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Self-Discovery In Harry Potter And Good Country People

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The theme of identity and self-discovery is a common thread present in two different texts, J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series and Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People." Both texts explore the journey of the protagonist as they struggle to understand their place in the world and the complexities of their own identity. Through this journey, they encounter challenges and obstacles that force them to re-examine their beliefs and values and to question their own understanding of themselves and the world around them. While both texts explore this theme through different lenses and in different ways, they both show the importance of understanding one's own identity and the consequences of not doing so.

In "Harry Potter," the main character, …show more content…

“But she was as sensitive about the artificial leg as a peacock about his tail. No one ever touched it but her. She took care of it as someone else would his soul, in private and almost with her own eyes turned away” (O’Connor 16). This would have led to believe that she felt deep shame due to this part of her body not blending in with the rest of her. Later on in the book, Hulga is shown to have a more vulnerable side when she doesn’t have her wooden leg. “Without the leg she felt entirely dependent on him” (O’Connor 17). When Hulga has her wooden leg she is seen as this person who has stability and is strong, but it all goes away when her leg is taken. However, Hulga is unable to embrace her true identity and instead tries to escape it through her intellectual pursuits and philosophical beliefs. She must re-evaluate her values and beliefs as she grapples with the complexity of her own identity and the masks she wears to fit into society's expectations. Through this journey, she discovers the true nature of her own character and comes to understand her place in the …show more content…

In Harry Potter, Harry's relationships with his friends and mentors play a central role in his journey, as he learns from them and is challenged by them. Similarly, in "Good Country People," Hulga’s relationship with the man she encounters is a catalyst for her journey of self-discovery, as he challenges her beliefs and forces her to confront her own identity. Through these relationships, the characters are able to learn about themselves and to deepen their understanding of their own

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This entailed that one needed to leave their pride at the door and recognize reality and limitations on ones self and not be overtaken by the temptations in life. If one hadn't left their pride at the curb, they were going to experience a rude awakening in Mrs. O’Conner’s short stories. The “Good Country People” had given us the extravagant and elegant Hulga, a girl who was just bursting with pride and self regard. Daughter of Mrs. Freeman, Hulga had thought she was better than everyone. But Hulga hadn't been so perfect, she not only had a heart condition that would slow her down on the farm she had been working on, but she had a wooden leg to delay her even more.

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