The Unlikely Champions
In reading Harry
Potter and the Sorcercer’s Stone and Winter’s
Bone there seems to be a recurring theme of heroism presented. In Harry
Potter, Harry is the introverted boy that no one sees. He is made to be invisible by the Dursley’s and
not one to stand out in the crowd. Harry
doesn’t realize that he has the strength in him to realize his full potential
until he begins school at Hogwart’s. He
meets some great friends, Hermoine and Ron, who help him realize that he can be
great. None of Harry’s friends want him to continue his quest
to find the sorcerer’s stone but Harry won’t let that deter him. He is determined to find the stone even
though everyone else tells him to stop. He
isn’t the best wizard at the school or the brightest but that doesn’t stop him
from becoming a great champion for Hogwart’s.
The same is true in Winter’s Bone. Ree Dolly is
the girl who no one looks twice at. She was
forced to quit school early and take care of her family. She doesn’t have a choice in this matter and
has to learn how to care for her two young siblings and her sick mother. Again, Ree is the introvert who only realizes
her potential when she realizes that she must take chances and put herself out
there or risk losing everything. No one
thinks she will actually be able to find her father and tries to stop her from
even looking. She doesn’t heed their
advice and in the end succeeds in finding him and saves her family home.
These are two characters who are the underdogs as
they say to begin with and in the end are the ones who save the day. Harry and Ree are the ones who when observed
by their peers at first seem to be the ones who blend into the background but
then in the end come out on top. You
never know who may become the unlikely champion until they are tested.
That is a great point you made about how Harry and Ree seem to blend it, but this is not true at all. Ree was quiet and reserved with her family, but behind the scenes she is fighting for her family, specifically her dad. She was a silent leader. I did not put two and two together how much Ree and Harry had in common, I enjoyed your comparison. Ree was a courageous character and Harry was right behind her accomplishing things that many students in Hogwarts never thought he could.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you connected these Kimberly. Actually I didn't think twice about how both of them share the same sort of "behind the curtain" life style. When you think of Harry Potter you think magic and fanciful things, and when you see Winter's Bone, you just fall into a kind of light depression about someone who really has nothing, no gold in a goblin bank account, just diddly for any kind of assistance. But truly they are cut from the same stone. In a way, Ree's magic seriously trumps Harrys, as he can just wave a wand or hide beneath a cloak, whereas Ree has to literally take it in the face just to progress one day at a time. Very nice connection Kimberly. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI feel both characters might even be referred to as reluctant heroes. Harry Potter grows up a rather awkward little boy, feeling as if he is an outcast in his adopted home. He is dumbfounded to be seen as a potential savior and shocked to learn about his parents being a great wizard and witch.
ReplyDeleteIn Winter's Bone, Ree does seem to be a bit introverted. Desperation causes her to fight past her shyness and expectations of what a woman should be in her culture. You feel that she has to improvise constantly, not sure of what she should do but must act for the sake of her family. Neither character necessarily had grand aspirations but their actions led them to attain a level of heroism.