Analysis of Characters
In the novels “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, J.K. Rowling uses a third person point of view in order to convey the character development, ultimately illustrating the behavioral instincts of the characters throughout the stories.
To begin, Rowling presents a third person narrator to reflect Harry’s instincts, which highlights his character growth from the beginning of the stories to the end. To illustrate, Harry was isolated by human society at the beginning of the story. Once he went to Hogwart, he realized he was famous, but he still valued the same beliefs. This demonstrates Harry’s instincts because typically individuals who shift from isolation into the spotlight would become arrogant. Consequently, since Harry was loyal to his beliefs, he developed many relationships that assisted him in growing his character into a hero. Furthermore, his devotion to being kind caused him to grow due to the fact that he expanded his relationships with his peers. Therefore, Harry turned from a loner to a hero, but stayed humbled; thus, the narrator created a selfless hero who would do anything for the greater good.
In addition, showcasing Draco Malfoy’s instincts, the narrator expands the character development and the different values of the character which adds to the plot of the story. For example, Draco tormented Harry throughout the books, but it turns out he was jealous of Harry because of his fame. This evidence highlights Draco’s instincts to bring down others he is threatened by because doing so made him feel better about himself. Consequently, since Draco was threatened by Harry, he strained relationships that could have benefited him, and he became a ‘villain’ in the story. Furthermore, his actions caused him to become more arrogant and egotistical due to the fact that he was jealous of the attention Harry was receiving from society. Therefore, Draco became a misunderstood character because of his internal conflict between doing good or listening to his father; thus, the narrator presented a complex character that developed a complicated growth due to his difficult dispute with himself.
Overall, J.K. Rowling developed many characters through the books whether they were faced with a change in scenery or an internal conflict. By showcasing the characters' different upbringing and their different values through a third person narrator, Rowling evolves her characters, which leads the character to mature at such a young age.