Power in The Power Of One Essay

The Power of One

What do you think of by the term power? Many movies portray strong characters, which have power over others. Is it a strength, or maybe an advantage over others? The Macquarie dictionary online, describes power in two ways. Firstly as the great or marked ability to do or act, a strength, might and force. Secondly it can be a possession of control or command over others. This refers to having authority or influence over other people. Although these definitions come from the one word, they are quite different. One means the power over ones self, whilst the other definition refers to the power over others. In fact, power can be good or evil. With power, comes responsibility. Good morning everyone. As the deputy head of year 10, I will be speaking to you today about power. I will be using, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone to demonstrate how power can be used for good and not for evil. In this book, the main character, Harry Potter, reveals that he has power in many ways. The powers that I will be focusing on will be magical, mental and physical.

Since Harry is a wizard, the first power that I will focus on is magical power. Harry Potter clearly displays magical power because he discovers that he posses talents, which others do not seem to have. When Harry finds out that he is a wizard, he gets on his broomstick to attempt his first lesson. Although he has never flown before, he discovers that he is quite considerably better than most people. Catch it if you can, then!... Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leant forward and pointed his broom handle down... wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching he stretched out his hand... and he toppled gently on to the grass with the remembrall clutched safely in his fist. (pg 111). This reveals that you can be really good at something, without actually being aware of it. Examples of this can occur in real life. For instance, if there is something new that you wish to try, instead of attempting it with a negative attitude, if you go in with a positive attitude, then you will get more out of it. You might be surprised because you may actually like it.

Another power that Harry possesses is mental power. This is a unique quality because you cant see it. Harrys mental power is not a physical object. Therefore it is difficult to determine if it is or is not there. An event where Harry exhibits his mental power is when he finds the Mirror of Erised. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving... Mum? he whispered. Dad? (pg 153) Harry longingly wanted to be back with his parents. He mourned their loss and this image would be more than most could bare. ....said Dumbledore quietly. It shows us nothing more or less then the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts...Harry...I ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. (pg 157). These powerful images in the mirror evoked strong emotions in Harry, but Harry was able to heed the advice of Albus Dumbledore and use his mental powers to resist temptation. Many people have wasted their whole life staring into the mirror. Harry learns that one cannot move forward if one continues to dwell on issues from the past. Even when the past contains strong ties and hurtful memories, it is best to let go and to move forward. This example suggests that if you really want something, but dont always get it, you still need to move on with your life.

Lastly, Harrys physical power is special and complicated. Physical power is a power that you can see, so you would assume that it would be straight forward and obvious. Despite this, physical powers can be mystical and deceptive. Even though a physical power can be seen, they are not always expected or instant. The author portrays Harry more as a reserved, perhaps weaker character. Other characters are assertive, aggressive and also strong. Harrys physical powers tend to come out when provoked and when he needs to defend himself. SEIZE HIM! and, next second, Harry felt Quirrells hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle sharp pain seared across Harrys scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. The pain in his head lessened he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers they were blistering before his eyes. (pg 213). When this physical power of Harry does eventually come out, it stands out from others, as shown in his surprise defeat of Voldemort. As you can see through this example, it isnt always just the physical build of a person that makes them strong, strength can often come from inside when provoked and needed.

It is fascinating how one word; power, can be so complex. At first thought, it is easy to think of power as a physical strength, characterised by a muscular body and confident personality. Harry Potter, does not fit this description, but would be the most powerful character and strong role model in the book. He possesses a wide variety of magical, mental and physical powers, making him a character with integrity and strength over others. If Harry didnt have all of these powers then he wouldnt have been able to do all of the things that he did. Most importantly, his strength lies in the fact that he uses his powers for good, often fighting to stop evil. I guess you could say, a good deed does not go unrewarded. We each need to find our own inner strengths and continue to develop them.