Universal Archetypes In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

Superior Essays
Carl Jung is deemed as one of the greatest contributors to the world of psychology. The man who founded analytical psychology made great advancements in the collective unconscious, the complex, and most importantly, archetypes. Jung believed that in the unconscious mind is a form of psychological inheritance in which there is “all of the knowledge and experiences we share as a species”, and so the archetype was born (Cherry). Simply put, an archetype is a recurring symbol in literature. J. K. Rowling’s use of universal archetypes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone not only provides an enjoyable reading experience, but gives depth to the characters within. The Hero is easily the most common archetype, and very similar to The Chosen One. …show more content…
The Betrayer is usually the most credible and unlikely character, making the act of betrayal all the more painful. No one thought to suspect “p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Q-uirrell”, which made him the perfect scapegoat (232). Along with deceiving Dumbledore, Quirrell abandoned his own humanity by allowing Voldemort to attach himself to Quirrells body. However there was one person who saw through Quirrells falsehood; Professor …show more content…
This specific archetype is more or less the struggle till one reaches self realization. In the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry experiences rebirth twice, the first occurring after the death of his parents. After Voldemort killed Harry’s father, he also killed his mother, who was trying to shield Harry in an attempt to protect him from Voldemort. This didn’t work out too well for her, however her love formed a defense around Harry, causing the spell to backfire and leaving Harry with nothing but a scar. This symbolizes a new beginning for Harry; one as an orphan. The second time around was also after an encounter with Voldemort, where yet again the love of Harry’s mother protected him against Voldemort’s wrath. Her love was so powerful that eleven years later Voldemort was still unable to touch Harry without experiencing unimaginable pain. After the incident, Harry passed out, and when he awoke he was a new person; one who understood the value of true love and the importance of making the right

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