Introduction
J.K. Rowling’s widespread success as the author of the Harry Potter series is mainly attributable to the effectiveness of her ability to blend realistic and fantastical elements in her fictional universe. The Harry Potter books’ combination of fantasy and realism has made them very popular. The story’s universal appeal stems from Harry’s rise from being a typical kid in an actual world to a legendary child in a fantasy realm. The seven Harry Potter books are about a struggle between light and darkness in which Harry takes on Lord Voldemort, the notorious wizard who murdered his parents. Harry learns more about his personality and the circumstances surrounding his parents’ tragedies throughout his seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wicked factions in the wizarding universe constantly adapt, presenting Harry and his allies with new challenges and fears. Thus, Rowling utilizes fear elements to symbolize psychological barriers, using them to illustrate various techniques for facing and overcoming them in the Harry Potter books.
Discussion
The theme of fear and anxiety abounds in almost every chapter of the Harry Potter books. Anxiety is a related emotion that has characteristics of fear but is more oriented toward anticipating future unpleasant events (Hamm 9). In other words, anxiety is more associated with what could happen in the future, which is frequently metaphysical and unclear—the Harry Potter series points to a fear of name from the onset. Lord Voldemort is Harry Potter’s archnemesis throughout the books. The fear of using Lord Voldemort’s name is one example of the widespread terror that Rowling uses to portray the villain. As an alternative, witches and wizards use the terms “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” and “You-Know-Who” when talking about Voldemort.
This reluctance and anxiety over using Voldemort’s full name stems from fear, which may be scrutinized through the psychoanalytic framework. While fictional characters in a work of literature are not actual humans, their actions can be viewed as actions of avoidance in line with Freudian defense mechanisms (Lang 131-170). When someone practices avoidance, they steer clear of anything or anybody that could trigger upsetting memories or feelings they would rather keep buried. Accordingly, the witches and wizards imagine they can shield themselves from their suppressed thoughts and feelings if they avoid the things that may trigger them. Nonetheless, it is not simply Voldemort’s name that is dreaded, as Hagrid vividly expresses the causes of this fear:
Anyway, this – this wizard, about twenty years ago now, he started lookin’ for followers. Got ’em too – some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o’ his power, ’cause he was gettin’ himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn’t know who they trusted, didn’t dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches […] Terrible things happened (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, 59).
In explaining why wizards are so afraid of Voldemort, Hagrid similarly sheds light on the events that have shaped their avoidance behavior. Hagrid and most of the wizarding universe’s avoidant behavior may be understood in the context of their underlying concerns when seen through psychoanalysis. Hagrid explains how many wizards and witches developed a distrust of each other since they did not know who they could trust among Voldemort’s supporters. Indeed, real-world problems may be associated with having a pessimistic outlook and a lack of trust. The Hogwarts world’s reluctance to speak Voldemort’s name carries the consequence of demonstrating that most individuals are afraid and that dread could be grounded in prior experiences.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a glimpse of Voldemort’s childhood occurs when Dumbledore pays him a visit to the children’s home while he still assumes his real name, Tom Riddle. Tom’s mother passed shortly after bearing him, and Dumbledore learns that his father did not reach him. Upon learning from Dumbledore that he has magical abilities and has been enrolled in Hogwarts, Tom Voldemort inquiries about his parents and declares: “My mother can’t have been magic, or she wouldn’t have died” (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 229). Thus, Voldemort has always seen death as a sign of inferiority and a force that those with magical abilities ought to be able to control. The loss associated with experiences like “psychological death” (as in when a child believes that a dead parent has deserted them) is more often than not the source of a person’s fear of death rather than the loss of life itself (Wass 300). Due to his early childhood experience, Voldemort may struggle with abandonment fear, the persistent feeling that they do not matter to their loved ones or would one day leave them. Similarly, a fear of closeness is linked to family concerns as those who suffer from it psychologically withdraw from others for worry of being harmed.
