Harry Potter's journey from neglect to defeating Lord Voldemort

¶ … Fiction ~ Harry Potter

a) Briefly outline where the person was born and raised and the nature of his childhood experience.

Born in Godric's Hollow, England to James and Lily Potter

Raised by Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia Dursley alongside cousin Dudley. Was treated badly during the first eleven years of his life, including being forced into slave labor and being the subject of constant neglect.

b) Explain the person's life before and after his "life altering event."

Before the life altering event, Harry was miserable. He was forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs, had no friends, and was not allowed any kind of warmth or happiness. After, he was invited into a world where he could be loved and appreciated for who he is. He goes from being minimized in importance to one of the most important people within his society.

c) Briefly explain what the person is doing now or how the person's life progressed/regressed after their challenges were overcome (or not overcome).

a. Following the events of the Harry Potter series, the main character is living happily as an Auror, which is a policeman within the fictional wizarding the world. He is also happily married and the father of several children.

Life Challenge:

a) What event(s) led to the obstacles faced by the person you are studying?

a. The death of Harry's parents led to him being raised in an unloving environment. This was caused by a prophecy which involved the infant Harry and a powerful dark wizard, Voldemort. Voldemort's determination to take over the wizard world meant that Harry had to deal with this man and his followers year after year as they kept trying to kill him and destroy all the good in the world.

b) How did the person initially deal with these obstacles/challenges?

a. Harry dealt with his family by doing as they asked no matter how cruel or unreasonably. After he learns of his true abilities and the real history of his life, he gains courage and uses a mixture of intelligence and bravery to overcome all the evils that he encounters.

c) Did he/she receive help along the way? If so, by who?

a. Harry receives help at every stage of his struggle. He is primarily aided by his friends Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger. In addition, he is helped by other students and adult educators, particularly by Albus Dumbledore.

Lessons Learned:

a) What life lessons did the person learn?

a. Harry learns many lessons along the process of his long journey. Among them he learns that it is important to have those you can count on and to trust that you will be able to accomplish things when the time comes. He learns the truth of nobility and sacrifice and that you must do what is right even when the cost is high.

b) How can you apply these life lessons to your own life?

a. In reality, you will not have to fight dark wizards but you will have to face situations which are hard. You may become ill and have to overcome it or be confronted with someone bad and have to choose not to participate in actions which you know to be wrong. You take Harry and his journey to heart and try to be brave even when you believe you will lose much in doing the right thing. A simple example is when your friends are doing something wrong, such as committing a crime and they ask you to take part. It would be easy to succumb to their pressure and go along, but those who have learned from Harry know that they have to decline, even if it means you lose your friends.

Bibliography:

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine, 2007.

Print.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.