Hey everyone! Why so sirius?
Okay, that was a bad pun. Anyway, I loved Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Continuing the trend from my last blog, Harry and his friends turn out to be wrong about a character they think is a bad guy. In this case, Sirius Black, the infamous escaped prisoner, is actually his father’s old BFF. He even gives Harry a swanky Firebolt for playing quidditch. Who knew?
Well, everyone who read this book between 1999 and now.
But sirius-ly (ok, I’m done now), an idea that’s become salient after reading this book is the development of Harry’s identity. He’s just like the rest of us. As we grow up, factors like our race, gender, religion, hometown, etc. all intersect to form who we are. But in Harry’s case, the Dursleys kept him in the dark about his identity. He never knew the truth about his parents and the fact that he’s a wizard. As a reader, it’s fun watching him step into his identity and wrestle with its complexities. Here’s Harry’s trajectory so far:
Sorcerer’s Stone: “You’re a wizard”
Harry’s identity is practically shoved onto him when Hagrid declares, “You’re a wizard.” He spends the whole book growing accustomed to his abilities and life at Hogwarts, ultimately getting a rematch with the Dark Lord. Not only is he a wizard, but a badass one.
Chamber of Secrets: “You’re a Gryffindor”
Rowling takes us a step further as Harry figures out exactly who he is as a wizard. Throughout this book, his Gryffindor identity is challenged as he discovers his aptitude for Slytherin (he can speak parseltongue, and his background is eerily similar to Tom Riddle’s). It’s no accident that in his moment of need, the Sorting Hat shows up — the ultimate symbol of an identity label. In the end, he’s reassured that he is indeed a Gryffindor, not because of his ability, but because of his choice.
Prisoner of Azkaban: “You’re James Potter’s son”
Until he was 11, Harry knew nothing about his parents. Finally, he gets some context. We get the backstory of his father, James Potter, and without getting into the patronus stuff, Harry finds out that his father is still a part of him, despite his death when Harry was a baby (thanks, Voldemort). So now Harry understands himself in relation to those who came before him. Not so coincidentally, time is a huge theme in this book (e.g. Hermione’s Time Turner necklace and Professor Trelawney’s Divination class). These subplots are such an appropriate backdrop as Harry wrestles with the past and future, figuring out where he fits in.
Harry’s identity becomes stronger as he transitions from the outcast orphan at the Dursleys’ house to James Potters’ Gryffindor wizard son at Hogwarts. I wonder how it will continue to develop as he battles darker obstacles, as well as a burgeoning teenage-hood. But there’s only one way to find out… READ.
‘Til next time.
-Cami
The Girls Who Lived 
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