FINAL EDITION Serving the Area Since 1997
October 24, 1999
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Summary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
By BRANDON SMITH D-21

Who is Harry Potter and why has he been living on the best sellers lists here and in England for such a long time? The title sounds like a frivolous children’s book that deals with a nerd. But throughout the story we witness the brilliantly artistic and humorous use of words by the English author, J.K. Rowling as she presents a variety of classic struggles in rich imagery and carries our minds into a fabulous mythological world within our world which is invisible to those of us "muggles" who do not know magic.

The author entertains us with action filled experiences and interplay between pairs of opposites and contradictions. She covers classic themes such as obedience to authority, non-racial prejudice, loyalty, friendship, competition, pride, tolerance, perseverance, challenges, teamwork, life-threatening struggles, consequences of behavior and she creates an ending that will make you gasp in surprise during the final pages of the book.

Throughout most of the story the young heroes deal with a complex puzzle to get the Sorcerer’s stone without any help whatsoever from adults. The Mirror of Erised (Desire) helps Harry to understand his internal conflict. The inscription around the top of the mirror translates: "I show not your face but your heart’s desire." Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, cautions Harry that the mirror "will give neither knowledge nor truth…." And he concludes that "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

Some of the characters in the story are borrowed from Greek mythology like Hermione, some are given funny sounding names like Percy the Prefect, and others are given names that provide insight into their character like Malfoy (the malevolent), Goyle (gargoyle) and Crabbe (the crab) his protectors. Truth is shrouded in mystery, yet is plainly obvious. We are introduced to characters that may or may not be what they seem. Fluffy is a three-headed monster. The sorting hat does sort and Voldemort is evil but Dumbledore is not dumb.

The evil Voldemort is difficult to defeat because he is hidden from sight in a most surprising place. Behind all the Zen-like Centaurs, trolls, unicorns, magic potions, spells, invisibility cloaks and assorted hocus pocus, the story deals with some of the most important decisions we must all make during our lives. Should we be loyal to our flawed friends or should we befriend people who appear to have power? How valid are first impressions of others? What are the consequences of pursuing great wealth and immortality? Should we always follow the rules and obey authority figures? What are the unwritten rules that affect our lives?

Like the Mirror of Erised and like much of what is true art, this book will elicit different responses from different readers depending on their perspective; some will get a profound message while others won’t get it at all.

The story starts with a young orphan being raised by his abusive aunt and uncle and their gang-leader son Dudley. Harry Potter is living a miserable life since his parent’s death. He has been forced to live with his horrible relatives in a closet under the stairs since he was a baby. He lives with his aunt, uncle and their nasty son Dudley. They all treat him poorly. He must eat bad food, keep quiet and wear Dudley’s old clothes. He can’t go anywhere with them or get any birthday presents. Dudley and his gang use Harry as a football and a punching bag.

In the beginning harry doesn’t have any idea who he is. On his eleventh birthday a giant named Hagrid tells Harry about his true identity. He learns that Lord Voldemort (Lord of Darkness) killed his parents when he was a baby but that he had not succeeded in killing Harry. This battle left a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt on Harry’s forehead. He begins to discover that he is a legendary wizard and that he is expected to accomplish great things and that he is expected to learn about magic at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so that he can carry on the family tradition. The giant, Hagrid then takes Harry to London on a shopping spree to buy a fabulous assortment of wizard supplies.

This book deals with Harry’s experiences during this first year at Hogwarts. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, has a name that doesn’t match his personality. His name makes you think he’s dumb but he is a genius. His introduction is a parody of school administrators everywhere. When Dumbledore said he’d like to say a few words, he really meant a few words. His introduction is "Welcome to a New Year at Hogwarts! Before we start our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Harry then learns there a negative side to being a legend. Everybody at Hogwarts has high expectations of him. Harry feels great pressure to succeed.

