CPB: Harry Potter pg. 200-End

Harry to Neville. *"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.* (218)

This seems to reveal a lot of animosity on Harry's part towards Slytherin at an early age. Yeah, he's had some bad experiences with a couple people from Slytherin, but that's no reason to develop a prejudice against them this early on. I find it an interesting decision on J.K. Rowling's part to make one house of Hogwart's the apparent center of most evil in the school; Voldemort came from Slytherin, the Malfoy family, and just about every dark wizard that ever walked the earth did too. That should have raised a few alarm bells with the school faculty, honestly. Maybe it would have been wiser to spread out the evil between the houses a little more.

The fact that Harry was almost going to be placed there could be an indicator that he has some potential for darkness. That potential is explored later in the series as Harry is constantly forced to choose between good (defending friends and family) and evil (not killing people like Bellatrix out of revenge, choosing to fight Voldemort himself rather than hide behind the ministry). He definitely overcomes the selfish instincts that would apparently made him a good candidate for Slytherin.

Although when Harry countered the Sorting Hat's suggestion, he showed his ability to stand up for himself and make his own decisions. It's a bold action on his part that revealed a part of his personal growth as a person, a coming of age event, in other words, a lot like the other characters in the novels we've read.

*"Harry - you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!"* (287)

This would be a comforting lesson for a reader, that academics don't necessarily mean everything. Just because a person doesn't have the best education or a degree from a big university doesn't mean she or he is useless as a person. Harry is a good role model for children, no matter what religious fanatics may say about wizardry or sorcery.

*"You're mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign . . . to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrel, full of hatred, greed, ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."* (299)

According to this passage, the source of all good in the world is me, since I'm the Ball of Love. But seriously, I think this is a good message for families in the world. It's basically saying that, when a person is loved, inclinations of hatred and greed will be erased and replaced with the desire to serve and protect. If more families treated each other with warmth and respect, we would have much less evil in the world because children would grow up learning to love rather than hate.

CPB: Harry Potter pg. 100-200

A part that touches me every time I read this book is the part where Harry is standing in line to get the Sorting Hat placed on his head and he’s getting so nervous that the professors will have made a mistake and discover that he really isn’t a wizard. I’ve had childish, scary moments just like that where your brain immediately concocts every bad situation that could happen. It shows Harry’s humanity and humbleness (yes, I know that this changes as the series goes on, but when he’s a little kid, it’s really cute.

Also, why was Peeves the Poltergeist not included in the movie series? Yes, perhaps he did not add too much to the plot, but to me, he represented a mischievous side that challenges the kids at Hogwarts. For Harry, it could be a Dudley figure that pesters him and constantly tries to belittle him. Harry must overcome the challenge that Peeves presents so that he can come to terms with his own strength. Then again, there are numerous times throughout the novel where he can also show his strength, so I can see how Peeves may not be necessary.

The appearance of Quirrell in the story is something much more significant to those who have already read the story than those who have not. *spoilers* Those who have read it know that he’s got Voldemort attached to the back of his head like a giant leech and can look at the hints brought up in the story itself. Particularly interesting is the “don’t judge a book by its cover” themes I see in the novel. Quirrell is the bad guy all along, but he is portrayed as a weaker character, someone who wouldn’t be able to stand up for himself against the Dark Lord. He also wouldn’t be able to stand up against Snape, whom Harry suspects of being the sinister character.

Snape, on the other hand, is actually an ally, no matter how much his actions seem evil. Like when they are in the Quidditch match and Harry’s broom is hexed and he and his friends point the blame to Snape. In reality, Quirrel was the one jinxing the broom and Snape was muttering charms to safe Harry’s life. One must wonder at this point why it is that Snape doesn’t alert Dumbledore to Quirrel’s actions. Unless Snape didn’t know who was casting the curses and was just muttering the general counter-spell.

The troll incident at Halloween is an opportunity for Harry and Ron to show their heroic sides for the first time (the first real, recognized time, anyway). Now, I know that the teachers were busy evacuating the students, but one would think that they would have arrived just a few moments sooner. But plot-wise, it does allow the author to demonstrate their courage and Harry’s propensity to be a magic prodigy (sorta). Harry is a brave person and the incident can be considered a stepping stone for the rest of his career as a protector and a hero.