Harry Potter Reread: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived

He couldn’t know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying hushed voices: “To Harry Potter–the boy who lived!”

Summary

Following the death of James and Lily Potter, strange events begin happening all over England. Owls are seen flying at odd hours; men in strange clothing are observed wandering the streets, ecstatic. For the everyday people going to and fro–like Vernon Dursley–nothing special has happened and all the goings on are observed and noted but not understood. Vernon and his wife Petunia and their son Dudley are the epitome of snobbish suburbia. They believe themselves to be a perfectly normal family with whom no one could possibly find fault. However, as the night gathers after a very strange day, two distinctly “other” types of humans land on Privet Drive, home of the Dursley’s. They reveal themselves to be Albus Dumbledore and, in a rather strange moment, Minerva McGonagall who transforms herself from a cat to a woman. The two are clearly acquainted and speak in (what seems to us) riddles about the events that led to today’s strange events that have gone seemingly unnoticed for most of the English people. As they converse, a large motorbike carrying a rather gigantic man lands. Albus addresses him as Hagrid; the large man reveals that he is carrying a one year old baby, named Harry. We learn that Harry is the son of the late James and Lily Potter and that after the events of the day and previous night, Harry has been taken to live with the Dursley’s who are his uncle, aunt, and cousin. McGonagall seems uncertain that this the best course of action, but Dumbledore explains that he’s left a letter explaining everything. As the first chapter comes to a close, we are given to understand that Harry is a very special boy and that it is thanks to him that this “other world” is celebrating.

Analysis

The Magical and the Mundane

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

And thus begins Harry Potter’s tale. Unlike other fantasy sagas and epic adventures that have a unique magical element to them, the reader is not plunged headfirst into the unknown. There are no peaceful dales full of elves or spiraling cities full of supernatural creatures. We are not in Middle Earth, in other words. Instead, we find ourselves in our world–planet Earth, England. It’s a world that is made up of everyday, non magical, normal people. Focusing on the specifics instead of the broad, we are introduced to the Dursley family, a family that is defined by its normalness and their obsessive need to maintain said normalness. Vernon Dursley is a director of a firm that sells drills; he has a wife, a child, a car, and little to nothing in the way of otherworldly interests. They are, then, on the surface, just like you and me.

When our story opens, the Dursley’s–and all the inhabitants of England–expect it to be a normal Tuesday. It’s dull and dreary (read: perfectly normal English weather) and everything is as it should be. It is during the course of the day that strange goings on begin to be noticed by Mr. Dursely and he increasingly tires to rationalize them because the events–as they appear to him–are totally outside the purview of life in a quiet suburban English village. These things, by their strangeness, are “other” and like any mundane human when confronted with the existence of something that does not match their construct of how the world operates, they attempt to classify them in terms they can understand. We turn the magical–the other–into the mundane in order to fit these events, people, ect into tiny boxes that we can analyze based on our own understanding of the world. For example:

It was on the corner of the street that he [Mr. Dursley] noticed the first sign of something peculiar–a cat reading a map.

Cats do not read maps. Cats do not understand what a map is. Cats do not even have a concept of what a map, a piece of paper, geographic lines, territories, or even the very idea of Earth are. Therefore seeing a cat reading a map is something that is outside the normal everyday life (the mundane) and instead of confronting the seemingly magical other, Vernon Dusley does what every mundane human does–he rationalizes it in terms he can understand.

What could he [Mr. Dursley] have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat…..Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.

Human beings, by and large, do not like coming up against things that do not make sense. There are a variety of emotions that a person could experience when confronted with the unknown: abject horror, confusion, anger, awe, or in the first case above, an attempt to classify the event or person that is outside the normal as something normal in order to move on. Mr. Dursley continues to move through the day and comes face to face (sometimes literally) with things that are not in his mental vocabulary.

As he [Mr.Dursley] sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn’t help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn’t bear people who dressed in funny clothes–the getups you saw on young people!
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But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt–these people were obviously collecting for something…yes that would be it.

