Harry Potter And The Chamber Of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second novel in the Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling. It was published in 1998 and has sold over 60 million copies worldwide. The novel follows Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he faces a new threat from a dark force that is linked to the legend of the Chamber of Secrets.
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Plot Summary
The novel begins with Harry spending a miserable summer with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, who are non-magical people (Muggles) and treat him poorly. He is visited by a house-elf named Dobby, who warns him not to return to Hogwarts, as there is a plot to harm him. Harry ignores the warning and is rescued by his friend Ron Weasley and his brothers in a flying car. Harry spends the rest of the summer at the Weasleys' home, the Burrow.
On the day they are supposed to return to Hogwarts, Harry and Ron find themselves unable to enter the magical platform that leads to the train. They decide to fly the car to Hogwarts, but they crash into a tree that attacks them. They are seen by several Muggles and are scolded by Professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress. Harry also receives a warning from Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, and a detention from Professor Lockhart, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, who is a vain and incompetent celebrity.
During the school year, Harry hears a mysterious voice that seems to come from the walls. He also learns that someone has opened the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden chamber that contains a monster that can kill Muggle-born students (those who have non-magical parents). The chamber was created by Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts, who believed that only pure-blood students (those who have magical parents) should be allowed to study magic. The heir of Slytherin, who can control the monster, is the only one who can open the chamber.
Several students and other creatures are petrified by the monster, including Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend. Harry and Ron suspect that Draco Malfoy, Harry's rival, is the heir of Slytherin, as he comes from a pure-blood family that supports Voldemort, the evil wizard who killed Harry's parents. They use a potion called Polyjuice to disguise themselves as Malfoy's friends and interrogate him, but they learn that he is not the heir.
Harry finds a diary that belongs to Tom Riddle, a former student who knows about the chamber. The diary shows Harry a memory of Riddle accusing Hagrid, the gamekeeper, of opening the chamber fifty years ago. Harry and Ron go to Hagrid's hut to ask him about it, but they are interrupted by Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Fudge has come to take Hagrid to prison, as he is suspected of opening the chamber again. Before he leaves, Hagrid tells them to follow the spiders.
Harry and Ron follow a trail of spiders into the Forbidden Forest, where they meet Aragog, a giant spider that was Hagrid's pet. Aragog tells them that he is not the monster from the chamber, and that Hagrid is innocent. He also reveals that a girl died in a bathroom when the chamber was opened before. Harry realizes that the girl was Moaning Myrtle, a ghost who haunts a girls' bathroom.
Harry and Ron go to Myrtle's bathroom and find a hidden entrance to the chamber. They are joined by Lockhart, who tries to erase their memories with Ron's broken wand, but it backfires and causes a cave-in. Harry proceeds alone into the chamber, where he finds Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, lying unconscious on the floor. He also encounters Tom Riddle, who reveals that he is Voldemort's younger self. He explains that he preserved his memory in his diary, which Ginny found and wrote in. He manipulated Ginny through the diary and made her open the chamber and release the monster.
The monster turns out to be a basilisk, a giant snake that can kill with its stare. Harry fights it with the help of Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, who blinds it and brings him the Sorting Hat. The hat produces a sword that Harry uses to stab and kill the basilisk. However, he is bitten by one of its fangs, which contains venom that can kill him. Riddle gloats that he will soon take over Ginny's life force and return to power. Harry stabs the diary with the basilisk fang, destroying Riddle and his memory. Fawkes heals Harry with his tears, which have healing powers. He then carries Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lockhart out of the chamber.
Major Themes
One of the major themes of the novel is the nature of identity and selfhood. Harry struggles with his identity as a wizard, as he learns that he has a connection to Voldemort and Slytherin. He wonders if he belongs in Gryffindor, the house that values courage and loyalty, or in Slytherin, the house that values ambition and cunning. He also fears that he is becoming like Voldemort, as he shares some of his traits, such as the ability to speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes. However, he learns that his choices define who he is, not his abilities or his past. He chooses to be loyal to his friends, to stand up to evil, and to reject the dark side of magic.
Another major theme is the issue of prejudice and discrimination. The novel explores the concept of blood purity, which is the belief that some wizards are superior to others based on their ancestry. The pure-bloods, who have only magical ancestors, look down on the Muggle-borns, who have non-magical ancestors, and call them "mudbloods", a derogatory term. They also despise the half-bloods, who have both magical and non-magical ancestors. The novel shows how this prejudice leads to violence and hatred, as the heir of Slytherin tries to purge Hogwarts of Muggle-borns. The novel also shows how prejudice affects other beings, such as house-elves and spiders, who are treated as slaves and monsters by some wizards.
A third major theme is the power of friendship and love. Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione helps him overcome many challenges and dangers. They support each other, share their knowledge and skills, and risk their lives for each other. Harry also benefits from the love of his parents, who sacrificed themselves to protect him from Voldemort. Their love left a mark on Harry's forehead, which is a symbol of his strength and courage. Harry also receives help from other characters who care for him, such as Dumbledore, Hagrid, Fawkes, and Ginny. The novel contrasts Harry's friends with Voldemort's followers, who are motivated by fear and greed.
Conclusion
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a thrilling and captivating novel that explores the themes of identity, prejudice, and friendship in a magical world. It is a classic example of fantasy literature that appeals to readers of all ages. The novel also sets up the stage for the rest of the series, as it reveals more about Voldemort's past and his connection to Harry.
This article was written by Bing using information from [SparkNotes], [SuperSummary], and [LitCharts].