Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideasexplored in a literary work.
The Value of Humility
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone emphasizesthe virtue of humility by showcasing the extraordinary modesty ofits hero and by making this modesty an important part of Harry’ssuccess in obtaining the Sorcerer’s Stone. Harry’s humility is nodoubt ingrained in him during his ten miserable years of neglectand cruelty with the Dursleys. But Harry does not stop being humblewhen he gains fame, wealth, and popularity at Hogwarts. His reactionto the discovery that everyone seems to know his name on the trainto Hogwarts does not make him primp and pose, but rather only makeshim hope that he can manage to live up to his reputation. In thisrespect, he contrasts sharply with Draco Malfoy, who prides himselfon his family reputation and downplays achievement.
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Similarly, when it becomes apparent that Harry has anastounding gift for Quidditch, his reaction is not to glory in hissuperstar abilities, but rather to practice more industriously thanbefore. When Harry breaks Quidditch records by catching the Golden Snitchin the first five minutes of the game, he does not even pause to appreciatethe applause of the crowd, but rushes off. Harry’s refusal to glorifyhimself is instrumental in getting the stone because he differsfrom wicked wizards like Quirrell in that he desires only to find theStone for the common good, not to use it to acquire personal fameor fortune. If Harry were less humble, he would be unable to seizethe stone. He is the extreme opposite of Voldemort, who strivesonly to achieve his own selfish goals.
The Occasional Necessity of Rebellion
Hogwarts is a well-run institution, with clearly spelledout rules that are strictly enforced. Midlevel teachers and schooladministrators like Professor McGonagall constantly police studentsfor violations, and the rules are taken seriously. Even at the highestlevel of the Hogwarts administration, there is a clear respect forthe rules. Dumbledore is a stern taskmaster. He makes a very gentleand warm welcome speech to the first-year students, but he throwsin a few menacing reminders about the prohibition of visits to theForbidden Forest and the third-floor corridor. None of these Hogwartsrules ever seems arbitrary or unfair. On the contrary, we generally approveof them, feeling that in a world imperiled by misused magic, strictcontrol over student behavior is necessary.
Even so, it soon becomes clear that Harry is unable toabide perfectly by the rules. He enters the third-floor corridorin the full knowledge that it is forbidden territory, and he donsthe invisibility cloak to inspect the restricted-books section ofthe library. After the flying instructor has clearly prohibitedbroomstick flying until she returns, Harry does not hesitate totake off after Malfoy to retrieve Neville’s stolen toy. And Harryapproves of infractions of the rules by others as well. When Hagridreveals that he is engaged in an illegal dragon-rearing endeavor,Harry not only fails to report Hagrid to the authorities, but actuallyhelps Hagrid with the dragon.
Harry’s occasional rebellions against the rules are notvices or failings. Rather, they enhance his heroism because theyshow that he is able to think for himself and make his own judgments.The contrast to Harry in this respect is the perfectionist Hermione,who never breaks a rule at the beginning and who is thus annoyingto both Harry and us. When she eventually lies to a teacher, showing thatshe too can transcend the rules, Hermione becomes Harry’s friend.One of the main lessons of the story is that while rules are goodand necessary, sometimes it is necessary to question and even breakthem for the right reasons.
The Dangers of Desire
As the pivotal importance of the desire-reflecting Mirrorof Erised reveals, learning what to want is an important part ofone’s development. Excessive desire is condemned from the story’sbeginning, as the spoiled Dudley’s outrageous demands for multipletelevision sets appear foolish and obnoxious. The same type of greedappears later in a much more evil form in the power-hungry desiresof Voldemort, who pursues the Sorcerer’s Stone’s promise of unlimited wealthand life. While Voldemort and Dudley are obviously different inother respects, they share an uncontrollable desire that repels Harryand makes him the enemy of both of them. Desire is not necessarilywrong or bad, as Dumbledore explains to Harry before the Mirrorof Erised—Harry’s desire to see his parents alive is touching andnoble. But overblown desire is dangerous in that it can make peoplelose perspective on life, which is why Dumbledore advises Harrynot to seek out the mirror again. Dumbledore himself illustratesthe power and grandeur of one who has renounced desires almost completelywhen he says that all he wants is a pair of warm socks. This restraintis the model for Harry’s own development in the story.
