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Chapter 17
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Information, Rumors, and Fear
Prejudice vs. Respect
Friendship, Loyalty, and Bravery
Fate, Choice, and Identity
Rules, Rebellion, and Doing the Right Thing
Summary
Analysis
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart go to McGonagall’s office, where Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley sob with relief to see Ginny, and Dumbledore sits beaming. Harry tells the story of how they came to discover the Chamber of Secrets and how Harry defeated the basilisk. He leaves Riddle’s diary out of it, however, worried that Ginny would get into trouble because they would be unable to prove that he made her do it.
Even though Harry has already risked his life for Ginny, and broken lots of school rules to do it, he is still worried about being loyal to Ginny and making sure that she is not implicated in the attacks. On the other hand, Harry has no trouble admitting his own rule-breaking because he knows that he did so for the right reasons.
Themes
But to Harry’s relief, Dumbledore asks how Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny. Harry then explains what happened with the diary. Mr. Weasley scolds Ginny, saying: “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.” Ginny says she didn’t know that it was full of Dark Magic; she explains that she found it inside one of the books she bought for school.
Mr. Weasley’s warning to Ginny is akin to the lessons that the students learn about rumor: it is important not to trust information unless it comes from a reliable source. Riddle’s diary allowed him to manipulate the information he told Ginny and Harry, and in this way he was able to control them.
Themes
Dumbledore tells Ginny that she will not be punished for being possessed by Voldemort. He also announces that the Mandrake Draught is ready, and that the students are being revived as they speak, so there has been no harm done. Then Dumbledore turns to Harry and Ron, reminding them that he said if they broke any more rules they would be expelled—before saying that he must “eat [his] words.” They will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School, plus two hundred points each for Gryffindor.
Dumbledore then asks for a few moments alone with Harry, and everyone else leaves the office. Dumbledore thanks Harry for showing him immense loyalty down in the Chamber, as nothing else could have called Fawkes to him.
Dumbledore shows how much he values Harry’s loyalty—proving again how important it is, and how characteristic it is of the quintessentially good characters in the story. Friendship, loyalty, and bravery become the backbone of what allows Harry to become a hero.
Themes
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Dumbledore asks Harry about meeting Tom Riddle, and Harry confesses that he is troubled by the ways in which they are similar. He admits that the Sorting Hat told him he’d do well in Slytherin, and everyone thought he was Slytherin’s heir because he could speak Parseltongue. Dumbledore informs Harry that he suspects Harry can speak Parseltongue because Voldemort gave some of his powers to Harry the night he tried to kill Harry.
This becomes the crux of Harry’s worry as he tries to get a sense of who he is and who he is meant to become. It is interesting to note that here, Harry can only express disappointment in feeling like he belongs in Slytherin, but over the course of the series, as Harry and Voldemort’s fates become more and more intertwined, Harry will worry that he is becoming more and more like Voldemort.
Themes
Harry sulks, saying that in that case he really does belong in Slytherin. The Hat only put him in Gryffindor, he thinks, because Harry asked it to. Dumbledore seizes on this, saying that this is what makes him very different from Tom Riddle. He says that “it is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” He proves this idea by showing that the sword the Hat conjured belonged to Godric Gryffindor, and only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that from the Hat.
The door then opens violently—it is Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by Dobby. Lucius is furious that Dumbledore is back. Dumbledore says the other eleven governors contacted him after Ginny was taken into the Chamber, asking him to come back immediately. And, he reveals, they seemed to think that Lucius had threatened them in order to suspend Dumbledore in the first place.
When Dumbledore confronts Lucius about his manipulation of the other school governors, it confirms for Harry once again how institutions and governing bodies that make the rules can be easily corrupted by those in power, and therefore the occasional rebellion is sometimes warranted.
Themes
Lucius asks if they’ve caught the culprit. Dumbledore confirms that it was Voldemort, acting through Ginny via the diary. Dumbledore stares at Lucius, saying that if Harry and Ron hadn’t discovered the diary, Ginny might have taken all the blame—also endangering Mr. Weasley’s Muggle Protection Act in the process. Harry realizes then that Ginny got the diary from Lucius in Flourish and Blotts. Lucius says, “prove it,” and leaves with Dobby in tow.
Lucius’s planting the diary in one of Ginny’s books puts him firmly on the side of Voldemort and racial prejudice. This act enabled the return of the basilisk as well as the attacks on and potential murder of Muggle-born students in the school. And by planting it on Ginny, Lucius also demonstrates his prejudice against families like the Weasleys who strive to protect and befriend Muggles.
Themes
Harry gets a spark of inspiration. He takes the diary and pulls off his filthy sock. He stuffs the diary into it and then runs after Lucius, giving the sock to him. Lucius pulls the diary out of the sock and tosses the sock aside, furious. He tells Harry that he’ll meet the same end as his parents, and then tells Dobby to come. But Dobby caught the sock after Lucius threw it: Dobby is free now because his master has given him clothing.
Harry’s action both counteracts the hateful prejudice that the Malfoys bear against Dobby and also serves as another example of breaking the rules to do what is right. Harry’s freeing of Dobby circumvents an established social structure in order to prevent Dobby’s further abuse and enslavement.
Themes
Lucius is furious at Harry for tricking him and lunges toward him. But Dobby shouts for Lucius not to hurt Harry and sends Lucius backward, crashing down the stairs. Lucius gets up and has no choice to leave. Dobby ecstatically thanks Harry for freeing him, sobbing with gratitude. Harry only makes him promise not to try and save his life again.
In return for Harry’s kindness, respect, and protection, Dobby repays the favor and prevents Lucius from being able to hurt Harry. Thus, Harry’s friendship inspires great loyalty in Dobby and also gives him the bravery to stand up to Lucius (his former master) in this moment.
Themes
Hogwarts throws an end-of-year feast like never before. The celebration lasts all night, and in that time Hermione appears, cured and very excited that Harry and Ron were able to solve the mystery. Additionally Hagrid returns from Azkaban, Gryffindor is named as the House Cup winner, and McGonagall announces that exams have been canceled. Dumbledore also announces that Lockhart will be unable to return to his post next year, at which many people cheer.
The final passages of the book reinforce the happy ending of the novel and particularly highlight friendship as the primary force for good in the book. Hermione and Hagrid’s returns demonstrate that the best endings, at least in Harry’s mind, are the ones in which he is able to reunite with his friends.
Themes
The rest of the term passes in a blur, and Hogwarts more or less returns to normal. Lucius is sacked as a school governor, Draco sulks around the castle, and Ginny is happy once again. Too soon, everyone boards the train home. As the students exit the train, Harry gives Ron and Hermione his phone number and asks them to call him over the summer.
The very end of the book reasserts that the love Harry gets from friendship is the most important thing in his life. In contrast to the beginning of the book, in which Harry feels isolated and vulnerable, he makes sure to give his phone number to his two best friends so that he cannot feel that way again.
Themes
