The Infamous Wizard
Harry Potter didn’t know that magic was in his blood. He didn’t know that a school called “Hogwarts” existed. He didn’t even know what Qudditch was. At least, he didn’t know these things until a giant by the name of Hagrid showed up on Harry’s eleventh birthday. Suddenly, He’s thrust into the dazzling world of Hogwarts – wizardry, magic, and a celebrity status for himself that he didn’t know existed. But something else awaits Harry Potter at Hogwarts….something not quite as friendly.

J.K. Rowling aims to show us that we shouldn’t fear something simply because we can’t understand it or can’t explain it [in this case, magic].It’s not bad to not understand some things. Most of life is a mystery and we aren’t meant to figure it all out. We can’t control everything and that’s good. Harry’s Aunt and Uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, are a perfect example of ignorant people with irrational fear of anything out of the ordinary, simply because they can’t explain it.

The characters were not as relatable as I’d expected, especially Harry, which definitely takes away from the book. I think Snape and Herimone were the most dimensional and best crafted characters, but Hagrid was also extremely amusing, semi-dimensional and just an overall delightful addition to the cast. This area of Rowling’s writing could definitely use the most improvement though.

There were several small, underlying themes that I truly appreciated. The one which I think would hit the closest to home for many of us is that fame is fickle. It’s just the nature of life. On day Harry is loved by all and the next nobody will even look at or speak to him. Harry also learned to put others above himself and sacrifice so that others might have a better life.
Rowling’s writing really does captivate you, even though it’s a little rough around the edges, especially where character development is concerned. The beginning was also a little too slow; I wasn’t drawn in until Chapter 5 or 6. But the story is unique, thrilling, and heartwarming in its turns. Overall, I’d say Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone is definitely worth making time for.