J. K. Rowling's The Hero With A Thousand Faces: Harry Potter
The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Harry Potter
The hugely successful Harry Potter series has been embraced by millions of readers worldwide. It’s sold more than four hundred million copies and has been translated into numerous languages. Both children and adults alike have rejoiced to the whimsical story, told by the author J.K. Rowling, about a hero and his perilous journey to an ultimate goal. What many probably do not realize is that they, more likely than not, have read stories like it before. For centuries, various cultures have told similar tales that contain the common themes that Rowling’s book exhibits. These themes are the blueprints for stories that have high appeal to everyone in the world and any author that makes use of them can find success. The Hero with a …show more content…
They usually will give much needed wisdom and guidance to a hero, in an unfamiliar world. Mostly being of a feminine representation, they can also be in male form. Regardless of sex, the Supernatural Aid is there for the guidance of the hero, “What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny” (Campbell 71). In Rowlings’ story, she makes use of two aids that assist Harry throughout his adventures. Albus Dumbeldore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, who gives Harry his invisible cloak along words of wisdom later in the story. And more apparent early on, Hagrid, the ogre that rescues Harry from his awful life with his guardians and introduces him to the wizard world. According to Campbell, both Hagrid and Dumbeldore, seem to fall into the literal sense of being the Supernatural Aid, “In fairy lore it may be some little fellow of the wood, some wizard, hermit … the teacher, the ferryman, the conductor of souls to the afterworld” (72). Dumbeldore is the wizard and the teacher. Hagrid is the ferryman guiding the new students on their trip to Hogwarts (Rowling
The hugely successful Harry Potter series has been embraced by millions of readers worldwide. It’s sold more than four hundred million copies and has been translated into numerous languages. Both children and adults alike have rejoiced to the whimsical story, told by the author J.K. Rowling, about a hero and his perilous journey to an ultimate goal. What many probably do not realize is that they, more likely than not, have read stories like it before. For centuries, various cultures have told similar tales that contain the common themes that Rowling’s book exhibits. These themes are the blueprints for stories that have high appeal to everyone in the world and any author that makes use of them can find success. The Hero with a …show more content…
They usually will give much needed wisdom and guidance to a hero, in an unfamiliar world. Mostly being of a feminine representation, they can also be in male form. Regardless of sex, the Supernatural Aid is there for the guidance of the hero, “What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny” (Campbell 71). In Rowlings’ story, she makes use of two aids that assist Harry throughout his adventures. Albus Dumbeldore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, who gives Harry his invisible cloak along words of wisdom later in the story. And more apparent early on, Hagrid, the ogre that rescues Harry from his awful life with his guardians and introduces him to the wizard world. According to Campbell, both Hagrid and Dumbeldore, seem to fall into the literal sense of being the Supernatural Aid, “In fairy lore it may be some little fellow of the wood, some wizard, hermit … the teacher, the ferryman, the conductor of souls to the afterworld” (72). Dumbeldore is the wizard and the teacher. Hagrid is the ferryman guiding the new students on their trip to Hogwarts (Rowling