In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, there are several themes that the author (J.K. Rowling) used to depict Harry’s adventures realistically – or as realistically as possible in a fantasy world. The conflict of good and evil is an extremely pervasive theme through the entire series, and drives nearly all of the books’ action. The characters in Harry Potter’s world are defined harshly by which “side” they are on, and readers tend to become frustrated when the lines between the two are blurred. Voldemort, the antagonist of the series, embodies pure evil and provides a convenient, easy-to-hate villain for Harry to battle. Rowling created Voldemort almost as a foil for Harry, allowing the reader to compare and contrast their characteristics. Instead of being more of a comparative relationship, Voldemort and Harry …show more content…
Upon his eleventh birthday, Harry is virtually “born again,” because of his secretive upbringing with the Dursleys. The letters that Harry first receives in the book demand, quite literally, that he discovers himself anew. In the Muggle world, Harry was hated and abused; now in the Wizarding World, he finds that he has been loved and revered unknowingly. Through all the abuse, Harry still keeps much of who he is. Despite all logic, he still has the abilities to be selfless, considerate, and even show love and affection. For an abused child, Harry’s personal development is quite unusual. His charismatic personality seems to draw people to him, both positively and negatively. Ron, Hermione, and Neville, for example, became fast friends; Draco and Professor Snape, however, don’t seem to leave Harry alone. He seems to defend the weak, support just causes, show honor in restrain, and shows the integrity needed to honor commitments long after making them. For an orphan with no knowledge of his parents, he seems to be growing into a capable and caring