Harry Potter Archetypes

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” This quote by Martin Luther King Jr. explains the archetype “the journey”. Chris Columbus, the director throughout the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone shows the challenges of the journey that creates and shapes a hero. Harry is a young boy wanting a greater purpose in life. His dream to experience the world is held back by the evil of his aunt and uncle who gained custody of him after his parents died. Harry’s past was surfacing as his dream was becoming reality. In his film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Chris Columbus uses the plotline archetype the journey and the hero

to reveal how we as humans in our quest for acceptance want to complete challenging tasks to show that we are important in our society.
The young little wizard, Harry Potter, seen in the opening of the film as a kind boy that feels he has no purpose in life; However, he soon has the opportunity to change his entire life and figure out who he really is.

He will travel suffering hardship and forming friendships in search of his new identity. Harry’s parents were murdered when he was young. He was then taken to a new house by his uncle, where he meets Rubeus Hagrid and his journey begins. While in the bar, The Leaky Cauldron, Hagrid explains to Harry how Voldemort succeeded in murdering his parent but failed in his attempt to murder him. Hagrid further explained “‘...Something about you stumped him that night. That's why you're famous, Harry.’ ‘that’s why everyone knows your name’ ‘you're the boy who lived’”. This quote explains Harry’s past and why everyone knows his name. Harry had always wanted to do something great and to be something greater but his past and present continued to hold him back. Good memories that taught him to keep moving forward replaced the bad memories of the past. This small bit of life shining into his past became the key that opened the door to his

future.
Harry started to accept his life as a wizard and enjoying all of its benefits.

That's when the school for wizards was set into a panic by a troll that somehow found its way into the building. Harry and Rohn were conversing when the question “‘How could a troll get in?’”, arose. Rohn then replied “‘Not by itself. Trolls are really stupid. Probably people playing jokes.’” Then, Suddenly, Harry stops and pulls Ron aside. “‘What?’ ‘Hermione! She doesn't know.’” Harry then takes on the challenge of saving Hermione from the troll. This is the biggest challenge that he has yet to face, but like many great hero’s he will overcome this task and take another step towards his destiny. His heroic instincts override his natural instincts to run away. Harry doesn’t care about little inner conflict. Instead, he is worried about doing the right thing and that is saving his friend, Hermione. Chris Columbus furthers Harry’s journey by making him face yet another task, concurring the troll. Through these difficult challenges, Harry will become the great wizard he was destined to be and possibly a better person, friend, and

hero.
Harry has now fully accepted his life as a wizard and has taken on his birth right, facing Voldemort Harry was separated from his friends and is forced to face the challenge alone. Harry is baffled when he see’s Professor Quirrell and not Professor Snape. Harry woke up in the hospital after his fight with Professor Quirrell. Dumbledore was in the room with Harry when he woke up. Dumbledore then goes on to say “‘only a person who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it.’” This shows how Harry Had fully developed into the great hero and has; consequently, completed his journey. He never really wanted the stone for himself, he just wanted to do the right thing, which was stopping Voldemort Harry had fulfilled his purpose and had found a new one with lied in the hearts of his friends.