I chose to close read Harry Potter and analyze Neville Longbottoms character. Having read Harry Potter several times the character of Neville Longbottom always stuck out in the story. There are several passages about Neville that really paint him as clumsy and forgetful. Hes written as a character that you want to feel sorry for-like Harry both his parents are dead, there's a passage in the book that talks about how his gran raised him and no one in his family thought that he wouldnt be a wizard. His Uncle Algie used to try to catch him off guard and force him to display some kind of magical powers- one example used was when he states his uncle "pushed me of the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned". Then when he was eight his uncle accidentally drops him out of a window, and instead of a catastrophic accident Neville finally displays magical powers and bounces "all the way down to the road".
The whole book he is painted as clumsy, forgetful, fearful, and not a very good wizard. He's targeted by both Malfoy and Snape, and pitied by most of the other characters. Throughout the book we get little scenes with Neville that build up his character, but it isn't until he stands up to Harry, Rob, and Hermione when they are trying to sneak out that we see who he really is. That despite the fact that hes scared he will still stand up to his friends, and stand up for what he believes in. At the end Dumbledore praises him "it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." Its finally at the end that we see despite the fact that Neville is treated as a "joke" his character is someone that will persevere. He stands up in the face of adversity and doesn't quit.
Neville was indeed another character that was very interesting to me. He provided a little humor but deep feelings whenever he was shown in the book. I will have to say that your facts may be a bit off. You state that he is like Harry in that his parents died yet Neville’s parents are not dead. I'm quite sure that they were tortured into insanity by Death Eaters and are now in an insane asylum. Thought with them not knowing their own son I guess you could say they are pretty much dead to Neville. His clumsiness definitely adds to his courage and the fact that even in the face of danger he will never stand down. Unless he is stupefied into of course.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the book you certainly do want to feel bad for him because of all the terrible things that he says happened and how he is bullied and picked on by Malfoy and his gang. The stories about his family are sad but it should make him happy to be able to go to Hogwarts but I feel that it just makes him more nervous because they told him so often that he wasn’t good enough that is makes him scared. At the part where Dumbledore praises him and when he stands up to Harry and the others that he is trying to come out of his shell and be a confident person but it takes some time for that to happen to him.
ReplyDeleteNeville is definatley someone you want to feel sorry for when reading this book. He is so quiet and timid. It is also my favorite part of every book when the underdog stands up to his superiors and shows their true colors. I used to be someone who was also quiet and never stood up for myself so I can relate to Neville. As soon as I finally stood up for myself, it was the greatest thing ever and I never let anyone talk down on me ever again. I enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteGreat Job, I thought you passage was well thought out and brought a good perspective to a character that I thought i had already known. It was also nice to read about a character that is not on the forefront of the book but still has meaning Neville is a character that is mean to have flaws but also a moral lesson attached to them. He is suppose to show that no matter what you have been through you can always have the strength to stand up for what you believe is right. Neville is the perfect example for this because he is not the strongest or the smartest but is the most convicted and will stand up against adversity.
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