The Terrifying Traits Keeping Harry Potter from Being a Positive Influence in a Children's Curriculum Elliot Amoroso College

J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — later retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the book’s release in the United States — was first published in 1997. Beloved by young readers worldwide, the novel recounts the exploits of the titular Harry Potter, an orphan who discovers he is a wizard when he is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he takes in this new world, it becomes clear that not every all its inhabitants are as welcoming as they seem; for there are dark forces seeking to destroy Harry and the balance of the wizarding world in the process. Rowling’s book focuses on the theme of good’s triumph over evil. However, because it excuses rule-breaking and presents a biased perspective on “evil characters,” Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone should not be included in the school board curriculum.

Be it federal laws or classroom regulations, an important lesson for children to learn is that the rules apply to everyone equally. Unfortunately, this lesson is not applied in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as it partakes in a number of double standards, exempting the main characters from consequence when they break the rules. For example, Draco Malfoy points out...