatures so popular? The series has been able to earn its spot on the New York Times Bestseller list and has granted author J.K. Rowling multiple awards because it is relatable. It is not the setting or the events in the plot of the story that we relate to. We relate to what Harry, his friends, mentors, teachers, caretakers, and even enemies feel. Harry is in a lot of ways exactly like us. He represents some of the good characteristics that all of us have as well as the bad. The series as a whole, is about one thing that is stressed over and over again in the novels, love. The Harry Potter series is one of the most read sequences of novels because the central theme is love and self-sacrifice, and readers are looking for a novel that shows them just that.
Harry Potter is an orphaned boy whose parents were attacked and killed by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The boy survived the horrible slaying, which left him with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He lives with his disagreeable uncle and aunt and unpleasantly selfish cousin during summer months. The boy attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he learns about potions, flying on a broomstick, and fighting off the evil Lord Voldemort.
..., but no trace of tears. I suppose, then, your heart has been weeping blood?’” (344).