Anger to rationalization; Mr. Dursley does not spare a second thought on the people dressed in brightly colored cloaks, milling about in odd places and whispering excitedly. To him, there must be a rational explanation for these oddities because anything irrational has no place in his world. There are some things that Mr. Dursley does not notice but that are made known to him throughout the day through TV. First, there are a lot of owls all over the place. They are swooping over head, in broad daylight, in a major city. While seeing a lone owl at night might not be not be cause for alarm, flocks of owls in the middle of the day are. Second, there appear to be “fireworks” (not really fireworks, but again the mundane minds seeks to rationalize) sparking up all over England. It’s so odd that even the local news reporters discuss it that night–the magical and otherworldly infiltrating the mundane sphere of the suburban household. It is then–after the cat, after the cloaks, after the owls, and after the “fireworks”–that Vernon Dursley must do something he doesn’t want to do. He must ask his wife, Petunia, about the Potters and Harry.

It turns out that the Dursley’s sheen of normalcy is just that: a fraudulent construct used to keep the Dursley’s greatest secret under wraps; they fear what would happen if the Potters came to town.

Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley’s sister, but they hadn’t met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursely pretended she didn’t have a sister, because her sister and her good for nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.
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The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never seen him.

At this stage of the chapter, we the readers do not know what the Potters are or what they’ve done to be so ostracized. It could be a variety of things, but given Vernon Dursley’s tight reign to maintain normalcy, it’s impossible to guess. It is only after a startling run-in with several of the cloaked figures, that Vernon becomes concerned that the Potters could have something to do with the strange things (though, in good old fashioned mundane manner, Vernon shrugs it off and rationalizes it).

“The Potters, that’s right, that’s what I heard–“
“–yes, their son, Harry–“
Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.
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Potter wasn’t such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn’t even sure his nephew was called Harry. He’d never seen the boy.

Even when Vernon questions Petunia about the Potter and “their crowd,” nothing is gleaned except that the Dursley’s do not associate with their Potter-family and once again, we have Vernon brushing aside his fears about the magical other world that is fast encroaching in on him. Surely, these things will have nothing to do with him. There’s no way these strange occurrences will affect him and Petunia and Dudley.

How very wrong he was.

What The Heck Was That About?

Having spent a good amount of time in the mundane, night falls and it’s time to enter the magical. It’s important to note that the magical world only comes to life for us–meaning that is finally made the center of our little one act play–when night falls. There’s a lot of symbolism to this. The mundane world exists in the brightness of day because there’s nothing opaque to it. We know that world. It’s clear and open and doesn’t need the cover of darkness. The magical world, however, is something unknown. It is mysterious and strange and decidedly not mundane. Therefore, it exists in the corners and the nooks and crannies of our world. And it can only come to life at night. Darkness–both literal and metaphorical– is really all over this scene. Not only is it night but when Dumbledore enters the picture, he proceeds to put out the lights.

He [Dumbledore] found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again–the next lamp flickered into darkness.

On a less literal level, this scene makes no sense to anyone who has not read the series or knows the basic tale. The audience is in the same dark as the mundane humans who’s lights just went out. While we might be able to gather certain things–like some vague reference to a murderer named Voldemort, lots of death, a little boy named Harry who somehow stopped Voldemort–everything about the conversation between Dumbledore and McGonagall is nonsense to those of us not in the know.

But, of course, not even the two participants in the conversation are known to us–nor does their existence mesh with our understanding of the world. As normal as Vernon and Petunia are, so odd Albus and Minerva.

Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparking behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man’s name was Albus Dumbledore.

And, of course, Minerva was a cat. Who became a woman. Folks, the magical world. You’re swimming in it.

Moving away from the set up and introduction into the magical world that we the reader now find ourselves in, the two main characters have what I have already described as a rather obtuse conversation. Parsing out the bits and pieces we gather a few key points.

–Who-Know-Who (Lord Voldemort) was a very powerful…something (the “W” word is not used yet) who murdered a lot of people for a very long time and held the magical world in a reign of terror
–Albus Dumbledore seems to be the only person Voldemort ever feared even though they are alike in powers. We are given to understand that Albus refuses to use these powers out of nobility.

–Lily and James Potter are dead

–Harry Potter survived and somehow was the downfall of Voldemort who was unable to kill the one-year old.

–For reasons that Dumbledore only briefly touches upon (fame, safety) Harry will be living with the Dursley’s

Speaking of, let’s meet our boy wonder. But first, a little aside. I often wonder if Hagrid landing on the scene–from the sky–with little Harry wrapped in his arms, isn’t some sort of twisted deus ex machina. Harry is–of course–the “savior” of the story and he did just fall from the sky. In classical Greek theater, the god would actually be lowered (via machine) on to the stage in order explain all the things or right a wrong. I think Jo’s having a bit of a laugh here.

