Abstract—The "hero" of Harry Potter: The Philosopher's Stone, is a young book taken from his dull and boring life and dragged into the fantasy boarding school of Hogwarts. In Black Cauldron Taran, the pig herder shares a similar situation: he is torn from his life of toil and taken away on an epic journey. Each of these characters goes through similar developments in their missions, and each draws from seemingly mundane beginnings. This type of heroism seems consistent in the two books as well as in similar books like The Lord of the Rings where the Hobbits become the most unlikely hero. This provides something the reader can hold onto especially in more fantastical books, it allows readers to identify and relate the hero's concepts to their own life, creating an immersive experience. Heroes are not exclusive to young adult books, but books with strong archetypes are more popular with young audiences as they provide simplified characters as opposed to grayer writing that might include Byronic characters or anti-heroes. By comparing two similar books from two very different time periods that maintain a similar message of heroism, I believe it validates the purpose and impact of a hero in young adult fiction. “The thread of truth in his narrative reminds us that heroes can come in any shape, color, skill or size, and friendship can bridge almost any gap.”(9) Often fantasy heroes like those described in books come from humble origins. They then provide a quest, journey, or mission that is slowly revealed. It also creates a small microcosm that fosters the hero's evolution. Often these personal mentors are not all benevolent. An example would be Snape, a professor of Harry's who tries to chastise a...... middle of paper...... Web. 2011. .[4]. "Antihero." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Network. 02 November 2011. .[5]. Home, Ellen. "Book review." Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 50.9 (2011). See MD. Network. .[6].[yalsa-bk] Schools for witches and wizards[8]. Lois R. Kuznets. ""High Fantasy" in America: A Study of Lloyd Alexander, Ursula LeGuin, and Susan Cooper." The Lion and the Unicorn 9 (1985): 19-35. MUSE project. Network. 21 January 2011. .[9]. “Books for Young Adults.” The Washington Post: National, world and D.C. area news and headlines - The Washington Post. Net. 2011. .