Blog prompot #1 - Expectations within the first two Harry Potter novels

The first two Harry Potter novels give the reader many hopes and desired expectations throughout the chapters. Beginning with the first novel, Harry is described as a "beaten", under appreciated child who has been delt an unfair hand at life. As a reader, one would expect Harry to somehow defeat his enemies and triumph over those who have done him wrong. Although Harry does not literally defeat his foes, a twist within the plot enables him to escape to another world and chose his own destiny. As you read on within the Harry Potter series, various key points of information are leaked out. This has a profound effect on the readers expectations, continuously changing what the reader expects. An example of this would be the reveal that although Harry "defeated" Voltamort in the first book, he will be reappearing in forms unrecognizable to Harry in the second book. This takes the reader off guard and changes the possible outcomes the reader may have fabricated. As the author sets the stage within the books, she raises expectations for the reader and tends to "fail" to fulfill them. This may be to make the reader think about the "leaked" information given previously within the chapters and set up an alternative solution to the problems. Another reason may be that the expectation is not fulfilled now, but throughout the series, the plot will increase in complexity and the expectation will be fulfilled later within the series.