A world seen through brown eyes
The Grits and Grills
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Harry Potter: Legendary or Overestimated?
I just recently completed the Harry Potter series, and this my (personal) review on it, specifically about the character of 'the boy with the scar'.
The famous brain child of J.K Rowling celebrates a near silver jubilee since the release of a truly enchanting work that very well changed the world. The thrilling yet insightful piece paved the way for modern fantasy and fiction in the most artful way possible. It is definitely a world-wide favourite, and certainly every teenage girl , including myself, most likely fell hard and fast for the eccentric yet appealing Mr.Potter. Admittedly, the novel description of the, 'Boy Who Lived', paints quite a different picture in the minds of readers, young and old, than the movie, regardless it can be fairly accepted that the person of Daniel Radcliffe did an incredible job capturing the overall description and values of the novel Potter.
Is the true story that majority of the public read the book solely because it became so widespread? It has gained outstanding popularity which is commendable, but it does beg the question, whether or not the book was in fact read purely because of its literary creativity or because of its fame. Was its impression on various countries across the globe truly stemmed from the hype ascribed to it? Of course it would not be the first or possibly the last time that a published piece received more views than was entirely deserved but was instead as a result of overly strategic marketing.These were my fears when I began the book. For three years it had been in my recommended book list but remained quite ignored for fear of having my exaggerated impression of the book turned to dust. Frankly, I was terrified that the book was not in fact all it was cracked up to be, but consequently I decided to overlook this and just read it for the heck of it. I kid you not, it was definitely one of the best decisions I made this year. I guess it's safe to say that I have never in my life been more happy to be so wrong.
From the very beginning, my interest was instantly arrested, and soon I was journeying with Harry past Diagon Alley, through nine and three quarters, into Hogwarts, hoping and praying not to be in Slytherin. Oh I'm sure you're rolling your eyes and going, 'Well duh, of course it's amazing, it's Harry Potter', but that isn't the main idea is it? At least if you truly are a fan of Mr. Potter and a bona fide member of the Hogwarts express, you would know that his character goes far beyond that. Now I could pretend to be a professional and give a delightfully detailed description of the different complexities of Harry, but alas, I am not. I possess no credentials whatsoever on the matter nor can I confirm my claims. Again, I'm a regular teen, a recent Harry Potter lover who has all seven series under her belt, just sharing her personal opinions with anyone who's interested or simply too bored to do anything else. It is as simple and as uncomplicated as that.
Running away with my view on this, I believe we can agree, or disagree, that Harry is quite far from the conventional character, and no, I don't mean solely as a fictional one. Beyond his souvenir from Voldemort, he was an odd boy in many ways, and though some have related his ordeals to themselves, I believe that only few are actually accurate. You see, Harry wasn't just a courageous, slightly ill-tempered but heroic kid who was terrible at potions and even worse with emotions. No, quite the opposite really, his true nature, as is obvious to anyone who took seriously what Albus spoke of him, is deeper than that. It is when we learn to appreciate how strange and truly odd it was for him to decide on the paths that he did in spite of all he had been through, only then can we get a glimpse of the true character that is Harry. In fact, I would further to point out that most individuals might've turned out much worse than he did, maybe we might even have a Voldemort or two in our midst at this very moment.
Stay with me on this, the dusty crusty sorting hat that put Harry in gryffindor certainly hit the mark with it. Though I assume some may think, 'Well of course', because of how brave he proved to be, and on this note, I agree. I mean standing against a dude that could Avada Kedavra you into non-existence is no easy feat, but no, works of bravery do not do justice to the person of Mr. Potter. Instead, I believe the courage of the mind is what made him the most legendary gryffindor of all time. Past physical bravery, he expressed a courage of mind and meekness of heart that were well beyond his years, perhaps even more so than his maturity, as Rowling made certain to emphasize the relatable teenage boy that was beneath all the extravagance of his existence. It was a quality that, if considered carefully, is indeed very rare in our modern world. Certainly, brilliance of the mind is a decent one to have as well, but then again wasn't Voldemort also intellectually endowed? Truly, the courage to be faced with childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, suffocating expectations, constant attempts on his life, and all the while going through puberty, wondering why Cho Chang cried every time he made his move is most times more than a human might be able to bare in the real world, and understandably so. Everyone knows it is easy to do wrong, Voldemort showed this, but it's on a whole other level to choose to do right. It takes immense strength and even more courage to do the right thing when faced with trials and temptations.
Now that some may agree with me on the weirdness of the person behind the scar, I would like to add that though it is very difficult to experience such things and still keep your heart as Harry had so expertly done, it is by no means impossible. I therefore implore you reader, however old you may be, to be just as odd and as overestimated as Harry Potter, remembering that it was not he who murdered his oppressor, but Voldemort himself when he saw it beneath him to have an ounce of true courage of the mind and meekness of the heart.
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