Summary—The “hero” of Harry Potter: The Philosopher's Stone is a young book taken from his dull, boring life and whisked away to the fantasy boarding school of Hogwarts. In the Black Cauldron Taran, the pig herder shares a similar situation: he is removed from his life of drudgery and taken on an epic journey. Each of these characters goes through similar developments during their quests, and each draws inspiration from seemingly mundane beginnings. This type of heroism seems consistent in both books as well as similar books like Lord of the Rings where the Hobbits become the most unlikely hero. This provides something for the reader to latch on to especially in more fantastical books, it allows readers to identify and relate the hero's concepts to their own lives, creating an immersive experience. Heroes are not unique to young adult books, but books with strong archetypes are more popular with younger audiences because they give simplified characters as opposed to grayer writing that might include Byronic or anti-hero characters. Comparing two similar books from two very different periods that maintain a similar message of heroism, I think, validates the purpose and impact of a hero in young adult fiction. "The thread of truth in his fiction reminds us that Heroes can take any shape, color, abilities or size, and friendship can bridge almost any gap. They then offer a quest, journey or mission that slowly reveals itself. This also creates a small microcosm that promotes the hero's evolution. Often, these personal mentors are not all benevolent. An example would be Snape, a teacher of Harry's who seeks to punish a...... middle of paper ......Web. 2011. .[4]. "Antihero." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Internet. November 2, 2011. .[5]. House, Ellen. “Book Review”. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 50.9 (2011). MD Consult. Internet. .[6].[yalsa-bk] Schools for wizards and witches[8]. Lois R. Kuznets. "'High Fantasy' in America: A Study of Lloyd Alexander, Ursula LeGuin, and Susan Cooper." The Lion and the Unicorn 9 (1985): 19-35. MUSE project. Internet. January 21, 2011. .[9]. “Books for Young Adults.” The Washington Post: national, global and regional news and headlines - The Washington Post. Web. 2011. .