This month has flown by! It felt like just yesterday I was giving you all the outline for the month's content! The day has come. I finally get to share my series analysis w/ you! I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on the circular story arc - do you agree? or am I just looking for meaning where there isn't any? If you have not finished the series - DO NOT READ BELOW. It is ALL SPOILERS. So save & read later!
Circular Story Arc Theory: One of the most magical elements to the Harry Potter series, to me, is the meticulous detail involved in almost every step. We've known that JKR had the final chapters of the book written/outlined from the very beginning, and we know that there were hidden easter eggs left throughout the series. We also know that the number 7 and circles both hold great symbolism. If you look close enough at the books, you will see that the entire series is "I open at the close"; each book has specific meaning with its counterpart.
Books 1+7:
- Theme: Open at the Close, Light vs. Darkness
- Book 1 is the beginning, or opening, of the story. Book 7 is the end, or close, of the story
- Harry is brought to Privet Drive in Hagrid's arms, via Sirius' bike, after almost being killed by Voldemort. Harry leaves Privet Drive alongside Hagrid, via Sirius' bike, & is attacked by Voldemort; also, at the final battle of Hogwarts, Harry's seemingly lifeless body is carried back to his home of Hogwarts in Hagrid's arms
- Voldemort inadvertently turns Harry into a horcrux in the first book, & inadvertently kills that same horcrux in the last book
- In Book 1, Hogwarts is a glorious & strong castle. In Book 7, it is set ablaze & nearly destroyed
- Neville Longbottom...the Boy that Could Have Been. In Book 1, Neville Longbottom is a bumbling embarrassment to his family to the point where it seems ridiculous that he could have been the Chosen One to defeat Voldemort. But in Book 7, Neville is every inch of the Chosen One he could have been as he is the one to defeat Voldemort's last remaining horcrux, Nagini, with Godric's sword
- Item seen in Book 1 that only returns in Book 7: The Deluminator
Originally posted on Instagram.