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
In a dream, a young Harry visits his parents’ graves. He asks his Aunt Petunia why they didn’t have any friends. Petunia responds that it’s because his mother Lily repelled people, and his father James was obnoxious. Harry asks, then, why there are so many flowers all over their grave. Petunia is moved for a moment, but then she tells Harry that someone must be playing a trick.
Again, Harry’s dreams emphasize not only how little parenting he received growing up because of his parents’ deaths, but also that his aunt and uncle made no effort to be caring parents or give him the love that he needed, and Harry is still working through those childhood traumas.
Themes
Suddenly, Voldemort’s voice surrounds Harry, saying that there is guilt in the air. He rises out of the grave, and Petunia tells Harry that they have to get out of there. Harry runs off, disturbed, and Albus bursts out of Voldemort’s cloak, calling after his dad. There are whispers in Parseltongue, a scream, and then a voice saying, “Haaarry Pottttter.”
Harry’s dream suggests that the constant threat of Voldemort—who killed his parents—has haunted him throughout his life, and the dream implies that he fixates on it so desperately that he is at risk of losing Albus, who calls out helplessly from Voldemort’s cloak.
Themes
