Epic Tales and Harry Potter

Thanks to my Spanish Lit. class I've started to analyze stories and movies more when I see them. Last night I went to see the second half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I realized why this series attracts so many people from different backgrounds and age groups: the characters.

The plot of the Harry Potter series follows the same basic format of any story with a hero. Yes, J.K. Rowling did create a whole other world which is brilliant in and of itself, but the hero's journey, the fight between good and evil, are the basic factors driving the story.

What really sets the Potter series apart is there isn't one "hero" that she uses to bring her readers in.Classic Disney stories like Cinderella have multiple characters, but there's only one character the audience relates to- Cinderella. While watching the movie no one compares them self to the wicked stepmother or even prince charming because Cinderella is the most rounded character with similar problems, dreams and desires as the rest of us. Yet, even Cinderella doesn't quite relate.

Unlike Cinderella, Rowling doesn't force us to only relate to Harry Potter, an orphan going to school through his teenage years facing extreme problems and choices. Instead, we also relate to Hermoine, the smart, clever, though plain-looking girl who helps Harry Potter time and again. Sometimes Hermoine is our hero. Then there's characters like Luna/Neville who are picked on, ignored and not particularly bright. Yet, at times they're recognized for acts that didn't take any particular skill other than standing up for what they believe in. Sometimes they are our hero. Then there is Snape, mysterious, dark, sad. We hate what he does, but yet can't dismiss him as an evil person like we do Voldemort. There's always something missing. It turns out Snape may be the real hero of the whole story, sacrificing everything to protect the son of the woman he loves. He received no fame or glory, but faced danger, heartache, loneliness and death for the thing he felt was right. Sometimes Snape is our hero.

None of us have perfect looks or a perfect personality and generally we don't just have one giant obstacle to overcome and then live happily ever after. Most of us are plain and clever or have a secret heartache and yet we still do extraordinary things. That is why we love Harry Potter so much. We feel we could step into the story and be one of the characters.

So to all you heroes out there...here's a warm glass of butterbeer. Cheers.