| Enjoy
a more complete and personal Harry Potter experience with your class
— or at home, with the following Discussion Guide, which features
summaries of the Plot, Theme, Conflict, Setting and Characterization, as well as a number
of Questions designed to encourage conversation,
a Book List of other titles with similar
issues, and a brief Biography of the author.
The Book
Wizards and Hogwarts! Muggles and mudbloods! Quidditch and broomsticks!
None of those things mean anything to Harry Potter, a small, skinny,
bespectacled boy with an unusual lightning-bolt shaped scar on
his forehead—until his eleventh birthday. That's when he
starts receiving letters inviting him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry. Harry learns that his parents did not die in a car
crash but were killed by Voldemort, the Lord of Darkness, and
that he's famous in the world of wizardry. So Harry leaves the
home of his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and their hateful son
Dudley, who are mere muggles (humans without one drop of magic
in them), and embarks on a new life. And the changes continue
as Harry spends year after year at Hogwarts, a place where he
not only learns about being a wizard, but also about friendship
and loyalty and fear and courage, and about his own past and future,
his family, and his destiny.
Harry's first four years at Hogwarts are chronicled in the first
four Harry Potter books. In each of those stories, amidst fun
and laughter, pranks and pitfalls, mystery and suspense, Harry
continues his battle against the evil Lord Voldemort. The books
have become enormously popular for their captivating mixture of
magical pranks and misadventures, eccentric characters (such as
Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and Nearly Headless
Nick who was not quite completely beheaded, and the Veela who
bewitch those around them), courageous heroes and sneering, scheming
villains, brilliantly original ideas, and breathtaking excitement
— rollicking good reads that appeal to readers of all ages.
Themes
While the fun of fantasy might be its otherworldliness, its power
lies is the truths it reveals about the real world. So the magical
world of Harry Potter, a world of flying cars and dragons, unicorns
and magic potions, invisibility cloaks and evil powers, becomes
real as readers discover truths about bravery, loyalty, choice,
and the power of love. Read the following quotations from the
Harry Potter books and discuss the truth that each reveals.
"The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should
therefore be treated with great caution." (The Sorcerer's Stone, page 298)
"...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who
loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." (The
Sorcerer's Stone, page 299)
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies,
but just as much to stand up to our friends." (The Sorcerer's
Stone, page 306)
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far
more than our abilities." (The Chamber of Secrets, page
333)
"You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your
brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of
self anymore, no memory, no ... anything. There's no chance at
all of recovery. You'll just—exist. As an empty shell." (The
Prisoner of Azkaban, page 247)
"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think
that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great
trouble?....You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father
last night....You found him inside yourself." (The Prisoner
of Azkaban, page 427-428)
"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with
acceptance can there be recovery." (The Goblet of Fire,
page 680)
"You place too much importance...on the so-called purity of
blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone
is born, but what they grow to be!" (The Goblet of Fire,
page 708)
Setting
In a way, Rowling follows the classic fantasy formula of beginning
each book in the real world (the Dursleys' home), moving into
the fantasy world (Hogwarts School), and then returning to the
real world (the Dursleys again). What other fantasies follow this
same pattern? Consider classics such as Peter Pan, The
Indian in the Cupboard, and The Lion, The Witch and The
Wardrobe. Compare these with other works that take place entirely
in a fantasy world, such as The Prydain Chronicles and The Hobbit. In another way, though, the Harry Potter books
are a mixture of these two styles. The world of Hogwarts is not
entirely separated from the everyday "muggle" world, but is more
a magical world-within-a-world, a world that exists in the real
world, although ordinary people are unaware of it. Discuss how
this affects your appreciation of the books.
Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, opens in
Tom Riddle, Sr.'s parents' home, unlike the previous three books
which opened in the Dursley's home. How does the change of setting
for the beginning of this book affect the tone of the book? Why
do you think Rowling departed from the expected setting for the
beginning?
Characterization
We believe in Harry because of his human qualities, especially
his human frailties. Find instances where Harry is acting more
like a bungling muggle than a great wizard. Why is it important
for readers that Harry not always be a great wizard?
