Good and evil come in all shapes and sizes and aren't necessarily restricted to magic or Muggle worlds, either. At first, we wonder who could be more evil than the cruel, unloving Dursleys and their bullying, slobby son. True, they get some competition from wizarding bullies, who like to intersperse insults with, you know, spells. But actually, there is someone: the half-alive, half-defeated, unicorn-killing, blood-drinking evilest wizard that ever evilled – Voldemort. Luckily, there are examples of goodness flooding Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, ranging from Harry's parents, whose love extends beyond the grave, to sweet awkward Neville, who sides with his friends no matter what.
Questions About Good vs. Evil
- Do you agree that Voldemort is the most evil person/thing in the book? Or is someone/something else scarier?
- Do you think Snape is good or evil? What evidence from the book can you use to support your point of view?
- Quirrell tells Harry that, "There is no good and evil, there is only power" (17.31). What do you think of his statement?
- OK, if you had to face one of the following in an alley – Voldemort, Malfoy, Dudley, or Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback – which would it be and why?