Quidditch is one of the more fascinating aspects of the wizarding
world that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone introduces to us. It is extremely well developed in its portrayal in
the book and just seems to fit in such a fantastic world. Despite all of its
glamor, however, Quidditch really shines because it plays a part in advancing
the plot of the novel and helps to flesh out some of the main characters of the
novel.
The first
time Quidditch is mentioned in the series is also the first time that we meet
Harry’s soon-to-be rival, Draco Malfoy. Draco asks Harry if he has his own
broom, to which Harry admits he does not, while “wondering what on earth
Quidditch could be” (77). Draco continues to ask Harry about his plans at
Hogwarts, such as which house he hopes to be sorted into, while Harry continues
to feel “more stupid by the minute” (77). This scene helps establish how
clueless Harry really is of the wizarding world and all of its secret
intricacies, and serves as a bit of foreshadowing for the seeker rivalry between
Harry and Draco.
Once Harry
arrives at Hogwarts and begins to learn how to ride a broomstick, he discovers
his natural proficiency for the sport. While this discovery conveniently
explains how Harry is able to so quickly become a member of Gryffindor’s Quidditch
team, it also serves the subtler purpose of connecting Harry to his father in one
of the first ways that we see at Hogwarts. First there is Harry’s aptitude for
riding a broomstick itself that echoes his father’s past achievements, but Harry
also reveals his temper and stubbornness when he races after Malfoy to retrieve
Neville’s Remembrall. This scene continues to portray Draco as a malicious bully,
while also revealing Harry’s inability to stop any injustice that he witnesses.
When Hermione warns him not to follow Malfoy into the sky and instead follow
Madame Hooch’s orders to stay on the ground, “Harry ignored her. Blood was
pounding in his ears” (148). Harry just cannot stand to sit by and let other
people do wrong, and this scene is one of the first times we see Harry risk
injury and punishment to help someone else without a second thought. We also
get to see that Harry is rewarded by McGonagall for going out on a limb to save
Neville’s Remembrall when she invites him to join the Quidditch team, establishing
a major theme of the series that actions of goodwill are rewarded and
appreciated.
Harry’s
first Quidditch match is another very significant development of the novel. The
match is against Slytherin, of course, which helps to reinforce the rivalry between
Gryffindor and Slytherin, or good and evil. Harry’s broom being jinxed also adds
to the (ultimately wrong) suspicions of Harry, Ron, and Hermione that Snape is
the main villain of the novel. We can see that once the audience has realized
how Harry’s broom was out of control, Hermione’s first suspicion is Snape. “Hermione
seized Hagrid’s binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started
looking frantically at the crowd… ‘I knew it,’ Hermione gasped, ‘Snape — look’”
(190). Although it is eventually revealed that Snape is in fact trying to save
Harry by attempting to remove the jinx, while Quirrell is the one trying to
kill him, the Quidditch match plays a crucial role in advancing the plot and
character development of the novel.
For me, Harry’s first experience with flying was the first time I saw that Harry must innately be a good wizard. Previously in the novel, he had not shown any knowledge of wizard history or skills. Snape quizzed him with questions and he failed to answer a single one. However, when Harry commanded his broomstick to rise, his “broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did” (146). Harry was one of the only students to immediately command his broom. When Harry mounts his broomstick to fly for the first time, he succeeds without instruction: “and in a rush of fierce joy, he realized he’d found something he could do without being taught – this was easy, this was wonderful” (148). Something that should have been extremely challenging came naturally and instinctively to Harry. It made me aware that Harry must have these wizarding skills in his blood – perhaps from his parents. Quidditch is definitely a way to show that Harry has preexisting powers within him that just need to be awoken and exposed.
ReplyDeleteI think one thing that is interesting is the contrast that people keep making between Harry and Malfoy. However, they are more similar than different in my mind. The difference that separates the two is their upbringing. Malfoy was spoiled and Harry was an abused orphan. However, they both are cunning. Malfoy looks for ways to get Harry expelled, and Harry figures out the Sorceror’s Stone. They both attract quite a bit attention to themselves, though through different means. Ultimately, they are the leaders of their respective groups. The Gryffindors back up Harry over and over, either his small group or the house as a whole. Likewise, the Slytherins support Malfoy in his endeavors to undo Harry. On a surface level, they are both above average wizards, have great flying abilities, and come from well-known families.
ReplyDeleteWith all of this in common, it is super interesting the importance of upbringing. To keep a positive outlook on life, Harry is forced to see the good in people because his life was filled with hardship. In contrast, Malfoy lived a life of luxury and easy going. As a result, he is able to find joy in people’s suffering. This one difference makes all the difference in their persons so I love that JK Rowling developed it.
Quidditch is also important for developing the students. Competition can be good for people of all ages; it is good for the students to be able to get out and enjoy the sport whether that be through participating or spectating. Quidditch helps Harry grow into a more confident person overall, and also helps teach him how to work as a team with other people.
ReplyDeleteHarry has grown a lot in the first book. He started as a reclusive kid in an abusive household, and within 300 pages is able to face Voldemort on his own. The skills he gained from Quidditch were able to help him throughout the story. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione are progressing towards the stone, all three are able to work together as a team, with each of them shining in different steps. Harry is also able to confidently face Voldemort on his own which shows his increasing levels of confidence. If Harry was to go through this same trial at the start of the story, he would probably be unable to continue. The competition involved in Quidditch allowed his confidence to grow because he was on the starting roster as a first-year student, and the teamwork he developed from the sport helped him remain calm and trusting of Ron and Hermione during the steps towards the stone.