Rounded characters are characters who change and grow. Find
instances of change in Harry. For example, Harry becomes angriest
when taunted about his parents' death; however, by book three,
when he faces Peter, the person who led Voldemort to his parents,
he stops Lupin and Black from killing Peter, saying, "I don't
reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers—just
for you" (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 376). In book four,
when Harry could have claimed the Triwizard cup, he instead offers
to share it with Cedric. Find other instances of increasing maturity
in Harry.
Find examples throughout all four books where Rowling helps
us understand characters by telling us what these characters believe.
Consider statements such as the one Dumbledore makes at the end
of The Goblet of Fire when he says, "Differences of habit
and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and
our hearts are open." (p. 723) or Quirrell's comment to Harry
in The Sorcerer's Stone when he explains "There is no good
and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it."
(p. 291).
In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Aunt Marge explains why some
folks are no good: "If there's something rotten on the inside,
there's nothing anyone can do about it (page 25)." She thinks
she's describing Harry. In fact, which characters is she more
aptly describing?
Consider the professors and other staff that Harry and his friends
meet at Hogwarts, especially Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lockhart,
Quirrell, Lupin, Snape, Moody, and Hagrid. Generally, each is
much more, or sometimes much less, than the person he or she claims
to be. Is it significant that Rowling made each of these characters
teachers? What lessons does each character really teach Harry?
If you were making a flow chart of how the characters related
to one another for both the Dark Lord and his forces, and Harry
Potter and his forces, how would the characters line up? Is Voldemort
opposite Dumbledore or Potter? If Barty Crouch, Jr., is Voldemort's
most loyal follower, who is Harry's? Which characters from The
Goblet of Fire do you think will become increasingly important
in the remaining books?
Conflict
Harry and Voldemort provide the major conflict (good against evil)
in each story. Compare their two characters and discuss how their
differences provide the conflict for the novels. Consider each
of the following instances:
a) In The Sorcerer's Stone, when Mr. Ollivander sells
Harry a wand that was the brother of a wand owned by Voldemort,
Mr. Ollivander explains to Harry that "The wand chooses the wizard"
and then tells him, "I think we must expect great things from
you, Mr. Potter....After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great
things—terrible, yes, but great" (p. 85). How can Ollivander
call Voldemort a great wizard? What makes Harry a different kind
of great from Voldemort?
b) In The Chamber of Secrets, Dobby says he knew of Harry's
"greatness but not of his goodness" (page 15). What is the difference
between greatness and goodness? Could Harry be the great wizard
everyone thinks he is if he were not also filled with goodness?
Later in the story, Tom Marvolo Riddle reveals himself to Harry
as Voldemort. He tells Harry "There are strange likenesses between
us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans,
raised by muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come
to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself" (page 317). What
does Harry think of these likenesses?
c) In The Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry has the opportunity
to kill the character responsible for his parents' death, he chooses
not to do it. How does that separate him once and for all from
his archenemy, Voldemort?
d) In The Goblet of Fire, when Harry faces near-certain
death from Voldemort, he refuses to cower before him and refuses
to answer his questions. At one point, Voldemort tries to get
Harry to bend to his will by answering a question. Instead of
succumbing to the Imperio demand, Harry's will takes over:
"I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I
won't answer...." (p. 661). Then when Voldemort moves to kill
him, Harry decides that "he was not going to die kneeling at Voldemort's
feet...he was going to die upright like his father, and he was
going to die trying to defend himself even if no defense was possible..."
(p. 662). Did Harry have this much will power and courage in the
first book? What significant events helped him develop the courage
he now has?
Discuss
1. In The Sorcerer's Stone, Dumbledore admonishes Harry
to "always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases
fear of the thing itself" (page 298). Explain what he means. Why
does naming something make it less intimidating?
2. In The Sorcerer's Stone, Harry disregards a direct
order from one of the teachers at Hogwarts School and takes off
on a broom. This infraction is normally cause for expulsion from
the school. However, in Harry's case, it brings him the honor
of being chosen as the "Seeker" for his Quidditch team. Can you
find other instances throughout all the books where Harry's actions
lead to quite opposite results from what is expected? Is Harry
above the rules, or just lucky, or is there another explanation?
3. In The Sorcerer's Stone, readers learn that this stone
is "a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will
transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir
of Life, which will make the drinker immortal." (p. 220). Are
we surprised to discover that this fountain of youth and source
of great wealth causes problems? Discuss other stories that have
addressed the quest for immortality, such as Tuck Everlasting.
