Repetition and Progression

Abstract

It has been rightly observed by several critics that the Harry Potter books have a repetitive structure, and that each of them follows a similar sequence of events with a similar outcome. Schafer sums up the repetitive structure of each of the books as ‘offering a happy ending complete with a vanquished archenemy, restoration of the status quo, and recognition of Harry’s prowess’¹ and maintains that the repetitive structure is comforting to the reader. Zipes is also struck by the ‘conventionality, predictability, and happy ends despite the clever turns of phrase and surprising twists in the intricate plots’² of the Harry Potter books, and also believes that this helps its popularity, but wonders belligerently why this utter predictability should be so universally admired. In broad structure Schafer’s summary of what occurs in these books is, of course, accurate but it is also undoubtedly set off by the progression from one book and to the other. Interestingly the progression, which is woven through the repetition, is of a particular sort; and equally the repetition, which underlies the progression, has some peculiar features.