As shown in the Harry Potter series, Rowling has defined two types of heroes: the known hero, Harry Potter, and the silent hero, Neville Longbottom. These boys share similar back grounds, such as having lost their parents at an exceptionally young age, being raised by less than savory relatives, and coming into their magic (in Harry’s case the knowledge of magic) late. In the beginning their characters are polar opposites – Harry being social and outspoken, while Neville is more introverted and reserved. The characters play through the series as mirrors to one another and as such, Neville’s coming of age story is far subtler than Harry’s.
In the first book, The Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville may be described as a blundering idiot who would be afraid of his own reflection if he were not expecting to see it (think along the lines of a tiny, yappy dog barking at itself in a window). Neville is relentlessly bullied throughout his first year at Hogwarts; however, when told by Hermione Granger to stop the bullying and stand-up for himself he states, “There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 218). Neville’s “Gryffindor bravery” begins to finally show near the end of the Sorcerer’s Stone when he attempts to stop Harry, Ron, and Hermione from seeking out the stone. Throughout the next couple of books Neville lurks in the background, cropping up every so often to play a small role in the story. One such incident is in the fourth book, Goblet of Fire, during an intense Defense Against the Dark Arts class where Neville is exposed to the Cruciatus Curse for the first time. Here, Rowling reveals that Neville’s parents are alive; however, due to being severely tortured through the Cruciatus they have lost all sense of themselves. It is not until the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix, that the extent of Neville’s character growth is shown. During the battle at the Department of Mysteries Neville is faced with his parents’ torturer Bellatrix Lestrange. Rather than cower, as he might have done in years past, Neville becomes enraged at her presence and tries to fight the Death Eaters restraining him to attack her. When Bellatrix demands Harry exchange the prophecy for Neville, Neville adamantly protests and is subsequently Crucioed. This is where Rowling shows the bravery Neville has grown into; rather than give into a bully, whom he would be reasonably terrified of, he stands up for what is right despite the consequences he knows will follow.
Rowling’s portrayal of Neville caused me to reassess my view of character’s roles throughout the series. In the beginning, Neville was portrayed as a gutless coward, yet as the series has progressed he has matured into a confident and strong individual. Neville’s “silent hero” character shows that people are able to make profound changes to their personalities. Additionally, Rowling is able to show readers the amount of “gray area” of her world through the gradual appearance of hidden character traits.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Arthur A. Levine, 2000. Print.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, 2004. Print.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Arthur A. Levine, 1998. Print.
Tricia, I have always felt the same thoughts about Neville. The examples of Neville being unsure of his House placement in Sorcerer’s Stone were the reasons I wrote him off in the beginning of the novels as an unimportant character. However, as the series progress and we see his relationship with others along the way (including his grandmother, and teachers), we uncover that he might be a true Gryffindor after all. This is first evident at the end of Sorcerer’s Stone when Neville stands up to Ron, Harry and Hermione to stop them from sneaking out of the dormitory. In response to this, Dumbledore rewards him appropriately in saying, “'There are all kinds of courage,' said Dumbledore, smiling. 'It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends’”(Sorcerer’s Stone).
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