Daphnie Woodrum English 102 October 24, 2008 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By J. K. Rowling “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is a book set in real time that takes the readers into a world of magic, witches, and wizardry. The hero of the story, Harry Potter, was forced to live with his aunt and uncle because his parents were killed when he was a baby. Little did he know that his parents and his world revolved around magic spells and he would soon be invited into the world of the Hogwarts. How does the Hogwart world compare to the Muggle world (where his aunt and uncle lived)? Did Rowling really want us to compare the two worlds? The real difference between the two worlds lies not in their appearances or social structures but in their attitudes toward human potential and human difference. While Hogwarts teaches students to develop their powers to the fullest extent possible, the Muggle world, as represented by the Dursleys, isintent on stifling uniqueness. In Mrs. Dursley’s world, she cares very much about public opinion and about what the neighbors are saying, and we see that being normal is far more important to her than being unusual, different, or special. The Dursley’s as well as other Muggles have this desire, which could explain why the Dursley’s hid Harry’s family history from him and tried to deny the prospect of him becoming a wizard. They dread his being different, just as they hated his mother's being different. The Hogwarts world provides Harry with what the Muggles forbid him: the chance to develop his true self. In conclusion, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” was a short book with lots of context and different meanings. Depending on the reader, this book could have a completely different meaning or theme all the way around. Works Cited Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2003. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scotland: Bloomsbury Children’s...