Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Parenthood
Time, Mistakes, and the Past
Friendship, Family, Love, and Bravery
Reputation and Expectation
Death and Sacrifice
Summary
Analysis
Harry and Ginny are meeting with Professor McGonagall in her office. McGonagall tells Harry that she doesn’t think they should use the Marauder’s Map to surveil Albus and Scorpius. Harry says that Bane told him that Albus should stay away from Scorpius for everyone’s sake. He also says that Dumbledore spoke to him, saying that love was blinding Harry. McGonagall reminds Harry that the portrait is just a memory, it doesn’t represent a full person.
Professor McGonagall points out the problems with the way Harry is trying to deal with Albus and Scorpius. Harry is prioritizing what he wants—even though he has good intentions and just wants to keep Albus safe—rather than trying to understand his son, which would ultimately be more effective at protecting him. Ironically, this is what Dumbledore meant when he said that love was blinding Harry, even though Harry takes it in the opposite way to indicate that he doesn’t want to be as understanding as he has been thus far.
Themes
Professor McGonagall acknowledges that Harry is under a lot of pressure and likely feels a lot of fear about what his scar means, but she thinks he’s making a mistake. Harry notes that McGonagall doesn’t have children and doesn’t understand, taking Ginny aback and deeply offending McGonagall. Harry says that he expects McGonagall to use the map to monitor Albus, or else the Ministry will come after the school. McGonagall and Ginny are both bewildered by his anger.
McGonagall suggests that Harry is acting in the way he is because of the trauma from his past and the expectations placed on him—the pressure to make sure nothing happens to the people he loves, which he often feels that only he can stop. But the resulting burden only leads him to act irrationally and threaten the people he loves, illustrating the difficulties with this kind of expectation.
Themes