Ultimately, this stone feeds the greedy. What other fantasies
explore the consequences of greed?
4. In The Chamber of Secrets, we discover that Slytherin
had wanted Hogwarts to be a school only for full bloods, with
no mudbloods admitted. His prejudice against anyone different
from himself creates all sorts of problems. How does this attitude
compare with real prejudices people have had throughout history,
for example against people of "mixed blood" regarded as inferior?
5. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Lupin tells Harry that
"James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never
found any of the secret passages out of the castle" (pp. 424-425).
Why would James want Harry to do anything other than follow all
the rules?
6. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black is imprisoned
for twelve years in Azkaban, and Pettigrew is imprisoned for the
same amount of time in the body of a rat. Which character was
more truly the prisoner?
7. How does the game of Quidditch represent Harry's life at
Hogwarts? Consider the position he plays on the team—"seeker."
How is that role similar to the role he plays in the fight against
evil?
8. Much of what makes The Harry Potter books delightful reads
are the plays with language. Using a dictionary if necessary,
find out what the following names mean, and discuss why they're
good names for the characters they represent.
- Filch
- Lucius Malfoy
- Voldemort
- Fluffy
- Madam Pince
- Remus Lupin
- Slytherin
- Dobby
- Sirius Black
- Scabbers
- Professor Binns (think of the sound, not the spelling)
- The books required for first year students (The Sorcerer's
Stone, pages 66-67)
- Dumbledore
- Hagrid
- Aurors
9. In each Harry Potter book readers can find comparisons to
traditional fairy tales, myths, or legends. For instance, the
dog Fluffy which guards the trapdoor at Hogwarts School resembles
Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the underworld of Greek
mythology. Harry could be compared to King Arthur—both are
orphaned boys who are raised by foster parents, and each is unaware
of his true background but slowly begins to understand it. In The Goblet of Fire, Harry must complete three tasks. What
other mythological characters face difficult tasks? Consider other
characters—for example Hermione, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Narcissa
(Goblet of Fire, page 101), Mr. Malfoy, the Veela (Goblet
of Fire, page 103), Voldemort—and discuss their relationship
to other mythical or legendary characters.
10. In The Goblet of Fire, Hogwarts students discover
that 437 items have been banned from the school that year (page
183). Those items include "Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees,
and Ever-Bashing Bommerangs." How is that list similar to objects
that are from time to time banned in schools? Consider items such
as yo-yos, Pok-e-mon cards, and skateboards. Speculate on why
Rowling would include such a comment about banned items in this
book.
11. Would Harry have succeeded at the tasks he faced in The
Goblet of Fire without outside assistance? If not, what does
this reveal about Harry's greatest strength?
12. In The Goblet of Fire, mask-wearing wizards torment
the muggles: "A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together
with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across
the field. Harry squinted at them....They didn't seem to have
faces....Then he realized that their heads were hooded and their
faces masked" (page 119). Compare this moment of torment to other
times when groups of people have worn hoods and masks to cover
their identities. What does the masking of a face tell us about
the nature of evil?
13. An important message throughout all the Potter books has
to do with respect for differences and those who are different.
By book four, we see that, for some, a caste system is well-established:
Wizards and witches are better than muggles and mudbloods; giants
are outcasts; and house-elves are considered as sub-human. How
do you suppose this caste system will play itself out in the remaining
books? Next, consider Dumbledore's admonition that "Differences
of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical
and our hearts are open" (page 723). Which characters would agree
with him?
14. In The Goblet of Fire, we learn that when Voldemort
killed Harry's parents, Harry survived the attack due to his mother's
loving sacrifice. Voldemort explains that "His mother died in
the attempt to save him—and unwittingly provided him with
a protection I admit I had not foreseen....I could not touch the
boy" (p. 652). As a result of surviving that attack Harry is labeled
a great wizard, but has Harry truly earned that title? To what
extent would you say that Harry is not so much "great" as lucky?
In all that Harry does, how much is he acting of his own free
will, and how much is he simply living out what from his birth
has been his destiny?
15. Although it may seem that Harry is pre-ordained to be a
great wizard (see previous question), clearly he also acts of
his own free will and at times makes difficult choices. Locate
the times when Harry made critical choices and, in each case,
discuss what would have happened if Harry had made different choices.
