Discover Top Posts Tagged with #my hw

FFXIV Heavensward (1/X)

Going to make gifs of my favorite moments, no 3.56 for a while so no spoilers for folks

#FFXIV #heavensward #Lalafell #brynhildr server #My HW #Billy's gif

TW: IT'S MY HW AGAIN. You can write something in response, it's not a problem.

Post 1

Hi everyone! I just bought a new MP3 player. It is small, made of aluminum, has 64GB of storage, and delivers great sound.

Compared to a smartphone, its battery lasts much longer, and it has no annoying notifications.

To connect your headphones, just hold the play button for 3 seconds to activate Bluetooth.

Do you still use dedicated music players, or do you prefer your phones? Let me know!

Post 2

Hi all! I recently bought the Apex Pro smartphone. It features a bright 6.7-inch screen, a great triple camera, and a strong battery.

Compared to my old phone, this one is super fast and never lags. Overall, it is an excellent device for study and fun.

However, many adults argue that teenagers use smartphones too much, ruin their eyesight, and stop socializing in real life.

What is your opinion? Are we actually overusing our phones?

#MY HW #homework

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

In his novel entitled The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, Christopher Vogler describes the hero archetype. He states that one of the hero’s identifying traits is their “usually [being] the most active person in the script,” (Vogler 31). At the onset of J.K. Rowling’s novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, it may at first appear as though Dudley Dursley is the novel’s hero because of his state of prominence within his parents’ lives. I feel as though this is the case because he is showered with his parent’s love and affection; they go so far as to view their son as “perfect.” Furthermore, Dudley’s image crowds the mantel-piece, which “held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too,” (Rowling 18). Finally, Dudley learns about his cousin’s true nature when it is revealed by the “Herald.” However, although Dudley held great import within his parents’ lives and was one of the first characters in the novel to be introduced, he is surpassed by his cousin Harry Potter who is the novel’s “Hero.” Several clues denote this fact. First, Harry’s name is found within the novel’s title. Secondly, he is “distinct from the rest” of his family for several different reasons, (Vogler 29). First, he is not the Dursley’s biological son—Harry was adopted by Petunia and Vernon following his parents’ death. Second, his status as a being unlike the Dursleys is alluded to repeatedly when Rowling uses phrases like “they didn’t want Dudley mixing with a child like that,” (Rowling 2). Third, we later discover that Harry is a wizard while none of his other family members have the ability to perform magic. Fourth, Harry is only given Dudley’s old clothes to wear and none of his own. Since Dudley is far larger than Harry, the clothes were baggy on him. As a result, the articles he wore looked out of place, mirroring Harry’s state as an outsider—someone who didn’t belong in the Dursley’s world. Lastly, Harry is forced to live in a cupboard underneath the stairs, which differentiates him from the rest of his family who sleep in their own bedrooms.

Harry’s place as the novel’s “Hero” archetype is further demonstrated through his continual growth. Vogler writes that the hero is often “the one who learns or grows the most in the course of the story,” (Vogler 31). Although Dudley learns the same information as Harry from Hagrid about Potter’s past and the wizarding world, his “education” ceases once Harry leaves the Dursleys behind. Meanwhile, Harry’s growth continues in the wizarding world when he is taught about Lord Voldemort, Quidditch, the currency used by wizards, etc. Naturally, Harry’s role in the book also increases once the Dursleys are out of the picture. He becomes the novel’s driving force, the individual the narrator speaks about the most, further suggesting that he is the hero and not Dudley. In addition, Harry is someone we can all relate too, someone readers can “identify with,” (Vogler 30). At the onset of the novel, Harry is an outcast, an individual who is constantly being ridiculed by his family and bullied at school. This is definitely something I can relate too—I was picked on all the time in school because of the clothes I wore, the concepts I struggled to get in class, and my interest in books. When Harry begins his quest and enters the wizarding world, he is widely loved and appreciated because of his family history and triumph over Voldemort. Again, this is something everyone can relate to. Even if we might not have been popular and school, everyone has experienced a time in their lives when they were loved by everyone around them. Examples may include when they scored the winning goal at a sporting event, when they did something charitable for someone in need, etc. Finally, I would characterize Harry as an “unwilling hero.” I have made this characterization because Harry is “full of doubts and hesitations” and needed to be “pushed into the adventure by outside forces,” (Vogler 34). Harry’s hesitation becomes evident shortly after Hagrid informs him that he is a wizard because he cannot believe that it is true. Rowling writes that Harry “felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake,” (Rowling 57). Harry doubts that he could be a wizard because he had always been bullied, disliked, and incapable of doing magic, but after some prodding and reassurance from Hagrid, he begins to believe the giant’s story and agrees to plunge into an unfamiliar world.

