#comparingconcepts

You can’t have a complete series of fictional concept analysis posts without involving Harry Potter, right?... right? Anyway... 

It goes without saying that power is a pretty big concept in the book/movie series. The main antagonist alone, Voldemort, is practically obsessed with power. Today lets look at Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort and what types of power they hold throughout the series. 

Before we start, I want to list the 5 types of power: Reward, Coercive, Referent, Legitimate, and Expert

Harry Potter

Harry Potter, the “Boy Who Lived”, has reverent power simply from his past alone. Beginning in the first book, he had strangers looking up to and admiring him for “killing the dark lord” when he was just a baby, and only coming out of it with a scar on his head. As the books progress, Harry’s referent power remains through the entire series, although it gradually becomes more due to his own character and ability rather than what happened when he was a baby. 

Lord Voldemort

This is a link to information on Gravity Falls:  https://gravityfalls.fandom.com/wiki/Gravity_Falls_Wiki The show Gravity Falls follows the antics of Dipper and Mabel Pines, two preteen twins who love mystery and adventure. Dipper is a workaholic who is hyperfocused on solving the mysteries of the town. Mabel, on the other hand, is more flexible and laid back. The two twins showcase the two “personality types” noted as Type A and Type B.  Dipper: Type A

The type A personality can be characterized as competitive and ambitious with a need to keep to a schedule, among other things. Dipper Pines is a nearly perfect example of a type A personality. Although he isn’t aggressive, Dipper is very ambitious. He spends the entirety of the show constantly trying to, with the help of his sister Mabel, solve all the mysteries of Gravity Falls. Early on in the show, when he is on an adventure trying to get pictures of a sea monster, he has a moment of daydreaming where he is being interviewed on a show and receiving an award. 

He is also very time sensitive. In the episode “Sock Opera”, when Dipper attempts to hack into a laptop left by a mysterious unknown researcher (who is later found out to be his own great uncle), he never once takes a break. Even when Mabel puts the project on hold, Dipper continues to try on his own. He had a schedule and wanted to stick to it, no matter what. 

Mabel: Type B

For those of you unfamiliar with Supernatural, it is a 15 season show following the adventures of two brothers--Sam and Dean Winchester--who fight all sorts of monsters from Vampires and Ghosts to Werewolves and Wendigos. There’s a few apocalypses in there too-- long story... BUT! Anyway, I’m going to be relating 5 of the main characters to the 5 Follower Types

Sheep: Lucifer > The sheep is characterized as not understanding the tasks and having no desire/taking no initiative to change that (as in, being passive).  Lucifer is shown throughout the show as a feared leader, but as a follower, he does not measure up. There are occasional times where he is seen trying to carry out tasks he is not in charge of. He messes up the plans and does not seem to care when his actions mess up the plans of others.  Alienated: Rowena > The alienated follower has the capacity and independence to do things but, like the sheep, they are passive. Rowena starts out as an alienated follower. She is brilliant and cunning, but she also couldn’t care less about what Sam & Dean were trying to do.  Later on, she grows closer to the two and turns from an alienated to an effective follower. She went from passive to active, even going so far as to give her own life at one point for them. 

Effective: Castiel

> The best follower, the one who shows both the capacity to complete tasks as well as the drive to do so, is the effective follower. Castiel, one one of the main three characters, is the best example of an effective follower in the show. He helps Sam and Dean with several of their hunts and helps them end a few “end of the world” situations. When he does not have the capacity to do something, with few exceptions, he speaks up. 

“Yes” man: Sam AND Dean Winchester

> Okay... don’t even get me started on these boys. I WANTED to put one of them as an effective follower, but after looking into it, they didn’t make the cut. The yes man is active, but lacks the capacity to complete what’s being asked of them. The entire show follows these two brothers constantly making promises to each other that they know they cannot keep, and agreeing to do things that they know they will fail with in the end. There are times when they are effective followers, but when following each other, they tend to be “yes” men.  Survivor: Crowley

For those of you that are unfamiliar with Death note, lets do a quick summary!

In short, it’s an anime about a super smart high-schooler named Light Yagami who finds a notebook that lets him write the names of people in it and those people die. I few episodes into the show, the private investigator L Lawliet is introduced, and an elaborate game of cat and mouse between the who geniuses. 

We will analyze L in another post, but for now, let's just take a look at the main style used by the protagonist, Light Yagami.

Light Yagami largely uses the commanding style, which involves clear, direct instruction. This is clear in his treatment of many characters including his accomplice (Misa Amane). In episode 24, Misa sings a song with the following quote:

"If I forget what you say, then you come to me and tell me again. Yes you'd tell me once again."

It can be inferred that this song is about her accomplice and love, Light. While this sounds affiliative at a first glance, let's look closer. What she is really saying about Light is that he is constantly giving her orders, and for that she is thankful she can be useful.

Throughout the entire anime, Light can be seen giving clear, direct, "it's my say or the highway" instructions to Misa (and other accomplices later on) to make sure that his plans are carried out to a T.

However, it may be overuse of this style that led to his downfall. One of his accomplices did not take to the commanding style and took matters into his own hands by removing the Death Note from its hiding place early, thus compromising Light's plans completely. This led to his failure and ultimately his death.