16. Here's a partial dictionary of charms that Harry and his
friends used. Explain why each is a good name for the charm:
- Wingardium Leviosa: Charm to make things float. Sorcerer's
Stone, page 171.
- Locomotor Mortis: Leg-locking curse. Sorcerer's Stone,
page 222.
- Expelliarmus. Disarming charm. Chamber of Secrets,
page 190.
- Finite Incantatem. Stopping charm.. Chamber of Secrets,
page 192.
- Rictusempra. Tickling charm. Chamber of Secrets, page
192.
- Tarantallegra. Leg jerking, quickstepping charm. Chamber
of Secrets, page 192.
- Serpensortia. Blocks unfriendly spells. Chamber of Secrets,
page 194.
- Riddikulus. Turns boggarts into humorous-looking creatures. Prisoner of Azkaban, pages 134-5.
- Fidelius Charm. Magical concealment of a secret inside a chosen
person. Prisoner of Azkaban, page 205.
- Patronus Charm. Guardian against dementors. Prisoner of
Azkaban, page 237.
- Accio: Calls things to you. Goblet of Fire, page 68.
- Obliviate: Memory-modifying spell. Goblet of Fire,
page 77.
- Ennervate: Awakening spell. Goblet of Fire, page 133.
- Prior Incantato: Conjurs up previous spells. Goblet of
Fire, page 136.
- Deletrius: Causes an image to vanish. Goblet of Fire,
page 136.
- Reparo: Repairs things. Goblet of Fire, page 169.
- Imperius Curse: Gives total control. Goblet of Fire,
page 213.
- Cruciatus Curse: Causes intense pain. Goblet of Fire,
page 214.
- Avada Kedavra: The killing curse. Goblet of Fire, page
215.
- Impediment curse: Slows something. Goblet of Fire,
page 574
17. Consider Harry and Voldemort and rate each on the following
continuum. Which qualities most separate these two characters?
Compare Harry to Dumbledore. If you rate them at similar points,
discuss what makes Harry the hero instead of Dumbledore? Do the
same with Harry and Hermione and Harry and Cedric.
| Brave |
— |
Cowardly |
| Strong |
— |
Weak |
| Independent |
— |
Dependent |
| Selfless |
— |
Selfish |
| Honest |
— |
Dishonest |
| Naïve |
— |
Experienced |
| Charitable |
— |
Greedy |
18. Millions of readers of all ages enjoy the Harry Potter books.
That means J. K. Rowling must be writing in a way that appeals
to lots of people—from children to adults. What do you enjoy
most about her writing? Consider the following elements as you
discuss your answer:
- Gripping plots
- Vivid characters
- Cliff-hangers for chapter endings
- Descriptive language such as similes and metaphors
- Puns and funny names for people and spells
- Important themes such as making friends, facing difficult
problems, losing people you love, and surviving tough situations.
19. By the fourth book, Rowling has answered some important
questions, including why Harry returns each summer to the Dursleys,
as explained when Voldemort says "Dumbledore invoked an ancient
magic, to ensure the boy's protection as long as he is in his
relations' care. Not even I can touch him there" (page 657). What
other questions are answered in The Goblet of Fire? What
questions do you still wonder about?
20. The Goblet of Fire, the halfway book in the series,
leaves readers anticipating the conflict that will surely erupt
between the Dark Lord and his forces and those who would oppose
him. At the end of the book, Dumbledore begins to rally those
who would fight against Voldemort, telling the students at Hogwarts
to "Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you
have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy..."
(page 724). With that statement, Dumbledore appears to be saying
that what is right and what is easy are not the same. Do you agree
with this? Think of examples from your own life where making the
right choice was difficult.
21. The last chapter of book four is titled "The Beginning."
Why would the last chapter carry this title? What is beginning?
What has ended? The last line of this book is "As Hagrid had said,
what would come, would come...and he would have to meet it when
it did" (page 734). What do you anticipate Harry and his friends
will have to meet next?
About the Author
Books Available
Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince
To order, contact your local bookstore or usual supplier. Educators
may call toll-free: 1-800-SCHOLASTIC. Prices and availability
subject to change without notice.
Discussion guide written by Kylene Beers, Assistant Professor
of Reading at the University of Houston, Texas, editor of the
NCTE Journal Voices From the Middle, and co-author of Into
Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle School Readers.
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