Since Harry Potter is the protagonist of the Harry Potter series, it’s not shocking that he has many heroic attributes and personality strengths. While Harry isn't necessarily everyone’s favorite character, he does possess many great qualities that allow him to face Voldemort and be the main hero of the story.
But, Harry is also a complex character who has a lot of weaknesses, too. If he was completely perfect, he would be boring to read about and watch. His flaws made him a well-written character who fans love.
Weakness: He Would Lash Out At His Loved Ones
One thing that many fans often forget about is that Harry went through a lot of trauma at a young age. He was basically abused by the Dursleys and orphaned as a baby, and these were just the start of the things he went through.
So, it makes sense Harry wouldn’t be emotionally stable. However, it was still hard to see him lash out at people, like Ron and Hermione, when they didn’t deserve it.
Strength: Trusting His Friends
Growing up, Harry was controlled by the Dursleys and bullied by Dudley and he didn’t really have any friends until he went to Hogwarts.
Despite having many reasons not to trust people, Harry relied on his friends throughout the years. This was one of the best things he could have done, as he needed support from those who cared about him. Learning to trust Hermione and Ron was a great thing.
Weakness: He Sometimes Judged People Too Harshly
Harry had a lot of ideals and believed a lot in causes and he held himself and others to pretty high standards of loyalty, honor, and bravery.
While this isn’t a bad thing, he could sometimes judge others too harshly when they don’t meet his standards. He would often disappoint people and sometimes didn't really seem to understand that humans can be complex and flawed.
Strength: He Was Able To Endure A Lot Of Hardships
As mentioned already, Harry went through a lot of difficult and traumatic experiences before he was even a teenager, and he continued to face death as a teen, too. While it’s unfair that he had to go through so much, he was clearly a very strong person.
Despite everything Harry went through, he was still, overall, a caring and good person who didn’t want others to suffer. His strength of character was impressive and one of the best things about him.
Weakness: He Was Often Self-absorbed
In one way, it’s hard to blame Harry for being self-absorbed because he truly had a lot to deal with. The pressure of being the Chosen One and always having to deal with Voldemort coming after him was immense.
However, at times, he would forget that other people he cared about had issues, too. He would often drop the ball on being there for his friends, including Hagrid, during the lead up to Buckbeak’s trial.
Strength: He Trusted His Instincts
Harry definitely wasn’t the smartest character in the series when it came to book smarts and classwork, compared to Hermione, but he did have a lot of intuition.
His great instincts were one of his greatest strengths, and while he might not have always done things logically, he did follow his heart and intuition, which usually was the right decision.
Weakness: He Could Be Overly Emotional
Harry was a character who was mostly ruled by his emotions and he often made decisions based on what he felt. This wasn’t always a bad thing, and in some ways, it could be a strength. However, sometimes Harry was too emotional.
He had a flair for the dramatic, and he would easily get upset and riled up. He was susceptible to being goaded by other people such as Draco, and his emotions could change rather quickly.
Strength: He Took Loyalty Seriously
While Harry might have some traits of the other houses, particularly Slytherin, he had more Gryffindor traits than almost any other character.
He was courageous and a little reckless, but one of his best traits was how loyal he was. This was one of his core values, and he took his commitments to the people he cared about very seriously.
Weakness: He Sometimes Lacked Common Sense
Many fans of Harry Potter point out that Harry could be rather illogical and sometimes a bit dumb. There is definitely some truth to this, as Harry often lacked common sense.
While he was good at magic and was, overall, a smart person, he often jumped into things without thinking them through. He definitely needed people like Hermione to point out when he was being ridiculous.
Strength: He Was Extremely Self-Sacrificing
Harry’s overall greatest strength was how courageous and compassionate he was. He was willing to put his life at risk over and over again to save other people, and this is why he sometimes got made fun of for always playing the hero.
While he might have worried too much, such as when he tried to save all the people from the bottom of the lake during the second task, overall, he was just trying to do the right thing.