How do our favorite characters drive the story?
Harry Potter is one of the most memorable and famous characters out there. Whether it be in the books or the movies, fans of the franchise relate to Harry Potter and are invested in his journey as he gets older, how he builds relationships, and overcomes challenges.
There are key reasons as to how a character drives a story:
- Their emotions and feelings help get us into the story
- They let us see the world through their eyes and go to new places!
- They experience changes that helps the story move forward
- They may cause problems, and have to work to fix them
- They interact with other characters for better or for worse
I think Harry Potter is a great character to study because he goes through so much over a long period of time! From when he is a child to a teenager he feels brave in some moments, sad in others, confused, proud, etc. As a star student, we see him learn how to use magic, and we even see him learn he is a wizard from the start and go from living with his aunt and uncle to moving to Hogwarts. He develops friendships with Ron and Hermoine, and with his teachers, Dumbledore, etc.
These relationships shift and change, problems arise, and who Harry is in the beginning of the movies changes to who he is at the end of Harry Potter. His growing and constant conflict with Voldemort affects him deeply and those around him, and definitely drives the story throughout every movie-coming to a big showdown in the final books and movies.
Think about your favorite movies, TV shows, or books. If you have a favorite character of all time, think of all the struggles they face, how they overcome those struggles-how does this change them over time? Do they become stronger? Weaker? Do they start out an outcast and become a hero? Think about all of the things that happen throughout and how your favorite character plays a part in that. You may be surprised that there are so many characteristics you may have overlooked that play a huge role in the overall story.