In today's session, Yanuell continued reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. During the reading process, Yanuell analyzed themes that he recognized from both this book and the entire series. The first theme he examined was the downside of fame. Harry Potter has been famous since the circumstances of his parents’ death. Such fame has always been a dual-edge sword, but in this installment, the price of fame is really starting to get to him. When his name comes out of that goblet of fire, it is too much for those who have already allowed their simmering envy and jealousy to be contained (especially his best friend Ron). Harry becomes a target of increasing negativity and even bullying by his schoolmates. Yanuell noticed that in this book, Harry begins to feel more isolated because of his fame. The second theme that Yanuell analyzed was cooperation versus competition.
The entire framework of the narrative of this Harry Potter novel is about competition. The competitive games are the centerpiece of the plot and the positioning for a competitive advantage. The real lesson that Harry gains from being forced to take part, however, is the advantage that comes with cooperation. Hagrid, Moody, Dobby, and even Cedric are all instrumental in guiding Harry through the tournament. Even Voldemort’s wand cooperates when he most needs it, a surprising spin on cooperation that surprised Yanuell. The last theme that he examined during today's reading was a recurring motif that runs throughout the entire series of the Harry Potter books, overcoming fear. While the teenage fears of the unknown are still very much on display in Harry’s marshmallow legs during the tournament, the thematic centerpiece of this adventure is the fear that Voldemort and his Death Eaters are capable of engineering and the power that fear gives. The connective tissue in this theme is the one linking the cowardly Cornelius Fudge, and his stubborn refusal even to admit the possibility of Voldemort’s return to Harry’s heroic rejection of fear in his interrogation by Voldemort. Yanuell really enjoyed making these connections while enjoying one of his new favorite series.