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Terry Pratchett, one of the most iconic and influential sci-fi/fantasy writers of the 20th century, constantly relied on literary tropes in his stories. He even stated that “the reason clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.” However, Pratchett also knew how to sculpt each individual trope to match his voice and vision, before weaving them into his vibrant stories.
Although few authors are capable of reproducing Terry Pratchett’s insurmountable genius, J.K. Rowling does a pretty decent job withHarry Potter. That said, the Wizarding World is practically littered with tropes, clichés, and banal truisms, all of which could have been easily omitted.
10/10 The Book/Movie Titles Follow The Same Pattern
J.K. Rowling’s book titles unfailingly obey the “Harry Potter & The XYZ” formula, which is replicated in the movie adaptations. This trope is extremely common, as seen in Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Snow White & the Seven Dwarves, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, She-Ra & the Princesses of Power, and so on.
Hearing the same pattern over and over again is a grating experience, although it could be argued that this nomenclature style helps familiarize audiences with the Wizarding World.
9/10 Seamus Finnigan’s Pyrotechnics & Explosive Potioneering
Seamus Finnigan doesn’t really have a vital role to play until the Fifth Year, when he violently rejects Harry’s warnings and refuses to accept Voldemort’s return. He eventually realizes his mistakes and joins Dumbledore’s Army, effectively redeeming himself in Harry’s eyes.
As Hogwarts’ self-exploding goofball, however, Seamus’ claim to fame mostly revolves around setting things on fire. He incinerates a feather in the process of making it float, detonates a potion simmering in his cauldron, and essentially turns his environment into a hazardous zone. Seamus’ antics might be funny, but they’re too tedious and repetitive to enjoy.
8/10 Harry Doesn’t Choose To Be The Chosen One
The Chosen One archetype has been around since the dawn of history. According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was named the son of God by right of divine appointment, whereas Prophet Muhammad is referred to as God’s Messenger in the Quran.
This trope is heavily overplayed in fictional narratives, like Star Wars‘ Darth Vader, Avatar‘s Aang, and Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings. Being chosen is an admirable rite of passage in itself, but it completely disregards the agency of the Chosen One. Harry would rather have a normal childhood than face Lord Voldemort, which he does on at least six separate occasions.
7/10 Legendary Weapons And Artifacts Are All Over The Place
Fantasy stories are bound to contain legendary weapons and objects, but there are simply too many in Harry Potter. The Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak, the Sword of Gryffindor, the Philosopher’s Stone, the Mirror of Erised, and the Resurrection Stone, to list a few.
These artifacts might as well be a narrative crutch, an unnecessary bridge between ancient mythology and the Potterverse. Besides, objects like lunascopes, remembralls, flying broomsticks, vanishing cabinets, chocolate frog cards, and Golden Snitches capture the whimsical essence of the Wizarding World far better than their grandiose counterparts.
6/10 Heroes Get Their Happily Ever After Ending
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The dynamics of kinship in Rowling’s Wizarding World are largely based on the nuclear family model, albeit with a few notable exceptions. The vast majority of married couples are devoted to each other, even inveterate villains like Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. This tiresome trope is eventually applied to every hero in the story, crafting lifelong and presumably everlasting relationships.
Harry & Ginny, Ron & Hermione, Luna & Rolf, Angelina & George, Bill & Fleur, Draco & Astoria, and Neville & Hannah aren’t given the opportunity to explore life on their own. Happily-ever-after endings may work for fairy tales, but Harry Potter needs something less clichéd.
5/10 Bad Guys Look Like Bad Guys
Evil doesn’t have a fixed form. Some of the most beautiful characters can also be nightmare-inducing villains. Fight Club‘s Tyler Durden and Black Panther‘s Killmonger are both incredibly good-looking, but they also seek to destroy their respective protagonists. On the other hand, Tolkien’s Orcs are among the vilest creatures in Middle-earth.
Similarly, the undeniably attractive Queen in Snow White transforms into a hideous wretch, a metaphor for the wickedness growing inside her. Harry Potter falls prey to this easily avoidable trope. Fenrir Greyback, Peter Pettigrew, Lord Voldemort, and even the Dementors of Azkaban bear all the classic markers associated with fictional evil.
4/10 Dumbledore’s Sexuality Is Left Ambiguous
Most viewers automatically assumed Dumbledore to be heterosexual, until Rowling revealed that the beloved Hogwarts Headmaster was, is in fact, gay. Despite the author’s announcement in 2007, the filmmakers failed to address this issue in either The Half-Blood Prince or The Deathly Hallows. Queer characters are routinely erased from adaptations, and Harry Potter is no exception to this unsavory trope.
Although Dumbledore initially joined the ranks of straightwashed characters like Jughead Jones and Shinji Ikari, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) finally confirmed his sexuality beyond the shadow of a doubt.
3/10 The Villains Are Often Comically Evil
Antagonists are supposed to be antagonistic, but most of the villains in Harry Potter are egregiously over-the-top evil. Lord Voldemort’s Death Eaters wear hooded cloaks and ominous masks, stereotypical indicators of villainy, as if viewers aren’t smart enough to recognize evil without a visual index.
Furthermore, the Death Eaters in The Goblet of Fire look like a badly designed Ku Klux Klan parody. Another prominent example of this trope, Bellatrix Lestrange screams and squeals in delight while torturing her victims, her eyes bulging from their sockets as she flashes a malicious grin at the audience.
2/10 The Battle Between Light And Darkness
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Although the Wizarding World contains a wide range of people, the story mainly follows two major factions: the noble heroes and the degenerate villains. There are a few characters with fluctuating loyalties, but practically everyone else falls in the two aforementioned categories.
This trope recurs in numerous narratives, including The Lion King, Star Wars, and Stranger Things, among others. Harry Potter can be distilled into a battle between light and darkness — to quote Sybill Trelawney’s prophesy, “neither can live while the other survives.” It’s literally impossible for Voldemort to understand Harry’s motivations, which is also why he rejects the idea of redemption.
1/10 The Boy Who Lived Is An Orphan
Fictional orphans are frequently blessed with some sort of innate potential that drives them to perform era-defining feats. Luke Skywalker accepts his calling after his aunt and uncle are killed by stormtroopers, Tanjiro Kamado becomes a Demon Slayer to avenge his murdered family, whereas Batman’s entire existence is based on the deaths of his parents.
Their trauma forges them into the heroes they were always meant to be. Harry’s life doesn’t get any easier when he’s orphaned; on the contrary, he spends the next ten years being abused and bullied by the Dursleys. No child should have to endure so much pain, even if it ultimately makes them stronger.
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