By: Keethu Shriram
Throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry is forced to explore the emotional toll of trauma as he copes with Cedric Diggory’s death and Voldemort’s resurgence from the previous year. He is haunted by intrusive memories and nightmares, but is also plagued by a sense of growing isolation and emotional struggles. These experiences reflect many of the classic symptoms of PTSD, particularly avoidance and negative thinking, as he distances himself from his friends and becomes overwhelmed by thoughts of guilt and shame. In this blog post, I will examine how Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix portrays PTSD in Harry through his isolation from his support system and the negativity that he feels regarding himself and his purpose in life. Through this analysis, we can better understand the psychological effects of Harry’s journey that shape him as a character that is more than just a hero, but a child that is severely affected by trauma.
In the beginning of the book, Harry begins feeling isolated from his friends, Ron and Hermione. He resents being stuck at the Dursleys’ when his friends are away helping the Order at their headquarters and keeping important information from him, further fueling his anger and detachment from them and the rest of the Order's members. When Mrs. Weasley asks if Harry is doing alright, he chooses not to open up and instead slips away under the premise that he is going to sleep. “Here was a ready-made excuse not to talk to any of the others, which was precisely what he wanted” (Rowling 482). Rather than seeking support from Mrs. Weasley and engaging in conversation with her about his mental struggles, he chooses to withdraw, reflecting the common behavior of avoidance in individuals suffering from PTSD.
Harry is also consumed by extreme guilt and shame over Cedric’s death, blaming himself for Cedric’s passing though it was truly at the hands of Voldemort. He reflects on this often, thinking to himself:
“Hadn’t it been he who had entered that graveyard and watched Cedric being murdered and been tied to that tombstone and nearly killed…? Don’t think about that, Harry told himself sternly for the hundredth time that summer. It was bad enough that he kept revisiting the graveyard in his nightmares, without dwelling on it in his waking moments too” (Rowling 15).
Harry feels a sense of responsibility for Cedric’s fate – even just by simply being present at the graveyard that night – and he is consciously trying to suppress these thoughts and feelings. More specifically, his suppression and warning to himself not to dwell on this event reflects the common coping mechanism of avoidance for those with PTSD. Instead of confronting his feelings of guilt and shame directly, perhaps by sharing his concerns and thoughts with his friends, he tries to push them aside and keep his friends in the dark. This only reinforces his distress throughout the book as he continues to feel alone and isolated.
Harry’s own internal thoughts aren’t the only factors fostering his PTSD symptoms. His environment and society around him rejecting the truth and refusing to believe that Voldemort is back forces Harry to confront himself further and alienate himself. This is clearly portrayed in his exchange with Ron and Hermione in chapter twelve:
"Anyway, what's up Harry?... You look really angry about something."
“Seamus reckons Harry’s lying about You-Know-Who,” said Ron succinctly, when Harry did not respond.
Hermione, whom Harry had expected to react angrily on his behalf, sighed.
“Yes, Lavender thinks so too,” she said gloomily.
“Been having a nice little chat with her about whether or not I’m a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?” Harry said loudly. (Rowling 220)
His classmates’ comments and rejections of Harry’s story reflect a broader sentiment among the rest of the students at Hogwarts who question Harry’s credibility, leaving Harry feeling unsupported even within his own social circle. The suggestions that he’s lying about something so serious – like Cedric’s death and Voldemort’s return – reinforce his feelings of being misunderstood and alone in his trauma. Harry’s response to Hermione in this example reflects his negative self-perception when he calls himself a “lying, attention-seeking prat”. Harry’s perception of how others view him contributes to his ongoing feelings of shame and guilt, showing that he alone is not reinforcing his symptoms but the people around him are, too.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix explores the profound psychological impact of trauma on Harry and his experiences with PTSD. He feels deeply isolated, guilty, shameful, and chooses to avoid his friends and support system as he continues to wallow in his own self-negativity. Harry’s avoidance and negative self-perception helps us gain a better understanding of Harry’s journey as more than just a hero; he is a young child who is profoundly affected by the trauma he has been forced to endure ever since he was a baby, proving that the effects of trauma can and will linger long after the event itself and influence behavior, relationships, and self-identity.
Works Cited
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bloomsbury, 2014.
“Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” Mayo Clinic, 1994-2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) 16 October 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ post-traumatic-stress -disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967. Accessed 20 October 2024.