Chapter Study - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter Study

Published: 06/29/2025 03:22PM

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Chapter Study. Today’s novel is by the fabulous and famous J.K Rowling – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Chapter Study is a something I thought about as a way to improve my skills in story-telling and to learn some techniques from other authors that hopefully help me on journey to becoming a better writer. I’ll try and focus only on the first chapter, and see it with open eyes, as if I’m reading it for the first time. And even if I know the story, I’ll try to approach it with the knowledge of only what I read in that chapter.

Let’s start at the beginning. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 1.

Summary of the Chapter

I don’t think I can give this book, well this chapter a proper summary, it comes from such as well known, well written novel and series – loved by many, of all ages. But I’ll try, for the purpose of a Chapter Study. (A very brief summary)

The chapter starts by introducing us to Privet Drive and The Dursley’s, and we see what type of people are they are, and how they fit into the normal world they live in. We follow their day for awhile, mostly from Mr Dursleys point of view, and how he is suddenly seeing small un-normal things occurring around him, little things that are strange, – like a cat reading a map. Mr Dursley arrives home, as the news reports on more particular things happening across Britain – shooting stars. Mr Dursley thinks that these strange events are to do with Mrs Dursleys Sisters family, but doesn’t want to bring it up, as just the mention of them, causes Mrs Dursely to get upset and angry.

The Dursleys go to bed and the cat and old man have a conversation – being Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They talk about big event that has hit the wizard world, causing both celebration and grief. We learn that Lilly and James Potter have died, in a tragic way, leaving behind their son, Harry. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall talk about how Harry is famous, and what that could mean for a child to grow up with. Hagrid arrives on a flying motorbike with a bundle that is baby Harry. Together they lay Harry on the doorstep of the Dursleys, and with heavy hearts they part into the night.

Characters

The main characters mentioned in the first chapter are; the Dursley’s – Mr, Mrs, and Dudley their baby son. The Potters – Mrs (Lilly), Mr Potter (James), and Harry. The tabby cat who is Professor McGonagall. Albus Dumbledore. The wizard they all call You-Know-Who (Voldermort) and Hagrid.

Other characters that are mentioned only: Dedalus Diggle – Profesessor McGonagall mentions him as the blame for the shooting stars going off in Kent. Madam Pomfery – Professor Dumbledore mentions hers in regards to his feelings about a compliment from Professor McGonagall, and him not blushing “as much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs”. Young Sirius Black – Mentioned by Hagrid, as he borrowed the motorcycle from, that he is driving around.

Character Introductions

J.K Rowling has done a great job at introducing so many characters, all within the first Chapter. The narrator voice, introduces the characters from a mostly outside view.

Mr and Mrs Dursley - See ‘Starting paragraph’ section below – introduced as "perfectly normal". Mr Dursley, is described as a very important man – or at least it is implied that he thinks that, holding a Director position at a company and also being describes as, "big and beefy" or that could be in reference to his size as well. Mrs Dursley, was the opposite looking, thin and "twice the usual amount of neck". The narrator implies that she is a busy body, a know all, in the neighborhood. They both hold onto the secret that the Potter’s are related to them, and lived in fear that one day, they just might turn up and ruin their image. Dudley Dursley - the (baby) son of Mrs and Mrs Dursley, introduced as "no finer boy anywhere".

Mrs Potter (Lilly) and Mr Potter (James) - Parents of Harry Potter. The first and only thing we learn about them is that they are dead. Voldermort turned up in their village/town, found them and killed them.

Harry Potter - The (baby) son of Mr and Mrs Potter. He is introduced as the "little boy" that Voldermort couldn’t kill. After arriving on a flying bike with Hagrid, wrapped in a blanket, he is left on the doorstep of Mr and Mrs Dursley, unaware of everything that just happened.

You-Know-Who (Voldermort) - First introduced as You-Know-Who, by Professor McGonagall, referring that his has disappeared after the incident the night before. Profesoor Dumbledore “calls him by his proper name” Voldemort as he believes the name is not frightening. We learn that Dumbledore is the only person that Voldemort was afraid of, but he "has powers that I (Dumbledore) will never have". The incident that everyone is talking about is, Voldemort killed Mr and Mrs Potter, and also tried to kill their baby son, but couldn’t. His "power somehow broke" any he ran away.

