2008, Form B. In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
In the series of Harry Potter, many characters' childhoods affected who they became and the decisions they made. Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle all had troubled pasts, but each of them chose a different path to take in their later lives.
Although Harry was raised by his rude aunt and uncle and was buillied by his cousin, he didn't let them affect him. In his childhood, he chose to ignore his family and stayed out of the way by spending his time in his room under the stairs. Later on, he relied on his friends to help him reach his destiny of defeating Lord Voldemort. He pushed his sad past away from his mind and focused on his goals.
Severus Snape also had a broken family. His mom and muggle dad constantly fought, but like Harry, he chose to avoid them. His parents arguments led him to hate muggles and join the Death Eaters. But, his choice of joining the Order of Pheonix to spy on the Death Eaters helped Harry win the war against Lord Voldemort.
Although Tom Riddle had a sad childhood (he lived in an orphanage) like Harry and Snape, he chose a different path than them. He spent his childhood bullying other orphans and leading them into dangerous situations. He continued to gain followers as he grew older and used dark magic to obtain his goal: to avoid death. Unlike Harry and Snape, Riddle showed how a troubled childhood can lead to a even more troubled life.
JK Rowling's representation of these unfortunate childhoods enforces her theme of the importance of choices. Like the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," it does not matter if one doesn't have a happy childhood, but rather how he lets that affect him and his choices (Rowling 708). Rowling uses this theme to not only teach readers about growing up and making good decisions, but also to develop her charcters and create her storyline. As a whole, the different choices of different characters shape the story of this series by creating a hero, villian, and a helpful spy.
In the series of Harry Potter, many characters' childhoods affected who they became and the decisions they made. Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle all had troubled pasts, but each of them chose a different path to take in their later lives.
Although Harry was raised by his rude aunt and uncle and was buillied by his cousin, he didn't let them affect him. In his childhood, he chose to ignore his family and stayed out of the way by spending his time in his room under the stairs. Later on, he relied on his friends to help him reach his destiny of defeating Lord Voldemort. He pushed his sad past away from his mind and focused on his goals.
Severus Snape also had a broken family. His mom and muggle dad constantly fought, but like Harry, he chose to avoid them. His parents arguments led him to hate muggles and join the Death Eaters. But, his choice of joining the Order of Pheonix to spy on the Death Eaters helped Harry win the war against Lord Voldemort.
Although Tom Riddle had a sad childhood (he lived in an orphanage) like Harry and Snape, he chose a different path than them. He spent his childhood bullying other orphans and leading them into dangerous situations. He continued to gain followers as he grew older and used dark magic to obtain his goal: to avoid death. Unlike Harry and Snape, Riddle showed how a troubled childhood can lead to a even more troubled life.
JK Rowling's representation of these unfortunate childhoods enforces her theme of the importance of choices. Like the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," it does not matter if one doesn't have a happy childhood, but rather how he lets that affect him and his choices (Rowling 708). Rowling uses this theme to not only teach readers about growing up and making good decisions, but also to develop her charcters and create her storyline. As a whole, the different choices of different characters shape the story of this series by creating a hero, villian, and a helpful spy.
Great job addressing the question Julie. I can tell you spent time on this and it is organized very well. I liked how you used more than one example of characters from the series and didn't just focus on one specific book. Great job!
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ReplyDeleteYou did a great job answering the prompt and i especially like Dumbledore's quote at the end of the passage. It summed up the piece perfectly and made your conclusion strong and powerful. The one thing I would recommend is linking the three examples together and analyze why Harry Potter turned out to be a hero and a good person while Snape and Tom Riddle turned out to be evil. Dumbledore's quote begins to link the characters together but I think it would have made the examples much more meaningful by linking them together. Overall its a very insightful essay. Keep up the good work!
As soon as I read the words Harry Potter, my mood improved. Rowling basically presents childhood as a time of lonesomeness, and I wonder if this has anything to do with her own childhood. I think it does. I think this post could have benefited from also addressing the circumstances of each character aside from choices. Each character was a product of neglect and sadness, but Harry was a hero of the wizarding world. He had a place. Snape and Riddle, however, were rejects of their society. That begs the question: why did Tom turn out to be evil, while Snape turned out to be the most loyal person in the series? This most definitely is a result of choices and circumstance. Just something to think about. Good job, Julie!
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