Voldemort exemplifies both of these underlying problems since Dumbledore reveals that he does not place high importance on intimate connections and tends to work independently. Voldemort’s subconscious attempts to protect him from more emotional pain after he was abandoned as a child by causing him to engage in self-destructive behaviors like isolating himself from others. A similar defense exists for Voldemort regarding mortality that the wizarding realm uses to avoid pronouncing his name. The last act of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows depicts Voldemort’s frantic attempts to escape death by taking shelter and protecting the remainder of his Horcruxes from Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they search for and dismantle the remaining ones (442-6). Voldemort’s complicated past leads to the belief that even the vilest and most ruthless individuals can encounter adverse events that feed their fear.
In both the wizarding and muggle worlds, Voldemort is not isolated in his fear of death. There is a tale in the wizarding realm involving three siblings who deceive Death into giving them an artifact of their choosing. The first two beg for objects that will provide them strength and help them escape death, while the third and smallest ask for the Cloak of Invisibility not to be pursued by death. The myth closes with just the youngest sibling, who did not actively try to find a means to prolong his own life, remaining (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 332). This tale teaches fandoms, witches, and wizards that everybody will ultimately deal with death since it is a transcendent force, irrespective of strength. To reiterate, fear of psychological death is more widespread than fear of bodily death, given that the former involves loss that an individual would experience, such as the death of a loved one or authority.
Anxiety, or fear of the unknown, is not limited to death concerns in the Harry Potter books. One example comes after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Harry sees Voldemort kill Cedric Diggory. Minister Cornelius Fudge is unwilling to accept that the devil is back. Instead, he asserts, “It seems to me that you are all aiming to create a panic that will destabilize all we have fought for over the previous thirteen years” (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 613). Rather than listening and attempting to comprehend what Harry is stating, Fudge decides to suppress the onerous reality to maintain his peaceful and well-ordered environment. This conduct is consistent with denial, which is the belief that the situation is not real or that the painful event never occurred (Heimann 240-265). His behavior indicates he worries about what will transpire if Voldemort is back.
Furthermore, he is responsible for making crucial decisions to ensure the security of the wizarding community in his capacity as minister of magic. To put that particular anxiety on hold and concentrate on what he understands to be correct, it is thus simpler to decide not to accept it. Individuals who suppress their feelings avoid experiencing true emotions because they find it difficult to cope with those particular feelings or recollections. Considering the old Voldemort rule has traumatized the wizarding community, everyone—including Fudge—wants to forget the horrible experiences of that period. Thus, uncertainty about the potential outcomes of a resurgence of terror keeps the fear of the unknown alive.
Not all characters in the series are reluctant to face their fears. Professor Lupin is one such individual and, unlike his counterparts, dears his fears. Lupin remarks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that convincing people Voldemort has returned is difficult since they are unwilling to believe it. This is despite the Ministry’s assurances that they have nothing to worry about (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 89). Lupin’s secret society, The Order of the Phoenix, battling Voldemort, members agree that facing one’s fears is counterproductive. As a result, they take action and confront their persecutors rather than freeze in terror. Those of The Order of the Phoenix serve as role models for those who need encouragement to fight for what they stand for and not let fear rule their lives. On the other hand, the Ministry performs the exact reverse by ignoring and rejecting the true dread that exists within.
J.K. Rowling is not hesitant to have her protagonists experience disappointment. Often, they fail miserably, caving into their worst fears and allowing them to control every aspect of their life. Many figures in the Harry Potter novels use avoidance as a defense. In the same way that Voldemort eludes death, the wizarding universe avoids mentioning his name. Therefore, individuals are not overcoming their fears but pushing them further into their subconscious.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Harry Potter Universe accurately reflects real-world anxieties by utilizing various fear triggers. Humans can identify and comprehend apprehensions about mortality, losing faith, and feeling inadequate. The essay demonstrates that the origins of most phobias may be traced back to underlying problems and protective mechanisms that are, in turn, rooted in personal history and associated feelings. Psychoanalysis suggests that to confront and conquer fears and anxiety, one must adjust to self-defeating patterns of behavior
Works Cited
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