Comparative Essay Of The Book And The Film Of Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone

4 Pages 975 Words

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first in a series of books by J.K Rowling. They follow the adventures of the young wizard, Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione, at Hogwarts – The school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The book was first published in 1997 and the film has been long awaited in coming.
I first read Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone in the year it was published and heard about the film adaptation eighteen months ago. Initially, I thought that it would be an impossible feat to capture on screen. The book deals with witchcraft and magic and relys heavily on the imagination of the reader. It is ultimately your own imagination that determines how you judge this book. J.K Rowling’s description of events at Hogwarts school allows the reader to escape into another world. The moment you pick up the book, you are living out every fantasy you had as a child. Was it not everybody’s dream at one time to be told you are a wizard with special powers?
Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone introduces us to the young wizard as a baby and explains why he is special in the wizarding world. Harry’s parents were both wizards and attended Hogwarts in their day. But along with all of the benefits of being a wizard, there is a dark side. There is an evil spirit in the wizarding world, called Voldemort, who is intent on destroying all things good for witches and wizards.
Harry’s parents were killed in a horrific attack by Voldemort when he was just a year old. Voldemort also tried to kill Harry but was stopped by the baby’s special powers. Harry miraculously survived the attack but was left with a reminder of that fateful day, a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightening bolt.
As a result of being orphaned, Harry is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their dreadful son Dudley. The Dursley’s are muggles (non-wizards) and despise Harry and his strange ways, until the day he is sent for ...