Setting and Theme
The main setting in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the Hogwarts Castle Wizardry and Witchcraft School. It is the place where Harry and his fellow students spend their school year. This Castle is accessible via a magic train which takes the students from the normal to the magic world (Rowling " Jim 71). Every aspect of the Castle seems to have different enchantments that make the students curious and scared. The school setting is like a dream for the new students since it offers more than the students can think about. There are numerous passages in the school which are protected using magic. Also, the Hogwarts School has a lake and the forbidden forest (Rowling " Jim 71). These are places set aside to test the wits of the curious students. Similarly, the school has living portraits and the Quidditch pitch. However, despite the fact that the students entered a wonderful and fictional world, they were exposed to emotional agony following the fear of the unknown.
One of the core themes in Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire is friendship.
The Hogwarts School environment is a mysterious world having been founded on magic. Voldemort and Harry are similar in various ways. For instance, they are both orphans, can talk to snakes, and were brought up in the Muggles (Rowling " Jim 73). However, while Harry has supportive friends, Voldemort is mean to his servant Wormtail. He lets Wormtail bleed for a while after he cut his arm following the promise of having a magical one. On the other hand, Hermione helps Harry in learning a new summoning charm to use in a magic task. Dobby brings Harry a gillyweed to use in a second task assigned in their class (Rowling " Jim 74). Similarly, Ron volunteers to be cursed over and over as part of their learning exercise in preparation for the third task. With that, Harry is supported by his loving friends who ensure they succeed in their magical responsibilities.
Rita Skeeter and Friendship
Rita Skeeter arrives at Hogwarts and spreads the rumor that Harry and Hermione were dating and using a love potion (Rowling " Jim 76). With that, Skeeter and Harry found themselves as targets of a rumor meant to disturb their friendship. However, while they are both not happy being entangled in a lie castigated by Rita, they protect their friendship from receiving a blow. During the Tri-Wizard tournament, Hermione sides with Harry to prove the rumor brewed by Rita is no longer binding (Rowling " Jim 77). The competition is set to test the skills of the young wizards and witches at Hogwarts. In fact, the duo comes out strongly and competitive during the tournament to prove that their friendship is strong. Hermione tells Harry that they cannot be worried about what other people say about them. They should focus on their friendship, and they will be okay.
The author intended to use Rita Skeeter and her letter to test the characters of Harry Potter and his friends. In particular, the letter stated that Hermione was toying with the feelings of Harry and Krum. However, despite the allegations, Ron, Hermione, and Harry handle the issue maturely. That explains the strong friendship between the trio and their ability to throw away false accusations. Hogwarts School is a challenging environment that requires strong personalities
Character and Theme
Harry Potter
He is the protagonist and famous in the wizard community for preventing Voldemort from being cursed by the most powerful dark magician. Although the act occurred when Harry was a child, he managed to reverse the dark spell and take Voldemort's magical powers (Rowling " Jim 59). As a result, Harry was left having a lightning-shaped scar. Harry is recognized internationally for living through a dark curse. However, he does not remember that event which also left him orphaned. Following the fame of Harry, much of his time at Hogwarts is spent living according to his celebrity status (Rowling " Jim 70). He also tried very hard to live a simple wizard's life while exploring the mysteries of the school. Notably, Harry has very close friends, enemies, triumphs, and dilemmas just like the other students. He is an underdog with inexperience in the magical world but bravely faces situations at Hogwarts.
Hermione Granger
She is an intelligent girl who represents the brains in the friendship with Harry and Ron. Hermione was from a Muggle family always led her class. In class, she strives for good grades and is enthusiastic about learning. At times, she disapproves Harry and Ron but sticks with them in times of need. She is brilliant, good-nurtured, helpful, and adventurous. When she is in doubt, she always consults her books and knows where to seek answers (Rowling " Jim 60). In particular, her knowledge is critical in helping Harry triumph during the Triwizard tasks. She comes out as a loyal friend even when Ron and Potter stop talking to each other. The Goblet of Fire chose Harry as the victor over Ron.
Both Harry and Hermione have been used to demonstrate the theme of loyalty. Their relation is based on protecting each other during times of need. In particular, Hermione comes out strongly as a character who unites her friends. For instance, when the Goblet of fire selected Harry, Ron felt jealous. Therefore, he did not speak to Harry until Hermione intervened, and the two friends got back together (Rowling " Jim 77). That was a crucial time since both Ron and Harry were in isolation. They were selected to participate in the Triwizard contest. From the look of things, Ron would not have survived facing Voldemort. But, the loyalty in the three friends saw them intervene to allow Ron to triumph. On the other hand, Harry was saved from isolation when Hermione reunited him with Ron (Rowling " Jim 78). Thus, he was able to focus during the fictitious Triwizard tournament. With that, he was not burdened by things such as the pain of his curse scar.
Every year, the Goblet of Fire selects a student from every school to enter a competition. During this year's academic year, two competitors were selected from Hogwarts; Harry and Cedric (Rowling " Jim 77). Their obligations are to complete three critical tasks in the Triwizard Tournament. The first task was fetching a golden egg from a net guarded by a dragon. The second retrieving a valuable item from the dark lake. In the last task, the contestants are required to find their way through a labyrinth trap to get the Triwizard Cup (Rowling " Jim 78). The author had the intention of showing that Hogwarts School tested their students' capabilities. More so, their ability to combine different skills to maneuver through challenges and triumph. The course in the Triwizard Tournament was not easy to indicate that the dark magical world was mysterious.
Works Cited
Rowling, J K, " Jim Dale. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Pottermore, 2012.
