Harry Potter, the boy who lived
Harry Potter has evolved as a youth icon that is a positive force to
shape the values in the youths of generation next. Harry is loved and
empathized by sensitive minds of our generation who love to dwell in the world
of folktales, fables, and youth fictions. Harry Potter was
brought up by her maternal aunt, Petunia and Vernon Dursely, in Privet Drive, the
family who always hated magical people and their power. He was a lonely and
tortured child. At the age of eleven, he came to know the greatest secret of
his life -the mystery behind death of his parents and his survival. He came to
know that he was not an ordinary boy but a wizard and was taken to Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by the gamekeeper of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid,
an extremely soft hearted half-giant, for advanced studies for seven years
until he matures as a perfect and competent wizard under the custody of
friends, mentors, guides, and supporters. At Hogwarts, he met friends who continued
to support him throughout the gravest of adventures in seven years of school
life- red haired confused and impulsive -Ron Weasley, brilliant in academics
and strict on principles- Hermione Granger, round faced apparently
introvert and shy-Neville Longbottom, and Harry's love - Ginny Weasley, who was
also an excellent Quiddich player. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster mentors him
through the dreadful experiences at schools, enriches, and makes Harry
stronger. He also found other stalwart wizards like Arthur Weasley -Ron &
Ginny's father, Remus Lupin - Harry's father's friend, Tonks - an Auror,
married to Remus Lupin and his godfather Sirius Black who guides and saves him
from terrible situations. Who made Harry Potter famous? Was it Harry’s inner
abilities or something else that made Harry so famous? Harry was the chosen
one, the boy who survived to face ‘Lord Voldemort’, the most powerful and great
dark wizard. Tom Marvolo Riddle or Voldemort, surprisingly shares a similar
childhood like Harry. The only difference that contributed to his evolution as
a dark wizard was the strong hatred towards his family. He had no one to
iconize as child. Harry gathered loving memories of his childhood and his
parent and was proud of them. Harry was orphaned but had a great support and
love from his mentors and friends. Snape, sharp and shrewd potions
master and great wizard, considered Harry powerful and victorious by the virtue
of his strong and talented friends like Hermione Granger. Other weird negative
forces also endorsed Harry’s strength. In trying to kill Harry, Voldemort had
passed on a part of himself to Harry that left a scar on his forehead. Harry
only, had the premonitions of Voldemort’s existence and resurrection. Severus
Snape's domination, malicious efforts from the Malfoy’s, indifference and
intolerance from the Dursleys has made Harry tolerant and powerful. Albus
Dumbledore, always assured Harry of his power to love and thus to be
loved and adored by friends and supporters. He helps Harry to believe that he
is different from Voldemort by the virtue of love and tolerance that he
inherited from his parents and gathered from his friends. He guided Harry
through his valuable memories in the pensive to show how Voldemort grew up
without this love, without friends and trust.
Harry always had the support of
the Phoenix, The Gryffindor Sword (that
represented courage and belonged to Godric Gryffindor , one of the founder
member of Hogwarts
School, after whom the
Gryffindor house was name), the teachers at Hogwarts and even the house elf,
Dobby. Harry’s squadron was built on his strong conviction to love and trust
others. Voldemort’s regimen was that of absolute power, authority, and
obligation. Most of his followers, the Death Eaters were afraid to leave him as
they feared to be exterminated if they abandoned him. Harry lost his father,
but his godfather complemented his craving for a family. They both left wealth
and property behind to help Harry sustain his childhood and adolescence.
Voldemort was left with nothing. The Gaunt’s valuable possessions and his
Muggle (non-magical) father,Tom Riddle’s property were never for Voldemort, he
seized them with power and force. Harry was patronized
to evolve as an Auror. Voldemort had to choose his own ways to become powerful,
struggling for an existence. Harry and Voldemort almost seemed to be a single
strong cohesive polar-opposite force that pulled them closer and apart. J.K
Rowling has been successful to portray Voldemort in strong negative opposition
to Harry’s sanctity. Voldemort has been described as a beautiful looking young
man with unmatched harshness in the appearance that left everyone bewildered.
With every sin he committed his soul was mutilated and he began to look more
brutal and inhuman. The strong and powerful depiction of this negative
character helped Harry to draw empathy from people who cared for a fragile and
orphan boy, who always sided love and trust. Voldemort had all the
possibilities to become a hero. He was clandestine, clever, intelligent, powerful
and what not. The only thing he lacked was ‘Harry like’ simplicity and courage
to face the odds. Harry has survived in Rowling’s last novel because of this
x-factor of love, passion and courage to embrace death that made him immortal
to his fans and followers. He might have lost many dear ones in this battle to
remain firm, to outmaneuver the call of power and authority with his will
force. He voluntarily chose death to spare his loved ones
from Voldemort. He never craved for power and glory. He emerged as the rightful
owner of the Deathly Hallows (the three magical elements that could overpower
death) as he never went after these.
Cheers to Harry on his new life of
magic outside Hogwarts!