Name: Morpheus Androlicus
ID: mo408



For my analysis of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix, I feel it is appropriate to explore the five major factors of
analysis – those five being plot, character, setting, language, and theme.
The plot of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a deep, dark one
which raises many questions. It is, in my opinion, the greatest work of J.K.
Rowling to date. It answers many questions, and yet succeeds in leaving
behind many mysteries in its wake.
The novel begins, as did its four predecessors, at the home of Vernon and
Petunia Dursley, Harry’s selfish, abusive guardians. Harry’s overweight
cousin Dudley and his gang are combing the neighborhood, participating in
vandalism and bullying when Harry runs into them. Afraid of Harry’s magical
ability, and yet unable to resist the temptation of tormenting him, Dudley
harasses Harry as usual. Just as Harry’s anger begins to rise, the magical,
demonic Dementors attack the cousins. Chaos ensues, including Harry’s
expulsion by the Ministry of Magic and his isolation by the Durselys.
Days after his exile from the company of his family, Harry is rescued by a
strange group of wizards – a group which calls itself “The Order of the
Phoenix.” Harry is transported to the Order’s Headquarters, which he learns
is the inherited home of none other than his godfather, convicted criminal
Sirius Black!
He meets many familiar people (including the kind Weasley family and his
former teacher Remus Lupin, among others) and is surprised to learn that
they are all members of the Order, a group led by Dumbledore against the
rising power of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry is also reunited with his
best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Harry is soon taken to trial for his expulsion. While Harry is found
not-guilty, thanks to some fancy legal-looping by Dumbledore, the Minister
of Magic Cornelius Fudge’s contempt and utter bias against Harry and
Dumbledore is evident.
When Harry returns to school, things are, if possible (and we soon see that
it is), worse. The school is under the radical tyranny of Ministry toady
Dolores Jane Umbridge, the newly appointed High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. In
the midst of numerous of restricting Educational Decrees, practicing
Quidditch with Ron, the new (mediocre at best) Keeper, forming an
underground society with the goal of undermining the Ministry and learning
self defense, and dealing with occlumency (a branch of Magic which is
centered around closing one’s mind) with Professor Snape, Harry must also
try to interpret his strange and darkly ominous dreams of a dark corridor.
In the climactic moment of this wonderful story, Harry and his friend Ron
and Hermione and Ginny Weasley (Ron’s sister), Neville Longbottom (The
clumsy, loveable geek with a dark past and a thirst for vengeance), and Luna
Lovegood (the school oddball), go into the depths of the Ministry of Magic
to stop Voldemort from stealing the most powerful weapon (a mystic prophesy
made by none other than the fortune-telling-fraud herself, Professor
Trelawney).
In the conclusion, the children are saved by Albus Dumbledore, at the
expense of the life of Harry’s beloved godfather Sirius. The poplulation is
finally convinced of Harry’s honesty, and Dumbledore makes one of the most
shocking revelations in the history of literature (one which rivals Dickens’
revelation of Pip’s benfactor).
This book is truly a modern classic, a legend in its own time. Rowling
takes the threads that make up every great piece of literature and uses them
to make a tapestry of the most beautiful kind. The truest beauty of this
piece of art lies in the masterful way in which Rowling portrays Harry’s
emotions – such a skilled work is this book that in no way could one
possibly convey the richness of it in 5 pages, or 10, or 100. It is truly a
wonder which will surely stand the test of time.

