Sunday, May 22, 2011

Use the Force, Harry

Does anyone else see the similarities (the many many similarities) between Harry Potter's life story and that of Luke Skywalker, from Star Wars? Both were apparently orphaned in their infancy, both were raised by their aunt and uncle far away from the world of their parents, both were gifted with great powers that they didn't even know they had.

In both their cases, their aunt and uncle tried to keep them from escaping to their parent's world. In both their cases, they were taken under the wing of an older father-figure, who trained them to use their powers and helped them to understand their past.

I can even see parallels between the Harry, Ron, Hermione trio and the Luke, Han and Leia group. This similarity was brought into clear focus in The Deathly Hallows when Harry, channeling Luke, explains to a distraught and jealous Ron that he loves the female heroine (with Hermione standing in for Leia) like a sister and nothing more. Leia, of course, turns out actually to be Luke's sister but the scene in The Deathly Hallows after Ron finally destroys the locket Horcrux strongly recalls the Star Wars storyline.

I can point out for you a lot more parallels but I think you get the picture. This is no criticism of J.K.; it's just an interesting parallel between the two epic stories.

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