Hogwarts Herald

This is the first of my In Depth Chapter Blogs. These will be done in a slightly different style than the New Readers blogs. I alread have done a full chapter review in the NR blogs, so these will really be a listing of the clues that Jo has left for us in these chapters, and how they relate to the other books. Also a look of each of the characters that we are meeting (or hearing about) for the first time. From time to time we will in In Depth Character Analysis of the major players in the Harry Potter Saga. Because the first chapter did not have these things listed, this blog will cover the first chapter of Sorcerers Stone. I will post another covering The Vanishing Glass, in depth.

Characters:
In order of introduction

Vernon Dursley: Harry’s Uncle Vernon. He is the brother-in-law of Lily Potter. Big, burly, and generally a very negative person. Uncle Vernon seems to take joy in being angry and mean. Throughout the entirety of the seven books, I hold the high hopes that Uncle Vernon will change. That somehow he will see that Harry is a good boy who is trying his hardest to please the only father figure he had for the first ten years of his life. Unfortunately, early on in the first book, Uncle Vernon seems to lose his mind completely, and I don’t believe he ever gets it back. As far as these first two chapters go, Vernon Dursley is a father who wants nothing more in the world than to be normal. This may seem, at first glance, to be a noble cause for a father. But he is questing for normalcy so much as to “not approve of imagination”.

Petunia Dursley: As afraid of anything unusual or abnormal as her husband, Petunia has a good reason. While we have yet to encounter it, we know that Petunia grew up in the shadow of Lily. We know that she had to deal with the crushing disappointment of finding out that her big sister is special, and she is not. This has obviously given Petunia a horrible dislike of anything in the wizarding world. After all, people tend to hate those things that they once desired deeply and were not able to obtain. Petunia now spends her time coddling her son, and spying on the neighbors. She feels sad and lonely to me, and it is unfortunate that all of her attentions are spent spoiling her son and husband rotten. It seems as though if she had a few more friends, if she had allowed herself to become whatever small part of her sisters world as possible, perhaps her life would be better.

Dudley Dursley: A small child in the first chapter, and a bully in training in the second, Dudley Dursley is the unfortunate result of bad parenting. Plain and simple. He is spoiled, unfit, mean, and generally unpleasant. Indeed it is not until the very last time we encounter him ever that he shows potential to be a human being.

Professor Minerva McGonagall: The transfiguration professor at Hogwarts is first introduced in the Animagus form. Not until Prisoner of Azkaban do we even find how rare that is, and in this first chapter we are almost set to believe that all the magical people can switch over to an animal. Since Dumbledore reacts with no shock at all at finding her in her cat form at the Dursley’s house, it is made to seem very commonplace. While she is quite stiff and formal in this first chapter, and indeed throughout the series, eventually I feel it is more professionalism and a desire not to show the love that she truly has for her students. She is the Head of Gryffindor House, and that in and of itself shows a bravery and courage that is never really explored until the final book.

Professor Albus Dumbledore: Dumbledore is introduced to us as a kindly old wizard. With sparkling blue eyes, and a twice broken nose, it is very clear that he is wise and greatly respected. There is so much more to him, that is all revealed in the first picture of him, but not actually revealed until much later. How was his nose broken? What is his tool that so swiftly removes the lights from their lamps? Who is he, what does he do? He is one of the most important characters in Harry’s life. And decisions he makes over and over again impact every single aspect of that life. The very first decision he makes in Harry’s life causes him 10 years of continuous torture and abuse. All for the sake of preventing a swollen head. Is is the right decision? I think it was. I don’t believe that Harry would have become the man that he did without being the child that he was.

Rubeus Hagrid: A Half Giant, Hagrid becomes something of a deeply loved uncle to Harry. More to him than his actual blood family ever was after his parents death, Hagrid would give his very life for Harry if it ever became necessary, although thankfully it never was. Hagrid may have a simple mind, but he is in his own way, as wise as Dumbledore is. More than anything, he loves Harry, and he loved Lily and James just as much. He is also an animal lover, almost always to the distress of those around him. The beasts that he has exposed Harry Ron & Hermione to, however, have come in handy time after time.

Foreshadowing and other tidbits:
The foreshadowing present in this chapter is subtle, but it’s here. There are references to Sirius Black, and Dedalus Diggle. perhaps most significantly though, there is a conversation between Dumbledore and McGonagall, referring to how Voldemort wasn’t able to kill as small child such as Harry, when he was able to kill so many others.

There is also a bit of foreshadowing regarding Hagrid. When McGonagall discovers that he is the one bringing Harry for Dumbledore, she shows shock. You can tell that she likes him, but perhaps doesn’t trust him with crucial tasks. Is this just because Hagrid is a bit child like, or is Jo already planting the seeds in our mind in preparation for book two, when we thing that he may have opened the Chamber of Secrets? Do you think that McGonagall even knows that he is the one that was expelled from the school for that incident? But I digress…

Tell me your thoughts on this chapter, it’s characters, and the foreshadowing and tidbits that are planted throughout it.