Just a Boy who Lived

History repeats itself in an endless cycle. From the "forced marches to uninhabitable reservations", the "stench and starvation of middle passage" and the "ghettos of Europe", Nikki Giovanni explains in "Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie" the link that all of mankind has in common: we all have stories to tell, and we have all lived to tell the story. Giovanni relates that it is in our nature to be faced with onerous situations, some which may seem impossible to overcome. Perhaps due to the influence of her ancestors and African American activists, Giovanni pursues a perspective different from the magical view of many: she understates the fact that "Harry Potter was just a boy who lived. Like all of us" (37). She highlights that Harry's story is ultimately no different from ours, so why must his receive so much glam and fame? However, Giovanni does praise his story for having a distinct quality that some of our own stories don't have-- the ability to "live and tell the story" (33-34). The only way for people to overcome their struggles is by grasping tightly to the will to live. Furthermore, it is through the "noise of the whirlwind" that individuals blossom to their full potential. Harry defeats Voldemort after struggling through years of pain, a task deemed impossible by many. African Americans have overcome slavery, after decades of torture. Woman have gained a substantial amount of equality, after decades of setbacks. None of these groups have been wiped out; in fact, their descendants grow far stronger. Giovanni teaches us that through the pain and misfortune in our lives, we must find be the last man standing, and live to "sing the song of [our] people".

Remember: He is JUST a boy who lived.