The First Line of Harry Potter and the Last Line: A Close Reading
There are several incredibly memorable lines spread across the eight “Harry Potter” films. If you’re a fan, it probably seemed a bit like you were traveling with them. The first line of Harry Potter as well as the last lines of each Harry Potter book will be discussed in this article.
Whether you love Harry Potter or dislike it, it’s difficult to deny that J. K. Rowling made conscious literary decisions throughout the books.
J. K. Rowling wanted the prose to mirror the elaborate fantasy world she built for the now-iconic boy wizard, from made-up terms to the definitions of names to the carefully crafted first and last lines of each chapter.
You may review the start and last phrases of every book simultaneously, and they’ll serve as a reminder of all the experiences—both happy and unhappy—that your favorite characters overcame.
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The first line reads:
“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”
It may seem strange to start a series about the wizarding realm by discussing the dull old Dursleys. However, Rowling establishes a status quo that Harry’s entrance and the wizarding world are about to destabilize with this sentence—the very first line of Harry Potter.
In order for readers to comprehend Harry’s background and be given permission to leave this “perfectly normal” environment he doesn’t belong in, the sentence also does a good deal of character development for Mr. and Mrs. Dursley.
Last line:
“I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…”
Rowling makes a transition from Hogwarts back to the Muggle world in the final line. However, Harry’s final statement offers a lot of hope. Harry’s experiences over the past year have given him the strength to confront his former aggressor rather than going back to a family that has neglected and taken advantage of him.
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The first line reads:
“Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive.”
Once more, Rowling begins the second book outside of Hogwarts in the Dursley family’s Muggle community. But this time, the opening clause focuses on Harry’s clash with this world.
Harry Potter is more at home at Hogwarts than with his aunt and uncle, which implies that there have been a number of disagreements.
Last line:
“And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.”
Another hazily optimistic statement that ushers us out of Hogwarts and back into the summer that Harry must spend with his aunt and uncle. As the novel comes to a climax, Harry is joined by a sizable group of friends after surviving another perilous year at Hogwarts.
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The first line reads:
“Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways.”
This is possibly the most obvious method for Rowling to reference the prior opening lines from Harry Potter. Should you have forgotten or skipped the first two novels in the series: Harry Potter is strange, He is strange and has no place in the Dursley family’s world.
Since readers are aware that Harry will tragically blow up his harsh Aunt Marge and flee his house before making it to school this year, this suspense serves as the driving force behind the dramatic introduction.
Last line:
“And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon’s face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.”
Back to Harry’s least favorite location, we make another hopeful transition. Harry hopes that the things he’s learned over the past year, particularly his friendship with Sirius and Lupin, the best friends of his father, would make his life at the Dursleys’ home better.
Vernon’s expression shows another power differential between Harry and his former life, where his uncle dictated his every move.
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The first line reads:
“The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it ‘the Riddle House,’ even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there.”
This first line signals a change in how Rowling will begin the remaining books in the series. The novel opens away from Harry to raise the stakes, reveal more about Voldemort’s past, and signal the start of his rise to power rather than just being away from Hogwarts.
Last line:
“As Hagrid had said, what would come, would come…and he would have to meet it when it did.”
Harry can’t be as mischievous as he was in the earlier books since this is unquestionably the darkest book in the series to date. He recently saw Cedric’s passing. He knows the risks of the coming days after narrowly avoiding a fight with Voldemort.
Nevertheless, Rowling makes an effort to reassure the reader by using Hagrid’s counsel. Harry has a lot to be anxious about. But he also conveys in these comments that he is capable of handling whatever comes his way.
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The First line reads:
“The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.”
This introduction transports us back to Privet Drive and the Dursley family’s home. By using terms like “drowsy” and “silent,” as well as the square dwellings, Rowling highlights the “typical” qualities of the area.
But rather than Harry being the odd man out in the neighborhood, more dangerous creatures from the wizarding realm will soon endanger this peaceful environment.
Last line:
“Instead he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around, and led the way out of the station toward the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.”
By the end of book five, Harry had already experienced tragedy. With Harry’s smile and sunlit farewell, Rowling again gives fans optimism as he leaves Hogwarts.
6. Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
The First line reads:
“It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.”
Harry Potter’s final first line demonstrates how the narrative’s reach has expanded even more. Readers can now comprehend the national extent of the threat of Voldemort’s return by starting with the British Prime Minister.
While Harry is the main focus of the series, the ramifications of the rise of black magic are widespread.
Last line:
“His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.”
It’s difficult to think of a more melancholy conclusion than Dumbledore’s passing. This conclusion does not downplay the threat or the profound tragedy of what lies ahead.
Harry is well aware that he will be the one to stop Voldemort at this point. But Rowling’s characteristic optimism shines through as Harry enjoys camaraderie even in the gloom.
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The first line reads:
“The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane.”
The final Harry Potter book opens apart from the title character, much like books four and six did.
These lines have a greater feeling of mystery to them. This group of males who? How did they suddenly appear? The lane’s moonlight just intensifies the eerie atmosphere.
The questions would entice you to read even if you weren’t sure about whether you wanted to finish the series at this point.
The last line
“The scar had not pained Harry for 19 years. All was well.”
This is the epilogue that concludes the Harry Potter series, and there is a great deal of debate surrounding it. It’s loved by some and despised by others. Rowling wished for her characters to have this joyful conclusion.
She changed her mind and decided to close the series with the phrase “All was good,” rather than the term “scar.”
The uplifting picture Rowling paints at the conclusion of each book remains unchanged. There isn’t even an “although,” “but,” or “in spite of,” to accompany the serene image.
Additionally, this isn’t the Dursley family’s very normal, thank you very much world at the beginning of the book. Harry feels completely at home in the wizarding community.
Harry is no longer required to backtrack or worry about the impending conflict with Lord Voldemort. After overcoming their difficulties, he, Ron, and Hermione went on to enjoy ostensibly regular lives. Well, that’s typical for a witch and two wizards.
The murder of Harry’s parents, which happened on the same night that Harry got his scar, causes the Durselys’ normal life to be turned upside down at the start of the series. But the story comes full circle at the conclusion.
You will experience a variety of emotions after reading The Sorcerer’s Stone’s opening statement and The Deathly Hallows’ concluding sentence again, back to back.
You’ll laugh out loud or cry because it’s humorous, nostalgic, and heartbreaking. Which was your favorite first and last line?