The next element of my analysis is that of the three major characters –
Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and Lord Voldemort. We will, of course,
begin with Harry.
Harry Potter has stood strong through many previous trials. The death of
parents and life with his cruel aunt and uncle; coming face to face in
mortal combat with Voldemort more than once; fighting basilisks and facing
dragons; being tricked and deceived by “Mad-Eye Moody”, but nothing could
compare to witnessing the two most horrible things of his life: Cedric’s
death, and the rebirth of Voldemort.
Cedric was good person in every sense of the word. He was fair and kind,
and truly a person to whom Harry could look up. I think Harry may, in fact,
have regarded Cedric as a kind of role model at the time in which he died.
Worse still, the death was so sudden and unexpected that Harry could hardly
process it before the rebirth.
Witnessing the death of Cedric and the rise of the most feared villain in
history, the killer of his parents, was emotionally too much for Harry to
handle all at once. Imagine – Harry was not even 15 at the time of the
occurrence – still trying to cope with all the typical side effects of
puberty.
Because of these, Harry has become understandably bitter and angry. His
fury even extends to those who care about him most. He becomes introverted
and self-reliant, depending only on Sirius, the one person with whom Harry
could relate (which is why Sirius’s death hits Harry so hard). I predict
that in the future, taking into consideration the death of Sirius and
Dumbledore’s revelation, Harry’s bitter and dark emotional outlook will only
intensify, and greatly. I believe we are in for quite an emotional downfall
with Harry in the future.
Albus Dumbledore is quite a different story altogether. In the past,
Dumbledore was regarded as the wisest and most powerful good wizard alive.
In Book 5, however, Dumbledore’s credibility is destroyed by the press and
the Ministry. People regard him as a power-hungry, senile old lunatic bent
on overthrowing Minister Fudge.
Throughout the course of the novel, Dumbledore’s actions are esoteric and
confusing. He distances himself from Harry, never so much as talking to him.
With the help of Harry’s own thoughts, the reader is led to become
suspicious of Dumbledore, as well. The reader is made to almost hate
Dumbledore, and on wonders why he would isolate himself from Harry just when
Harry needs him most.
Dumbledore is not, of course, acting vindictively. He is actually trying
his hardest to keep Harry safe. His theory is that if he makes Harry angry
at him, if he distances himself from Harry, then Voldemort will not feel the
need to try to get to Dumbledore through Harry. Dumbledore is, in fact, a
kind old man who cares more about Harry’s welfare than anything else.
Finally, we analyze Lord Voldemort himself.
Lord Voldemort is a villain in every way. He is cruel and spiteful. In Book
5, he inadvertently creates a rift in the entire wizarding community. The
people are divided into factions of believers and nonbelievers.
More importantly, Voldemort is villain who everyone can hate with every
fiber of his or her being. He is cruel to even his followers. He manipulates
Harry into going into the Department of Mysteries and he even attempts to
use Harry to get to Dumbledore. He is an unscrupulous villain who will stop
at nothing to get his way and achieve his ends.

Theme is by far one of the most esoteric and important parts of any novel.
The theme for this particular book, however, is even more difficult to
decode. In order to do so, one must step back and look at the whole picture.
Several themes are present.
We shall begin with the theme which I deem one of the most important, yet
which is given the least amount of “spotlight”, if you will – that theme is
the one which is present in Percy Weasley.
Percy – headstrong, ambitious, and obviously naïve – has completely
betrayed and deserted his family in order to gain promotion in the
scandalous and deceptive Ministry. Not only is the reader treated to the
effects which this action has upon the rest of the family, the reader is
also shown the Ministry in its true light – as an underhanded bunch of
sniveling, conniving jackals.
The theme of Percy is directly tied to that of the Potters – Harry,
unwilling torn from his family; Percy, voluntarily deserting his. While
Harry wishes for a family with every fiber of his being, Percy is ungrateful
and mulish.
This predominant theme is the importance of Family. Harry finds himself
moody, unpleasant, and withdrawn as a result of his lack of Family – Percy
is portrayed as an arrogant, ignorant snob. J.K. Rowling cannot stress
enough her thoughts and feelings regarding Family and its importance.
I believe that the other major theme of not only Order of the Pheonix but
the entire Harry Potter septology is that of friendship, for without the
caring guidance of Hermione and Ron, Harry would almost surely find himself
even more isolated and alone than he feels now. Throughout Harry’s trials
and tribulations, Hermione and Ron are ever-patient, always accepting, and
eternally friendly. It is surely this which gives Harry the strength to
carry on, and just as surely, Rowling is expressing her value on the
importance of friendship in one’s life.
I thoroughly enjoyed Book 5. It was an emotional thrill ride, and
mysterious key, and a wonderful work of art. I only look forward to the
future 2 installments to this superb and thrilling series.



Well Done!
All the main aspects of the book were covered and explained. The main parts of an analysis were included and explained. Plus I love how you gave your own oppinion to various topics in the book! Nice job.

50 Points :D