A Quest for Knowledge

I could imagine Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, being comfortably curled up by a fireplace reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. If she were to read it, I wonder if she would think back to her own book.  After reading both of these books, I could not help but think about some of the unlikely similarities these two characters share. While Harry Potter definitely has an exciting story about him, Susan Cain went on her own quest.

Cain and Potter were both constantly seeking knowledge as they went along in their journey. Potter was immersed in a brand new world, one full of things he had never seen, bursting with magic and excitement. Cain on the other hand was exploring a different side of a world she has lived in her entire life. She was trying to find out what sets apart an introvert and an extrovert. By doing this she had to go to unfamiliar territory. While a Tony Robbins convention may not be as frightening as the forbidden forest, for some introverts it might be just as intimidating.

Both character’s journeys lead to them to going to a school. While Cain’s trip to Harvard was a bit more temporary then Potter’s stay at Hogwarts, she still got the opportunity to get some insight into the topic she was seeking. She spoke with several professors who all helped her along her path and by the end of her trip she took a big step in seeing the difference between good and evil… I mean introverts and extroverts.