The cat / Professor McGonagall - First introduced as a cat! A cat reading a map and road signs. How magical is that? It only adds to the mysterious magical world that J.K. Rowling is building for the reader. Professor McGonagall is beautifully described as "wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had around its eyes.” But the narrator also makes it clear that she was upset, angry even – she was "severe-looking".

Albus Dumbledore - introduced by the narrator as “Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive” - The "perfectly normal" Pivet Drive – with the "perfectly normal" houses and people, like the Dursleys. And the narrator continues on this contrast saying “Albus Dumbledore didn’t seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.” What a beautifully written sentence, describing the tension and contrast of it all.

Hagrid - I love the way J.K Rowling describes Hagrid, she could have just something, like big and hairy, or a giant and hairy but she uses words like “simply too big to be allowed”, and “hands the size of dustbin lids” and “feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins”.

The tiny old man who hugged Mr Dursley - I’ve added this very minor character here because it’s a funny event – and I like how J.K. Rowling creates Mr Dursley reaction to it. After bumping into the tiny old man, and seeing that he is wearing the funny cloak and talks in a funny voice, then rushes to give him a hug him, she simply writes "Mr Dursley was rooted to the spot". And reiterates that a complete stranger has hugged him and called him a muggle, even though he doesn’t know what the actually means. But the sentence that I really love is after - Mr Dursley “set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn’t approve of imagination.” Mr Dursley doesn’t approve of imagination? That says a lot about who he is a character.

Starting paragraph

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense.

For some reason when I read this, I either picture an old lady with her dollies and tea trolley, sitting in her posh English chair, in her lounge room, in a cottage somewhere in an English village, and she is pointing her finger at you, making you well aware, that Mr and Mrs Dursley are good people, and "perfectly normal". Or I imagine an English Professor, in his library, sitting at his desk, in a suit with his servant close by in his large English mansion, and he is lecturing you on Mr and Mrs Dursley’s status in the village. Sorry J.K. Rowling, I’m not sure if that was intended, but I like it, it makes it more humorous, and real, and helps with the contrast against the Magical world and the Potters – in my mind anyway.

Ending Paragraph

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours’ time by Mrs Dursley’s scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… He couldn’t know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: ‘To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!’

What a beautifully constructed paragraph, and a wonderful way to end chapter one.

We get so much information about what is happening and what is about to happen. Everything is happening all at once, yet, it doesn’t matter, in that moment – Harry Potter sleeps, unaware of it all.

Writing Lessons to Take Away

J.K. Rowling does wonderful job, at the ‘Narrator’ part for the point of view. I’m only just learning about this technique so my knowledge is limited. I think this chapter one is third person omniscient, then the story continues in third person limited.

I love the way, even in the first line, you introduced to the world, through a narrator type style, giving you an open world view and commentary of the introduction to the world. Mrs and Mr Dursley “perfectly normal, thank you”. Its like a very polite, upper class, Englishman is telling the story, and he is making a very strong point about the perfect and normal life of the Dursley’s.

I like the light humor, well I find it funny, how J.K Rowling introduces her characters in funny unique ways. “beefy man, hardly any neck” for Mr Dursley and then for Mrs Dursley, “nearly twice the usual amount of neck” and the way she describes Hagrid.

Then there’s the first bit of dialog between Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall asks, how did he know it was her, (as the cat). Professor Dumbledore replies “I’ve never seen a cat sit so stiffly.” Professor McGonagall replies with “You’d be stiff if you’d been sitting on a brick wall all day.” You can feel the annoyance from Professor McGonagall.

She sprinkles this humor throughout the chapter. “Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning” – while there’s craziness going on just outside the windows, with owls flying about. This is also an example of the contrast. I love the contrast between the normal world and the magical world – how can they possibly co-exist at the same time. All the little strange things that happen in the normal world, slowly introducing us to the magical world.

Conclusion

I know I said earlier that I’d tried to have the opinion of a first time reader, but J.K. Rowling displays such a talent in creating such a magical world, it’s hard not to bring the knowledge of what I already know to book 1, Chapter 1 of the Harry Potter Series. But I tried to do my best. She packs so much story, plot and character development, into this first chapter, it really is hard to talk about it all.

I really love her sentences and paragraphs, I think they are very well written. There’s such a lovely feeling as you read the words on the page, it immediately takes you into this wonderful world, sprinkled with magic (if we’re sticking with only chapter 1) – You, the reader, want to read more, find out more about the whats happening and the characters lives. It’s beautifully written, and takes your imagination on a magical ride.