Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The Horcruxes are an important symbol and plot point. Within the context of the book, they refer to the collection of objects within which Voldemort has encased parts of his soul. The choice of these objects is significant, indicating important aspects of Voldemort’s character and motivations. Slytherin’s locket, Hufflepuff’s cup, and a potential object belonging to either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor point to Voldemort’s strong attachment to Hogwarts, the place where he first felt like he belonged as a wizard. The diary points to Voldemort’s pride in his lineage, as it proved that Voldemort was Slytherin’s heir and was used to reopen the Chamber of Secrets. Nagini, Voldemort’s pet snake, further underlines the Slytherin connection and Voldemort’s ability to speak Parseltongue, a relatively rare trait even among wizards. The Horcruxes symbolize evil and the extent to which Voldemort will go to pursue his goals. In pursuit of immortality, Voldemort is willing to commit cold-blooded murder many times over, the act required to split one’s soul and encase it within a Horcrux. The fact that splitting one’s soul is considered a violation of nature is highlighted, further underlining Voldemort’s twisted and evil nature.