Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Taran’s Arrogance in The Book of Three versus Harry’s Humility from the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone College

In The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, the protagonist, Taran, faces similar situations as Harry Potter from the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling, which involves seeking victory against the evil villain to become a hero. Both young boys are eleven-years-old who have been raised as orphans with little to no knowledge of who their real parents were. Even though these boys share similar attributes, how they are raised is still vastly different, causing one of them to be the true hero. A hero who can sacrifice themselves to save others and show character growth quicker. Harry lives through a miserable childhood where he is constantly bullied and insulted by the Dursleys, whereas, Taran’s foster family loves him dearly. These differences cause Taran to behave arrogantly, spoiled and childish while Harry remains humble. Taran’s arrogant behaviour causes him to be disobedient because he wants to show his greatness. He also has an unrealistic view of the world and what it means to be a hero. However, Harry’s humility makes him able to sacrifice himself for the greater good and have a sense of the real world which makes Harry the better hero. Due to the different environments Harry and Taran live in, Taran...

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