One of the things I do when I read books is I try to view the story from a different perspective. Sometimes this involves a shift from first person narration to third person narration or vice versa. At other times, I pick a different character and imagine if the story were being told with that character as the protagonist. The presentation certainly seems to influence how the story and characters are perceived. How would the story be different if it were told from the perspective of a character other than the main character? How would the reader’s perceptions of events and characters differ?
One series I enjoy using in this exercise is the Harry Potter series. When reading the series, the events are often filtered through Harry Potter’s perception of events. However, in many ways, the story seems like it would be a bit more meaningful if told from the perspective of a different character. Harry really only has one choice throughout the series; he must make the right choice and do the right thing. Yet another potential problems with the series is that it is easy to look at Harry as being something of a jerk. Whenever people keep information from him, or neglect to contact him or confide in him for whatever reason, he often takes it as a personal attack against him. Similarly, when Harry is told to take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape, he resists it at every point simply because he views it as a punishment even though very legitimate reasons were explained to him, namely keeping Lord Voldemort (aka- the enemy of everything that is good) from being able to spy on Harry and those around him. Yet the fact remains that that regardless of Harry’s situation in the story, the outcome is going to be that Harry defeats Voldemort because good is supposed to triumph over evil.
While Harry seems to move blindly through the stories, he relies on friends and mentors to get him through. Often this means that the people around him do everything they can to help Harry. Whether it is the small sacrifices of Ron and Hermione in the first book when they bow out from the final confrontation between Harry and Quirrell/Voldemort at the end of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, or the deaths of so many people in an attempt to protect him. Many people from his parents and their friends to Harry’s friends and mentors sacrifice themselves so that Harry can fulfill his role in the prophecy.
Yet Harry does not really seem to grow during the series, since he largely carries the same insecurities throughout the series. To see the Wizarding World through the eyes of someone like Hermione, who would still have the outside point of view but also have a certain desire to question the things around her seems like it would have been interesting, particularly because she would not be entering Hogwarts already rich and famous. Similarly, to see the series through Lupin’s eyes also provides different insight, as he comes to the school to teach, and in exchange he finds that the friend he though betrayed the Potters and killed Pettigrew was truly innocent on both counts and was in Azkaban after being framed. Lupin regains an important relationship there, yet before we even begin to explore that, that part of the story is cut short.
This still holds true for characters who aren’t allied with Harry. For instance, Draco also seems to have an interesting storyline, though it has often been humorously described as:
* Harry Potter series from Draco Malfoy’s point-of-view:
- Draco Malfoy and the Rejected Handshake
- Draco Malfoy and the Better-Than-Potter’s Broomstick
- Draco Malfoy and Hagrid’s Bloody Chicken
- Draco Malfoy and the Year His Father Would Hear About
- Draco Malfoy and the Inquisitorial Squad
- Draco Malfoy and the Vanishing Cabinet
- Draco Malfoy and the Year He Realized He Had Been a Douchebag
When taken from a serious angle, however, we see Draco’s growth from someone who was raised in an environment that was extremely prejudiced against anyone who is not pureblooded to someone who realizes the side his father had chosen was not the right one. His arc stretches from one unknowingly on the wrong side to someone who chooses to follow the right side. To him, I am quite certain Harry seems like just as much of a jerk as Draco seemed to Harry.
One of the takeaways I find from this is that looking at books from the perspective of different characters demonstrates just how much of a difference perspective and narration provide. The truth is that people, whether real or fictional, are not as black and white as we tend to think of them.
Do you think the series works best from Harry’s point of view, or would you like to see it from another character’s perspective? Which character(s)? What do you think would be most interesting from a narrative point of view?
* For other humorous book titles with regard to other characters, you may see them here: http://thelittletiger.tumblr.com/post/1655533798
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