The first six chapters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone contain two mentors. The first is Rubeus Hagrid. Hagrid can be characterized as a mentor for two reasons. First, “gift-giving” is considered to be “an important function of this archetype,” (Vogler 40). While shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley, Hagrid buys a snowy owl for Harry’s birthday. He also teaches Harry the most about the wizarding world, which is extremely important because it not only helps to prepare Harry for the journey he is about to embark upon, but because “teaching… is a key function of the Mentor,” (Vogler 40). Hagrid teaches Harry several useful tidbits of information, perhaps the most important being “‘Harry—yer a wizard’” because it explains the Dursley’s hatred for Harry, the things that separate Harry from the Dursleys, and it denotes the initiation of Harry’s quest, (Rowling 50). In addition to this information, Hagrid tells Harry how his parents really died, what muggles are, the story of Lord Voldemort, why so many strange things seem to happen when he’s around, about the currency wizards use, etc. Finally, Hagrid brings Harry to Diagon Alley so that he can buy his school supplies, supporting Harry on the first leg of his journey while continuing to show the young wizard the ropes. The second mentor that Harry encounters is Ron Weasley. Ron may be considered Harry’s mentor for two reasons. First, he discusses several aspects of “wizard culture” with Harry including the game of Quidditch. He also discusses the different types of candy Harry bought on the train. Secondly, Ron offers Harry the gift of friendship, which is extremely profound when we consider the fact that Harry has never had a friend before. This fact becomes evident when we consider the length of time the pair spent together on the Hogwarts Express and how they bonded over their similarities, such as always being forced to wear their relative’s old clothes and not being able to afford the things that they wanted. Rowling writes, “Harry didn’t think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he’d never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley’s old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents,” (Rowling 100). As the novel progresses, I imagine that several similarities will be drawn between the boy’s characters, further solidifying their budding friendship as Ron’s role of “mentor” is deepened, or alternatively, forced to shift to fit another of the novel’s many needs.

The role of “Threshold Guardian” is carried out by both Mr. and Mrs. Dursley because they provide Harry with an “obstacle,” which must be overcome before he can begin his quest, (Vogler 49). As Harry’s legal guardians, the Dursleys have a large amount of control over the young wizard, which allows them to shield him and their son Dudley from the truth—the fact that Harry is a wizard. As Harry is faced with the truth, he is forced to overcome his initial shock at the news and choose to “free himself” from the Dursley’s control with Hagrid’s help so that he can continue his journey. In addition to the obstacle(s) that they present, “testing of the hero is the primary dramatic function of the Threshold Guardian,” (Vogler 50). When Harry receives his first letter from Hogwarts, he makes the mistake of opening it within the Dursley’s line of sight. It is taken from him as are subsequent letters. Thus, the “threshold guardians” issue their challenge: they test Harry by seeing if he is strong enough to acquire a letter while they continue to stand in his way and try to keep him from obtaining a letter. The Dursleys go to great lengths to keep the letters from Harry: they refuse to respond to the letters, camp out under the doormat so that Harry can’t retrieve any letters from beneath the mail slot, “[tear] the letters into pieces before [Harry’s] eyes,” drive away in the hopes that the letters won’t find them, and more, (Rowling 39). It is only when Hagrid steps in that Harry manages to acquire a letter and make the choice to begin his quest. It is also the point in time in which the last piece of evidence expressing the Dursley’s status as Harry’s threshold guardians is revealed. This is due to the fact that readers discover that both of the Dursleys “knew” that Harry was a wizard, (Rowling 53). By withholding information from him, they barred their nephew from beginning his journey because there was no way for Harry to begin his quest without the knowledge that they possessed. How could he leave their muggle world behind without knowing of the magical world’s existence? Finally, they reluctantly allow Harry to begin his quest despite their better judgment because he passed their test and acquired his letter to Hogwarts. Thus, Harry is rewarded with a trip to King’s Cross station, (so that he can take the train to Hogwarts), and the chance at a new life.

Hagrid also serves as the “Herald” in Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. His status as the novel’s herald stems from the fact that he “announce[s] the coming of significant change,” (Vogler 55). He is the individual who not only informs Harry that he is a wizard, but offers him his letter from Hogwarts, which will allow him to enter the next leg of his journey. His presence, therefore, signifies change. If Harry chooses to follow Hagrid, (and he does), he’ll be leaving the Dursleys behind and will no longer have to endure their hatred and ridicule. Instead, he will be showered with love and affection because of the fame that surrounds his family. Secondly, he will be leaving the “normal” world behind for one filled with magic. Instead of learning about science and math, he’ll be learning charms and spells. Harry will also be presented with new opportunities to explore unfamiliar areas and make new friends. Finally, “heralds provide motivation… and get the story rolling,” (Vogler 56). Hagrid carries out this function by famously explaining “Harry—yer a wizard,” convincing Harry that he really is a wizard, and convincing Harry to travel with him so that he can buy his school supplies.

Works Cited:

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. N.p.: Scholastic, 1998.

Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. 3rd ed., Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.