Adulthood vs. Childhood

This novel focuses on Harry’s sense of isolation as he leaves the easiness and relative safety of childhood and begins the rocky path toward adulthood. In this text, he must face the consequences of the decisions he makes, and the death of Sirius, as well as Cedric in the previous book, will weigh heavily on him. We see many situations of adulthood contrasted with youth motifs. For example, the students take their education into their own hands because the adults are not teaching them effectively. They also face the Death-Eaters on their own initially. Adults in this particular novel are seen as keepers of knowledge who refuse to dispense this knowledge to the youths. For example, Harry is constantly being given incomplete information. He is told to do things without any explanation of why. This in part contributes to the bad decisions that he makes...