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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Book Information

Plot Summary

The story begins with the introduction of eleven-year-old Harry Potter, an orphan living a miserable existence with his cruel aunt, uncle, and cousin, the Dursleys, at Number 4, Privet Drive. Harry is unaware of his magical heritage until a flood of letters begins to arrive from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After his uncle, Vernon Dursley, attempts to prevent him from receiving them, the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid arrives to personally deliver Harry's acceptance letter. Hagrid reveals that Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter, were a famous wizard and witch who were murdered by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Harry survived the attack, which left him with his lightning-bolt scar and the moniker “The Boy Who Lived.” Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, a hidden magical street in London, to purchase his school supplies, including his wand, a cauldron, and a pet owl he names Hedwig. On the Hogwarts Express, Harry befriends Ron Weasley, who comes from a large, pure-blood wizarding family, and Hermione Granger, a very intelligent witch born to Muggle parents. At Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat places Harry, Ron, and Hermione into Gryffindor house. Harry begins his magical education, excelling in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Flying, where his natural talent for riding a broomstick earns him a spot as the youngest Seeker in a century for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He develops a rivalry with Draco Malfoy, a student from Slytherin house, and a tense relationship with the Potions master, Severus Snape, who appears to despise him. The trio discovers a forbidden third-floor corridor guarded by a monstrous three-headed dog. They deduce that the dog is guarding the legendary Philosopher's Stone, an object capable of granting immortality, which was created by the alchemist Nicolas Flamel. Believing Snape is trying to steal the stone for Lord Voldemort, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to protect it themselves. They venture past the dog and a series of magical protections: Devil's Snare, a room of enchanted flying keys, a life-sized game of Wizard's Chess, and a potions riddle. Harry proceeds alone to the final chamber, where he finds not Snape, but the seemingly timid Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrell. Quirrell reveals he is the one who has been trying to steal the Stone for his master, Lord Voldemort, whose face is grotesquely attached to the back of Quirrell's head. Voldemort, in his parasitic form, has been using Quirrell to regain a body. Harry finds the Stone in his pocket, having unknowingly retrieved it from the Mirror of Erised due to his pure desire to find it, not use it. When Quirrell attempts to take the Stone, his skin burns upon contact with Harry. Harry discovers that his mother's loving sacrifice created a powerful magical protection that resides in his very skin. Quirrell is burned to ash, and Voldemort's spirit flees. Harry awakens in the hospital wing, where Albus Dumbledore explains the nature of his mother's protection and reveals that the Stone has been destroyed. At the end-of-year feast, Gryffindor is awarded the House Cup, and Harry returns to the Dursleys' for the summer, now aware of his true identity and the magical world that awaits him.

Major Plot Points and Revelations

Chapters

  1. 1. The Boy Who Lived
  2. 2. The Vanishing Glass
  3. 3. The Letters from No One
  4. 4. The Keeper of the Keys
  5. 5. Diagon Alley
  6. 6. The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
  7. 7. The Sorting Hat
  8. 8. The Potions Master
  9. 9. The Midnight Duel
  10. 10. Hallowe'en
  11. 11. Quidditch
  12. 12. The Mirror of Erised
  13. 13. Nicolas Flamel
  14. 14. Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
  15. 15. The Forbidden Forest
  16. 16. Through the Trapdoor
  17. 17. The Man with Two Faces

Key Themes and Significance

  • Good vs. Evil: Establishes the fundamental conflict between the forces of good, represented by Harry and Albus Dumbledore, and the forces of evil, embodied by Lord Voldemort and his pursuit of power at any cost.
  • Friendship and Loyalty: The bond between Harry, Ron, and Hermione demonstrates that courage and success are derived not just from individual strength but from mutual support and loyalty.
  • The Power of Love: Lily Potter's sacrifice introduces love as the most powerful and mysterious form of magic in the series, capable of defeating even the darkest of spells.
  • Choice vs. Ability: The idea that a person's character is defined by their choices, not their innate talents, is introduced by Dumbledore: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
  • Prejudice: The beginnings of societal prejudice within the wizarding world are shown through the tension between the houses, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin, and Draco Malfoy's disdain for Muggle-borns like Hermione.

Behind the Scenes

  • Title Change: The book was published in the United States by Scholastic Corporation under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The publisher reportedly feared that the word “Philosopher” would sound too academic and deter young American readers. J.K. Rowling later stated in interviews that she regretted agreeing to the change. (J.K. Rowling interview).
  • Dedication: The book's dedication reads: “For Jessica, who loves stories, for Anne, who loved them too, and for Di, who heard this one first.”
  • Film Adaptation: The novel was adapted into the 2001 film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film), directed by Chris Columbus. In keeping with the book's publication, the film was also released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States and other territories.
  • Cover Art: The original UK edition featured cover art by Thomas Taylor, while the US edition's iconic art was created by Mary GrandPré. These two distinct styles defined the look of the series for their respective audiences for many years.