The first thing we notice about the sleeping baby is that he has a lightening bolt scar on his forehead, slightly hidden under a mop of black hair. He is, apart from the scar, a perfectly normal baby. There seems to be nothing remarkable about him. There doesn’t appear to be any sign that he was capable of taking down an evil murderer. There is nothing that indicates that he is anything special. He is….just a boy. For the reader, right now, we don’t know why Harry is special or was able to fend off Lord Voldemort. The one thing that we do latch on to quickly is his lightening bolt scar. The hero is always marked. Either physically, mentally, or biologically…something–a sign–always shows us who the hero is. Fantasy is great that way.

Possible Foreshadowing (an ongoing list)

JKR is well known as an author who stuck a lot of foreshadowing in to her novels. These can be objects or names that seem to be nothing remarkable and then turn into a big deal later on. I thought it would be fun to keep track of those items/people.

1. The Puter-Outer

2. The Flying Motor-Bike

3. Sirius Black

Questions to Consider

1. Based just on this chapter alone, how do you feel about the Dursleys?

2. Based just on this chapter, how do you feel about Dumbledore and McGonagall?

3. A question that we should ask ourselves at every big turning point in this series: did Dumbledore make the right choice? In this case, did Dumbledore make the right choice in leaving Harry Potter with the Dursleys?</p>

It’s interesting that a book titled “Harry Potter” begins by focusing on a family called the Dursleys. Is it a gamble to start a story without the title character being mentioned until the end of the chapter? Evidently not, but it is intriguing.

Very good point. We begin, very much, in media res (in he middle). We are plunged into the world after the big climatic scene of Voldemort and Lily/James/Baby Potter. And we are given only small hints and clues as to what we are in the middle of.

I immediately got a flashback to Disney’s “The Sword and the Stone” version of Merlin.

Again, a very good point. Especially since part of Voldemort’s name comes from the evil doer Voldemortis from Authrian legend who once tried to destroy Merlin and was taken down by King Arthur.

I was pondering this the other day. What would the outcome be if Harry was raised by someone else? It was quite a gamble for Dumbledore to leave him to the custody (I won’t say care) of these two. I can understand his conviction that the boy, famous for something beyond his control, should be raised apart from it. Just look at celebrities’ children. Countless offspring grow up to be famous for no accomplishments or talent. Reality shows are filled with them. They are materialistic, entitled and spoiled. This could have very well happen to Harry if he grows up in the world to which he was born.

Dumbledore makes it out like Harry would be spoiled and have his head turned by living with any wizarding family. But…this can’t really be true. I mean small jump here, but imagine if Harry grew up with the Weasleys.

We don’t know much about Dumbledore yet but can surmise he was close to the baby’s parents. He must have know that there was a chasm between the sisters and yet he’s assured the note he left will ensure that couple will accede to wishes. What we don’t know is exactly what is in that note. It had to be something powerful to make a couple, who would have nothing to do with this branch of the family, make an about face and raise their orphaned nephew. And we don’t know how they will raise Harry. We already see that Petunia dotes on her little Dudley and he’s a spoiled baby. What’s to say she won’t do the same to Harry? However, when it comes down to brass tacks it was really the only choice with the sparse information we, the reader, have been given that Dumbledore could have made.

From an archetypical standpoint we have to assume, for the moment, that Dumbledore is “good.” (such a subjective term, I know). McGonagall points out that while they are evenly matched, Dumbledore would never dream of using the powers Voldemort does because “nobility.” Since Harry is set up as some sort of savior figure in the first chapter, at least by those who exist in the magical world, then Dumbledore, for all intents and purposes is the wise old wizard who guides the hero on his journey. There is always a wise old wizard (Merlin, Gandalf, Obi Wan, Giles from Buffy). And across the board, those figures are good. This isn’t to say that they are some sort of divine good (though Gandalf….anyway…) but that they fight for some sort of noble cause and are preparing the hero to take up that noble cause because good should always win. What we have to keep in mind and keep pondering is whether or not Dumbledore is doing this out of nobility or something else.

My confusion is who actually reported the death and was first on the scene after the fact? If Hagrid is the first to the house, then how did anyone report the deaths earlier? How did Dumbledore know? If Hagrid wasn’t the first to the house, why was a baby left all alone? Now I know we’ve all read the books, and information will be revealed as we continue our reread, but it’s been a while since I read the books and I no longer remember every minutiae of the series.

