Narrative Techniques In Harry Potter Series From The Perspective Of Initiation Story

Since the publication of the first book of the Harry Potter series, it attracts thousands ofreaders throughout the world by its convoluted plot and rich imagination. It has also attracteda multitude of scholars all around the world to explore and conduct their research from avariety of aspects. The book series describes the seven years’ adventures of Harry Potter whostudies and lives at Hogwarts School, recording the whole process of Harry’s growing fromchildhood to adulthood through many ordeals. As a children-oriented, charming andthought-provoking literary work, it is worthy of study. The author of the book series, J. K.Rowling rises to fame overnight because of this surreal book series. The book series exhibitsRowling’s excellent skills in narratology. From the perspective of Initiation Story, this thesiswill interpret the narrative techniques used in this series, namely narrative structure,focalization and temporal technique, which opens a new window for readers to understandthis series.This paper is divided into three chaptersThe first chapter aims to summarize narrative structure of Harry Potter series from theangle of Initiation story: growth opportunities, experiences of difficulties and regression ofgoal. Growth opportunities provide qualitative change of life for the protagonist to havechance to grow. Experiencing of difficulties is an essential part of young hero’s development.The regression of goal remodels life after Harry’s fighting with life. Going through thesethree steps makes Harry a true mature man, finding his real identity and realizing the goal ofhis life. This kind of structure in narration shows the process of protagonist Harry Potter’sgrowth in a better way.The second chapter aims to discuss the zero-focalization, internal-focalization andexternal-focalization applied in the series as well as their effects in revealing the initiationtheme of the book series. Because of zero-focalization, a picture of the setting of HarryPotter’s development is shown to readers. The psychological traits of the protagonist arepresented by the use of internal-focalization. Last but not the least, by applying external-focalization, J．K．Rowling makes her plot story about the growth up of Harry Potter more sinuous and attractive because of the suspense created in the story. By employing the shiftingfocalization, the author J．K．Rowling creates a very successful Initiation Story which narratesthe process of Harry’s growing up. How he grows from childhood to adulthood is revealed tous more clearly and more splendidly because of this kind of narrative technique.The third chapter aims to analyze the temporal techniques (slow-down, speed-up andfrequency) employed in the series and how these technique help to reveal the initiation theme.For one thing, the slow-down technique can show the inner thought of the character andpresent details of some crucial event and slow down the rhythm of the whole novel. Foranother, the applications of speed-up technique which mainly serves as ellipsis and summaryof some irrelevant and uninteresting information, rendering readers concentrate on the growthprocess of Harry Potter who is the hero of the initiation story. Lastly, the frequency techniqueoften serves as flashbacks and foreshadows, creating suspense.As a typical initiation story, the application of these narrative techniques deepens theinitiation theme of the book series, and makes it more influential.