In an extraordinary world filled with dragons and dementors, Harry Potter is the ordinary that makes the story still feel real.
Harry Potter is adored and worshipped in the HP fandom. How could he not be? After all J.K. Rowling has equipped him with all the attributes worthy of a Greek hero. He is dauntless, self-sacrificing and unflinchingly loyal. While these characteristics definitely make him likeable they do not necessarily make him the fan-favourite.
In a poll conducted by Bloomsbury in 2017, Hermione Granger, ‘the brightest witch of her age’, secured the top rank followed by Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood, Sirius Black and Dobby. Harry Potter only came in at number 6 on the list.
So why is the ‘Chosen One’ so low on the list?
It’s simple, he’s the protagonist. A protagonist is supposed to be of interest, but also meant to be relatable to the reader. And though, Rowling gave Harry admirable qualities, she also tried to make him her common man. This is most evident in our hero’s name. While other characters like Remus Lupin or Sirius Black get well thought out, over-the-top, Latin-derived names, the main character is given one of the most common British names. Rowling, quite literally, conveys that any Tom, Dick or Harry can achieve greatness.
But what makes it easy for everyone to empathise with Harry is that he has no distinctive quirk.
While Hermione is bright and witty and Ron is a lovable goof, Harry is ‘just Harry’. That is not to say that he has no personality at all, rather that he has an assortment of characteristics. He is selectively sarcastic, moody, and sometimes downright oblivious. He is most relatable to the reader in the fourth and fifth book of the series, ‘Goblet of Fire’ and ‘Order of Phoenix’ where he is the epitome of teenage angst. Harry, like any teenager, overthinks, is jealous and moody, and assumes that the world is against him (although in this particular case it’s actually true).
However, he still lacks the je ne sais quoi or the ‘X factor’ that makes a character a favourite. He doesn’t have the eccentricity of Luna’s character or the complexity of Snape’s. Neither does he have the innocence of Dobby nor the ‘badassery’ of Sirius. Harry Potter is malleable to the readers imagination.
Another effort can be seen to make ‘the boy who lived’ relatable―both Harry and the reader get acquainted with the magical world at the same time. Our understanding is at par with the main character’s understanding of the magical world. This helps the reader connect to Harry even more. But because we see the world through Harry’s perspective throughout the series, we also get tired of the character.
The most common reason that people do not call the protagonist their favourite is because the main characters usually have ‘plot armours’. They are so intrinsic to the plot that they cannot be killed in the story. The knowledge that they will be there at the end of the story doesn’t make them as special to the readers and draws their interest away to other characters whose survival is not guaranteed. However, this is one argument that cannot be used to defend Harry’s low rank on the list.
The Harry Potter saga is perhaps the only story where the antagonist would still be defeated regardless of the existence of the protagonist. What makes the series so exceptional is the fact that Harry is not. If there was no Harry Potter, the entire plot would still move forward as the prophecy would be completed by Neville Longbottom.
The Harry Potter universe is so filled with impossible creatures from acromantulas and thestrals to werewolves that it wouldn’t connect to reality if it didn’t have a realistic main character. And Harry Potter fills those shoes perfectly, even if it means he’s not the most favourite character in fandom.
