Fear plays a large role in the Harry Potter
series as a whole, especially in the greater context of the wizarding world.
Harry uses the Dursley's newfound fear of his magic early on in the book to
avoid their mistreatment. Draco Malfoy uses fear and bullying to control his
peers. Professor Snape runs his class using fear. Despite these individuals using
fear on a regular basis to their advantage, there is also a larger societal
fear of Voldemort that affects all of the wizarding world on a greater
level.
Even in
Harry's first introduction to the wizarding world when he meets Hagrid begins
with someone not willing to say Voldemort's name, instead electing to say
"You-Know-Who". Harry, and the reader, soon realize that no one is
willing to say Voldemort's name. Hagrid explains this to Harry by saying that “people
are still scared” (Rowling 54). Harry realizes that he should not be saying it
either when he says it in front of Ron on the train. Ron reacts to Harry saying
Voldemort by being “shocked and impressed” (Rowling 100). Harry is quick to explain that he ”just never
knew he shouldn’t” (Rowling 100) and was “not trying to be brave or anything”
(Rowling 100). This fear of saying the evilest wizard’s name that persists even
after he is believed to be long dead shows just how terrifying and
fear-provoking Voldemort was.
Fear also affects the house rivalry that occurs
within Hogwarts. While some of the rivalry of the students may be healthy and
natural, at least a part of the rivalry is due to the fact that there is a
cultural belief that Slytherins are evil. Hagrid explains this to Harry after
Harry’s conversation with Draco by saying that “there’s not a single witch or
wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one” (Rowling
80). The current first-years at Hogwarts all have their prejudices about the
Hogwarts houses, particularly Slytherin and Gryffindor, before they even step
foot into Hogwarts. Draco knows he will be in Slytherin, Ron wishes for
Gryffindor, and Harry knows he does not want to be in the evil house. This fear
and prejudice that many hold towards Slytherin manifests as hatred for the
Hogwarts students. They grew up hearing about the evil Slytherins who fought
alongside Voldemort. Interestingly, it is revealed in a later book that the man
who turned on Lily and James Potter was a Gryffindor and that Professor Snape,
a Slytherin, is actually working for Dumbledore the entire time.
Rowling uses the fear that the wizarding world
possesses as a tool to examine the students at Hogwarts, as well as their
interactions, including mistreatment and prejudice, of one another.
J.K. Rowling certainly incorporates fear as a theme throughout Harry Potter. Specifically, Rowling focuses on how Harry responds to fear, reinforcing a positive portrayal of those who are both brave and protective. Some of Harry’s responses to fearful situations prove subtle, and others depict more heroic acts. When Draco offers to be Harry’s friend, Harry casually rejects him, stating, “‘I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks’” (109). Other young children might succumb to Draco, who exudes power and popularity. Harry instead trusts his intuitions and does not let fear control his decision-making or betray his new friend. Later, when Harry, Ron and Hermione battle the troll, “Harry [does] something that [is] both very brave and very stupid” and leaps on the troll to keep it from attacking Ron (176). Not many 11-year-olds would act so daringly, but Harry prioritizes his friend’s safety over his own better judgment. Rowling emphasizes that fear can tempt us to behave in unimaginable and dangerous ways; however, if those we love are at risk, the hazards outweigh the costs. Finally, Harry maintains courage during his encounter against Voldemort. In the face of the most notorious, dangerous and feared dark wizard, Harry remembers that guarding the sorcerer's stone means guarding the entire wizarding world’s safety. Causing boils to erupt on Professor Quirrell's skin, “Harry... [hangs] on as tight as he [can]” even though “the pain in [his] head [is] building” (295). Harry completes the ultimate act of bravery by facing off against Voldemort. In all of Harry’s responses to fear, Rowling establishes that being genuinely brave requires the desire and willingness to protect others from emotional or physical harm.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting point that I agree with, as fear has a significant part in this novel. One aspect that wasn't touched on in your post is how Rowling uses fear as a way of distinguishing Harry Potter from the rest of the characters. Harry, from the beginning, doesn't have the same fear of Voldemort that is in the rest of the wizarding world. When Harry first says Voldemort's name in front of Ron, Ron was both "shocked and impressed" (100), indicating that Ron is admiring the lack of fear that Harry has. This absence of fear can be argued to have influenced to Harry's actions later on in the book with the all the times Harry has broken the rules. Throughout the book, it is clear that the teachers at Hogwarts are to be respected and somewhat feared by the students as the prospect of being expelled is worse than death, to at least Hermione's eyes (162). However, it seems that Harry does not have this fear, whether it is because of the teachers' favoritism to him or because he wasn't raised in a wizarding environment, as he consistently breaks the rules to do the right and courageous thing, from sneaking in the room with the Mirror of Erised to smuggling Hagrid's dragon to Charlie. It is only after Harry meets Voldemort in person that he experiences the true fear that everyone else has, yet he still goes to retrieve the Sorcerer's Stone, highlighting just how courageous Harry actually is.
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