Rowling writes “every nerve in Harry’s body was tingling unpleasantly.
As he descends into the Chamber of Secrets, readers notice that Harry is riddled with both unease and self-doubt. At the end of the novel, Harry sacrifices his own safety and well-being in order to ensure that no one else is attacked by the basilisk and that Ginny’s life doesn’t end prematurely. His instructors continue to teach him magic, his allies teach him about wizard culture-the meaning of words like “Mudblood” and “Squib,” the ingredients necessary to produce Polyjuice Potion and its use, etc. Harry is also the individual “who learns or grows the most in the course of the story,” (Vogler 31). Furthermore, the novel surrounds his experience during his second year at Hogwarts it is driven by “his will and desire,” without him, the novel simply could not exist, (Vogler 31). He is present in every chapter and every major event. Harry is also the novel’s hero because he is “the most active person in the script,” (Vogler 31). Their ease stems from the fact that they’ve all been in Harry’s position before-they’ve all been unwelcome in social situations they’ve all been outsiders. As Harry begins to feel increasingly unwelcome at school, readers find it easier to relate to the boy wizard. As several of Hogwarts’ students begin to fear that he is the Heir of Slytherin on account of his being a Parselmouth, he is ostracized and even feared by more and more of the student body. At school, Harry stands apart from the other students because of the fame he gained after defeating Voldemort and his ability to talk to snakes. Harry’s status as an outsider is accentuated by the fact that he is a wizard and the Dursleys are Muggles who fear his power, especially when he makes empty threats. At the onset of the novel, Harry is depicted as being different from the Dursleys because of his past-he was adopted by his aunt and uncle. Harry Potter embodies the Hero archetype in Rowling’s novel because his status as an individual “distinct from” the rest of the story’s characters makes him easy for readers to relate to, (Vogler 29). As they develop a fondness for him because of his relatability, they can only hope that he makes the right choices and triumphs over evil at the end of the novel. Perhaps most importantly, as Harry faces the obstacles presented to a novel’s hero, readers get the chance to experience his journey alongside him. Do they choose to give into their fear of what is foreign and unknown, or do they take the time to explore it and understand it better? Do they choose to stand idly as their fellows are terrorized, or do they choose to try and stop it? Do they choose to fight for what is right, for good, or do they give into their own ambitions and fight for the forces of darkness? As each of Rowling’s characters follow their own paths, their archetypes emerge, further defining them.
Rowling’s novel entitled Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a novel shaped by the choices that its characters make. “‘It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities,’” (Rowling 333). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Archetypes and Hero’s Journey