Good questions and while we could probably answer it–though, I’m struggling to remember all the layers–what you raise is a very valid point. There is a mystery surrounding all of this–and not just the magical mystery of “why Harry survived.” But an actual detective type story because there is a very space of time between the Potters death (McGonagall is already in place as a cat when Vernon leaves the house) and when Harry Potter arrives on the doorstep. Jo is intentionally wanting us to ask what actually happened. If Harry Potter is so important, then why didn’t Dumbledore get Harry himself? Why didn’t Dumbledore bring Harry to the Dursley’s right away? Why does Dumbledore seem to know way more than anyone and why is he so reticent in discussing it.

but every time I’m reminded of how this may be one of the best opening chapters, if not opening lines, in the history of the literary world.

It is a very well crafted English sentence; it even reads a snobbish, the snobbery of the Dursley’s is etched into every syllable. It actually reminds me a bit of the opening line to Anna Karenina

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

It’s a bit of a conundrum, is it not? We want to be happy. But do we want to be all alike? All cookie cutter copies of one another–is that what it takes to be happy? For the Dursley’s the answer is a rather resounding yes. In order for their family to be truly happy and content in their mundane little world they have to be just that: mundane, un-unique, and just like everyone else. I’m not sure if this exists in England or not but here in American the quintessential American dream is the 2.5 kids, the two car garage, and white picket fence. That is supposed to be the ideal. I would hazard a guess that something akin to that exists in English society. It’s like…Vernon and Petunia had an itemized checklist. Check mark for getting married to another perfectly mundane, equally vapid individual. Check mark for successful job. Check mark for one child whom they can spoil rotten. Check mark for the car in the garage and perfectly manicured lawn.

Harry is not on the check list. Harry disrupts the entire checklist. Suddenly, with Harry, there are questions. Suddenly Vernon and Petunia are not just like everyone else and they have to explain their situation to their neighbors; neighbors, who by contrast, never have to explain their situation.

Where the second part of Anna Karenina’s opening line comes in is that contrary to what the Dursley’s want to everyone to believe (prior to Harry) is they aren’t as normal, happy, or cookie cutter as they pretend to be. And they are unhappy (un-cookie cutter) in a way that no other neighbor can claim. No other neighbor can claim to have magical relatives. In this regard, they are unique. And that bothers the living daylights out of them.

That I didn’t know, RG, very interesting, even though I always thought of King Arthur when I think of Harry’s upbringing. A young boy, destined for greatness, whisked away from his family for safety and brought up with relatives (who aren’t necessarily likeable). In Disney’s “The Sword in the Stone”, we know Arthur’s foster family treats him terribly, and force him to do chores around the castle. They laugh at his aspirations to become a knight, and scoff his idea of studying and getting an education. I can’t speak for other versions of the story, as I am no Arthurian scholar by any means, but without going to further into later chapters, what a parallel.

Ooooh yes. The Arthurian parallels are great. But to broaden the horizon, this isn’t just an Arthur thing. It’s a mythic hero archetype thing (ok, in case after 4 years people haven’t figured this out..I have a thing for archetypes…) I mentioned in my analysis that the hero is always somehow marked–emotionally, physically, mentally. They are also typically very alone. They might have friends or family but they often feel like an outsider, like they don’t belong. Jesus is openly rejected by a good portion of the people he is preaching to; Luke Skywalker dreams of a day when he can be anywhere but Tattooine and is being raised by an uncle and aunt because his parents are dead (a much nicer uncle and aunt, by the way); Biblo (and Frodo) want to go on adventures which is rather un-Hobbitish; Buffy is lying to her mom about who and what she really is and for quite awhile Giles (and in future seasons Wesley) is unsure that having friends help the slayer is a good thing (Joss’s own unique twist on his mythic hero); Daenerys Targaryen is supposedly the last Dragon; Jon Snow lives in a world where last names are everything and his is a base-born one; Elric is marked as an albino and a forward thinking Melnibone in a city that frowns (ok, more than frowns) on distancing itself from tradition and is seen as a freak for this; Arthur is spirited away and raised in less than ideal (sometimes abusive) circumstances; Emma Swan in an orphan who keeps finding connections only to lose them. This is part of the mythic cycle. We should be keeping a close eye on the Hero’s Journey for Harry and the various stages he enters and completes along the way. This is the prelude, the set up. We must get out mythic hero to the first stage: the call to adventure.