Themes Of Desires In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has many possible themes riddled within its content. However, the most important theme in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the danger of desires. Throughout the novel the dangers of desires is represented ranging from the desire of living one's life through the mirror of Erised, the desire of obtaining eternal life, and even the desire to be in a particular house (Gryfinndor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw). In the chapter “The Sorting Hat,” it is made blatantly obvious that Harry Potter absolutely dreads the thought of possibly being “sorted” into Slytherin. He deeply desires any other house besides Slytherin. Although the sorting hat thinks Harry would thrive in Slytherin, that Slytherin will “help [him] on the way to greatness” (Rowling 151), the hat finally decides to sort him into Gryffindor. If Harry hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor he would not have become bosom friends with Hermonie and Ron, meaning the troubles he encountered throughout the novel (getting into trouble often, leading to his troubling encounter in the Forbidden Forest) would have been avoided.…show more content…
The mirror of Erised is designed to show one their deepest desires – whether it be wealth, fame, or the revival of deceased loved ones. Harry risks being caught creeping around Hogwarts three nights in a row, merely to gaze into the mirror that shows Harry's family. His family that has all passed away. Finally, on the third night that Harry is visiting the mirror, Dumbledore alerts Harry of his presence. Dumbledore heeds warning of the mirror's powers stating that “[men] have wasted away fore it, entranced by what they have seen” (Rowling 265). This chapter shows how dwelling on desires, while neglecting to live one's life, can waste an individual's
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