The Harry Potter series is a series that I have been wanting to read for a long time, but with all of the other recommended books that have been given to me throughout the years I have not had the opportunity. I even saw the first four movies then decided to stop watching them because I knew that I was going to read the books one day! I am so happy that I have taken the time to start reading the series, and I am even more happy that my little sister who is entering the eighth grade is reading them with me; we are reading a book then watching the movie to follow.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first of a seven book series about a young boy, name Harry Potter who learns he is a "famous" wizard and doesn't even know it. The Harry Potter series is a modern fantasy/quest series that focuses on the struggle between good and evil in the wizard world. The first book starts off introducing how Harry entered into the "normal" world, then goes into the problems that he has with his relatives he has been forced to live with. Harry does not know that he is a wizard even though strange things always seem to happen to him when he is sad or angry; such as his hair growing back after being scared people will laugh at his embarrassing haircut or glass disappearing from a snake cage at the zoo when he is angry at his cousin Dudley. Harry's family does not acknowledge that there is magic in the world and refuses to tell him of his abilities; because they did not like what his parents were they treat him as if he is not a part of the family. When Hagrid, the groundskeeper from Hogwart's arrives to take Harry to Hogwart's School of Wizardry, Harry's life starts to change; he goes from being picked on by Dudley his overweight snob of a cousin, to going to Diagon Alley where everyone knows who he is and wants to shake his hand. Throughout the book there is a mystery going on that Harry and his friends Ron and Hermoine help him to figure out; what is being hidden in Hogwarts and why?
Throughout the first book there is a series a person versus person conflict. The story begins with Harry's parents being killed by Voldemort in a good versus evil battle of magic. As Harry begins to get older and is living with the Dursleys he has a constant battle with his aunt and uncle, but mainly his cousin Dudley. Dudley and his friends are always doing mean things to Harry at school and at home. When Harry is taken to Hogwarts by Hagrid he immediately meets a classmate by the name of Drako Malfoy that reminds him of his cousin and much like Dudley, Drako has it out for Harry and will stop at nothing to see him fail. As the plot develops and you learn more about Voldemort and his history with Harry, this then becomes a new conflict that Harry is faced with; how to overcome the power that Voldemort seems to be getting.
I think that the most interesting part of reading the first book was just seeing how Harry developed as a character throughout each chapter. Harry is without a doubt the protagonist of the book; we learn about his life and are able to make connections with him and what he is going through--what was more fun to read though was how Harry grew as a character in this book. Harry starts off being a character that is described as being a small, skinny boy with glasses who never seems to stand up for himself; no matter what his cousin Dursley does to him he just takes it. When Harry makes friends with Ron you see him starting to become more confident as he stands up to Drako when he begins to bully Ron. Ultimately you see Harry grow the most at the end when he is brave enough to go searching for the Sorcerer's Stone even though he knows that someone is going to be waiting for him that is on the evil side of magic.
I completely understand why my students love these books so much-- they are the ultimate underdog story where a boy who had nothing learns to have confidence in himself to overcome whatever obstacles are in his way.
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