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideasexplored in a literary work.
The Value of Humility
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone emphasizesthe virtue of humility by showcasing the extraordinary modesty ofits hero and by making this modesty an important part of Harry’ssuccess in obtaining the Sorcerer’s Stone. Harry’s humility is nodoubt ingrained in him during his ten miserable years of neglectand cruelty with the Dursleys. But Harry does not stop being humblewhen he gains fame, wealth, and popularity at Hogwarts. His reactionto the discovery that everyone seems to know his name on the trainto Hogwarts does not make him primp and pose, but rather only makeshim hope that he can manage to live up to his reputation. In thisrespect, he contrasts sharply with Draco Malfoy, who prides himselfon his family reputation and downplays achievement.
Similarly, when it becomes apparent that Harry has anastounding gift for Quidditch, his reaction is not to glory in hissuperstar abilities, but rather to practice more industriously thanbefore. When Harry breaks Quidditch records by catching the Golden Snitchin the first five minutes of the game, he does not even pause to appreciatethe applause of the crowd, but rushes off. Harry’s refusal to glorifyhimself is instrumental in getting the stone because he differsfrom wicked wizards like Quirrell in that he desires only to find theStone for the common good, not to use it to acquire personal fameor fortune. If Harry were less humble, he would be unable to seizethe stone. He is the extreme opposite of Voldemort, who strivesonly to achieve his own selfish goals.
The Occasional Necessity of Rebellion
Hogwarts is a well-run institution, with clearly spelledout rules that are strictly enforced. Midlevel teachers and schooladministrators like Professor McGonagall constantly police studentsfor violations, and the rules are taken seriously. Even at the highestlevel of the Hogwarts administration, there is a clear respect forthe rules. Dumbledore is a stern taskmaster. He makes a very gentleand warm welcome speech to the first-year students, but he throwsin a few menacing reminders about the prohibition of visits to theForbidden Forest and the third-floor corridor. None of these Hogwartsrules ever seems arbitrary or unfair. On the contrary, we generally approveof them, feeling that in a world imperiled by misused magic, strictcontrol over student behavior is necessary.
Even so, it soon becomes clear that Harry is unable toabide perfectly by the rules. He enters the third-floor corridorin the full knowledge that it is forbidden territory, and he donsthe invisibility cloak to inspect the restricted-books section ofthe library. After the flying instructor has clearly prohibitedbroomstick flying until she returns, Harry does not hesitate totake off after Malfoy to retrieve Neville’s stolen toy. And Harryapproves of infractions of the rules by others as well. When Hagridreveals that he is engaged in an illegal dragon-rearing endeavor,Harry not only fails to report Hagrid to the authorities, but actuallyhelps Hagrid with the dragon.
Harry’s occasional rebellions against the rules are notvices or failings. Rather, they enhance his heroism because theyshow that he is able to think for himself and make his own judgments.The contrast to Harry in this respect is the perfectionist Hermione,who never breaks a rule at the beginning and who is thus annoyingto both Harry and us. When she eventually lies to a teacher, showing thatshe too can transcend the rules, Hermione becomes Harry’s friend.One of the main lessons of the story is that while rules are goodand necessary, sometimes it is necessary to question and even breakthem for the right reasons.
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The Dangers of Desire
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As the pivotal importance of the desire-reflecting Mirrorof Erised reveals, learning what to want is an important part ofone’s development. Excessive desire is condemned from the story’sbeginning, as the spoiled Dudley’s outrageous demands for multipletelevision sets appear foolish and obnoxious. The same type of greedappears later in a much more evil form in the power-hungry desiresof Voldemort, who pursues the Sorcerer’s Stone’s promise of unlimited wealthand life. While Voldemort and Dudley are obviously different inother respects, they share an uncontrollable desire that repels Harryand makes him the enemy of both of them. Desire is not necessarilywrong or bad, as Dumbledore explains to Harry before the Mirrorof Erised—Harry’s desire to see his parents alive is touching andnoble. But overblown desire is dangerous in that it can make peoplelose perspective on life, which is why Dumbledore advises Harrynot to seek out the mirror again. Dumbledore himself illustratesthe power and grandeur of one who has renounced desires almost completelywhen he says that all he wants is a pair of warm socks. This restraintis the model for Harry’s own development in the story.