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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. It continues the story of Harry Potter during his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the novel, the mysterious attacks on students and the disembodied voices that Harry hears, lead him down into the Chamber of Secrets, to battle the heir of Slytherin. The book was published on 2 July 1998; it subsequently won the notable Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in the age 9–11 category and was named the British Book Awards’ Children’s Book of the Year.
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Quotations
Hearing voices no one else can hear isnt a good sign, even in the wizarding world.
Ch. 9: The Writing on the Wall, p.110
Lockhartll sign anything if it stands still long enough.
Ch. 10: The Rogue Bludger, p. 124
Never trust anything that can think for itself if you cant see where it keeps its brain.
Ch. 18: Dobby's Reward, p. 242
Voldemort, said Riddle softly, is my past, present, and future.….
Ch. 17: The Heir of Slytherin, p. 231
Most unfortunately, you are not in my house and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here.
Ch. 5: The Whomping Willow, p. 63, Severus Snape speaking to Ron Weasley and Harry Potter
At least no one on Gryffindor team had to buy their way in, said Hermione sharply. They got in on pure talent. The smug look on Malfoys face flickered. No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood, he spat.
Ch. 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs, p. 86
Encyclopedia
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. It continues the story of Harry Potter during his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the novel, the mysterious attacks on students and the disembodied voices that Harry hears, lead him down into the Chamber of Secrets, to battle the heir of Slytherin. The book was published on 2 July 1998; it subsequently won the notable Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in the age 9–11 category and was named the British Book Awards’ Children’s Book of the Year. A movie based on the book was released on November 15, 2002.
Plot
Harry Potter's summer holiday with the Dursleys is not going to plan. The Dursleys have forbidden all of Harry's school possessions. Harry has not yet received any letters from his friends, Ron and Hermione. Finally, on his 12th birthday, Dobby the house elf arrives to warn Harry that he will be in mortal danger if he returns to Hogwarts. Harry is determined to return, as it is the only true home he has ever known, so Dobby destroys the cake for an important dinner party attended by Uncle Vernon's potential client and the client's wife. The Ministry of Magic sends a letter explaining Harry cannot use magic outside of school as he will be expelled. No longer afraid of Harry's potential as a wizard, Uncle Vernon tells Harry he cannot return to Hogwarts and puts bars on Harry's window, trapping his nephew.
Ron and his twin brothers Fred and George rescue Harry and take him to their home in their flying car. Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, is just starting at Hogwarts and is overwhelmed when she meets Harry. After a pleasent month living at the Burrow, Harry and five of the Weasley children head to Platform 9¾ to take the Hogwarts Express back to school. To their shock, Harry and Ron are unable to enter the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 (it is later revealed that Dobby sealed it shut to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts). In desperation, they steal the flying car and fly to Hogwarts. They crash into the Whomping Willow, which immediately attacks, damaging the car and snapping Ron's wand in half. The wrecked car then disappears into the Forbidden Forest. Luckily, the two escape expulsion from school.
Events at school take a turn for the worse when the legendary Chamber of Secrets is opened and a monster begins to stalk the castle, petrifying anyone who meets its gaze. According to legend, the Chamber was built by one of the Hogwarts founders, Salazar Slytherin, and can be opened only by his heir, in order to purge Hogwarts of 'all those who were unworthy to study magic' or 'Muggle-borns'. Many suspect Harry to be the heir of Slytherin because, while trying to save another student during a duel against Draco Malfoy, he inadvertently speaks Parseltongue, the ability to talk to snakes and a talent that characteristically belongs to Slytherins. Harry, Ron, and Hermione suspect Draco, Harry's rival, is actually the culprit, but after a careful inquiry, their conjecture proves wrong. As the school year progresses with more attacks, the Ministry arrests Hagrid, thinking he is responsible for the attacks, and suspends Dumbledore for not taking appropriate measures in stabilizing the school's safety. Harry and Ron decide to take control of the situation, their motivation to bring justice and solve the crime intensified by the attack on Hermione.
Pre-release history
In the early drafts of this book, the author had the ghost Nearly Headless Nick sing a self-composed song explaining his condition and the circumstances of his death. The material was cut as the book's editor did not care for the poem, although it has been subsequently published as an extra on J. K. Rowling's official website. Another sub-plot cut from Chamber of Secrets was the family background of Dean Thomas, which was removed from the draft because Rowling and her publishers considered it an "unnecessary digression", and she considered Neville Longbottom's own journey of discovery "more important to the central plot".
This book is thematically linked with the sixth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In fact, Half-Blood Prince was the working title of Chamber of Secrets and certain "crucial" plot information from that book was intended to be placed in this volume, but Rowling ultimately felt that "this information's proper home was book six". Several items that later play a role in Half-Blood Prince first make their appearance in Chamber of Secrets, including the Hand of Glory and the opal necklace that appear when Harry is in Borgin & Burkes, Tom Riddle's diary (which is later revealed to be a Horcrux) and a Vanishing Cabinet damaged by Peeves the Poltergeist.
First edition printings had several errors, which were fixed in subsequent reprints. This includes Dumbledore saying that Voldemort was the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin, instead of descendant. In addition, Lockhart's book on werewolves is entitled "Weekends with Werewolves" at one point and “Wanderings with Werewolves” later in the book.
Reception
The climactic scene in which Harry saves Ginny from Riddle's diary and the basilisk was compared by several Christian writers to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, as in this scene, "Harry descends to a deep underworld, is confronted by two Satanic minions (Voldemort and a giant serpent), is saved from certain death by his faith in Dumbledore (the bearded God the Father/Ancient of Days), rescues the virgin (Ginerva [sic] Weasley), and ascends in triumph."
Awards
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has won the following awards:
- ALA Notable Children's Books, 2000
- ALA/YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2000
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 1999
- Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Novels for Youth, 1998-99
- CCBC Choices 2000: Fiction for Children
- International Reading Association: Children's Choices, 2000
- International Reading Association: Young Adult Choices, 2000
- Publishers Weekly: Best Books of 1999
- School Library Journal: Best Books 1999
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- British Book Awards 1998 Children's Book of the Year (NIBBY)
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Guardian Children's Award
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Carnegie Award
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 1998 Gold Medal 9-11 years
- Scottish Arts Council Children’s Book Award 1999
- FCBG Children’s Book Award 1998 Overall winner and Longer Novel Category
- North East Book Award 1999
- North East Scotland Book Award 1998
- The Booksellers Association / The Bookseller Author of the Year 1998
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
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