Harry makes new friends and a few enemies. Harry thinks his enemy is Professor Snape Harry thinks Snape is trying to kill him and that he is trying to get the sorcerer’s stone. Professor Quirrell is actually trying to do both of those things. Harry’s rival is Draco Malfoy. Malfoy becomes Harry’s rival on the train to Hogwarts when Harry wouldn’t shake hands with Draco. Harry and Ron save Hermione from a mountain troll. Malfoy teases Ron about being very poor. Hermione is very smart and likes to obey the rules. Harry and Draco have a conflict everywhere they meet in the book. Draco is sorted into Slytherin house. The symbol for Slytherin is a serpent. Harry is sorted into Gryfinndor house. A Griffin is a fabulous monster with the head and tail of an eagle and the body of a lion.

Harry discovers he is good at Quidditch, a game with four balls and bewitched brooms. Harry was the best player in Quidditch. He helps his house to win the house cup.

Harry learns about the Sorcerer’s stone, which produces the elixir of life (which will extend your life) and turns any metal into pure gold. It is hidden at Hogwarts school and is guarded by Fluffy (a three-headed dog), dark arts magic, logic, a mountain troll, flying ability and the mirror of Erised.

Professor Quirrell is teacher of the Dark Arts Magic. Harry does not know that Professor Quirrell is helping evil Lord Voldemart steal the sorcerer’s stone. Voldemort used Quirrell’s body so he could drink the elixir of life so Voldemort can create a body of his own. In the forbidden forest Harry sees a hooded figure drinking unicorn blood who later turns out to be Professor Quirrell.

Harry uses an invisibility cloak to sneak around the school. He gets caught twice though. Harry takes chances and makes mistakes and doesn’t always follow the rules. Sometimes he gets in trouble for this but in the end succeeds.

Finally Harry gets to the sorcerer’s stone but Quirrell was already there. Quirrell almost kills Harry with some dark arts magic. Harry realized that Quirrell could not touch Harry without pain. Then Dumbledore comes and saves Harry.

Dumbledore said that love has great power and even though Harry’s mother had died for him, that power still protected him from Quirrell who was filled with greed, hatred and ambition. Quirrell/Voldemort could not touch Harry without great pain, because "it was agony to touch a person marked by something so good." Dumbledore said that the stone was destroyed. He said that it was for the best because without the stone Voldemort could not create his own body. The negative side was that Nicholas Flamel and his wife would die. "You know the stone wasn’t such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you want. The two things that humans choose above all - the trouble is they have the knack for choosing what is worst for them."

Harry’s friends were afraid to say the name "VOLDEMORT" like it would unleash his power. Dumbledore told Harry use the proper name for things "fear of the name increases the fear for the thing itself." The final obstacle to get the sorcerer’s stone was the mirror of Erised. "Where only those who wanted to find the stone not use it would be able to get it, otherwise they’d just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of life."

Harry then returns to the ordinary world for summer vacation at the end of his first year at Hogwarts. Harry no longer feels threatened by his aunt and uncle or Dudley. Harry thinks he will have a good time with Dudley this summer. "

Harry fails to defeat Quirrell and dies a horrible death. Voldemort takes over the school and renames it "The School Of Dark Arts Magic."

DEAR ANN: I have this unusual scar on my forehead that is in the shape of a lightening bolt. I get upset and very embarrassed when people ask me about it. What do you think that I should do?

Dear Sparky, I am positive that you should neutralize your negative feelings about your scar. You’ll just end up blowing a fuse if you continue to get yourself all charged up when others give you static about this. I recommend that you tell those people to stick their finger in a socket.

It takes seven years to graduate from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each book in the series covers one year at Hogwarts. This best selling book, the Sorcerer’s Stone, is the first in the series and was originally named Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when it was first published in England. The author allowed the American publishers to change the title to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

There is a lot of entertainment in the settings, creatures and powers in this book but it is actually real simple. It is about children learning to get along in a complex world learning how to cope with the problems in their lives.

The book enters a world of magic filled with a random supply of mythical creatures, brilliant incredible powers, entertaining delightful characters and as in "Star Wars", contains oodles of elements from the "Dark Side" which must be defeated by Harry and his collection of friends.

Some of the names in the story resemble that character. For example

Professor Sprout teaches Herbology and Professor Binns teaches the History of Magic. Other names are just funny and playfully absurd.

Although the titles of the Harry Potter series sound like children’s books, adults love to read them after the kids are tucked into bed.

In England, the book even comes with a plain brown dust cover so adults don’t feel embarrassed about reading the book in public.

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