Harry’s Mirror: Desire, fantasy and the Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Abstract

The British edition of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone () celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022. The American edition (1998) will follow suit in 2023. The series comprises seven books that follow the conventional seven years of UK secondary schooling between years seven and thirteen (i.e., grades six to twelve in the United States). In this article, I celebrate this first novel by examining Rowling’s commentary on desire. Writers of imaginative fiction have always been interested in this theme. Rowling is no exception. The Sorting Hat, which organizes Hogwarts’ new pupils into the school’s four houses, is a case in point: it recognizes Harry’s potentials were he to follow Voldemort’s footsteps and join the Slytherins, but, ultimately, it respects and prioritizes his desires. ‘Are you sure?’ it asks Harry, in response to his reluctance to be placed there, ‘You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that – no? Well, if you’re sure – better be GRYFFINDOR!’ ([: 130) The Harry Potter series (1997–2007) follows Harry’s growth, which necessitates curbing his desires so that he does not become another Voldemort. The Mirror of Erised offers, I argue, an especially interesting case study for investigating this theme. My sustained attention on this device and its effects on characters and what they do exposes some of Philosopher’s Stone’s complexities, while enhancing our appreciation for Rowling’s characters and for her project.