For this instalment of Nadia talks about how much she loves the brilliance of Harry Potter, let's talk about magical creatures.
I decided to focus on this because of the new creatures introduced in OotP: Kreacher and the thestrals. Also, I want to discuss dementors and centaurs.
Kreacher, I think is desperately addled and distraught. While he redeems himself in the later books, his character is despicable in OotP. Dumbledore explains Kreachers behavior when he says, "Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards... Yes, he is to be pitied. His existence has been as miserable as your friend Dobby's... Sirius was not a cruel man, he was kind to house-elves in general. He had no love for Kreacher, because Kreacher was a living reminder of the home Sirius had hated" (832, 834). Sirius mistreats Kreacher, not from any prejudice against house elves, but because Kreacher is a symbol for the past that Sirius has been running from for so long. I, for one, am glad that Kreacher showed up again in the later books, especially DH, and redeemed his character.
The other creature introduced in this book is the thestral. These are deeply misunderstood as well, because only people who have witnessed death can see a thestral. Therefore, they have an almost Grim-like reputation. But, they also are extremely clever and have an amazing sense of direction. These creatures are a symbol for acceptance of death, opposite the freedom the hippogriffs. There is an interesting essay comparing and contrasting threstrals and hippogriffs that can be found here: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/essays/issue10.
Next on the list is dementors. JKR herself said that these characters symbolize depression, and there are very few things more terrifying than the thought of a dementor. A creature that takes away your soul through a personal and intimate gesture? One that can force you to only live in the worst times of your life? One that takes away all your happiness and all your hope? That is positively petrifying. These creatures truly do symbolize clinical depression and I admire the way JKR put a personal bit of her life into Harry's world through this creature. Better keep some chocolate on hand, just in case.
Centaurs are found in mythology, including Greek and Roman. In some of them, they are teachers like Firenze the Divination teacher. I am fascinated with the idea of such a creature being an instructor. I can't even say how many times I've said, "Mars is bright tonight". I like that they know that their predictions can be misinterpreted easily, even by the centaurs themselves. I also love how all of their situations in the books are complex in some way- they usually involve arguing between two groups of centaurs. It opposes them to the image seen in Fountain of Magical Brethren seen in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic, in which the centaurs, along with a goblin and house-elf, are all "looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard".
Many of the creatures in the world of Harry Potter are mistreated and underestimated. This is most prevalently seen in OotP with Umbridge and her discriminations against "half-breeds". These non-human intelligent beings are hated and feared by Umbridge. But, one of the main themes of Harry Potter is to not judge by appearance. Hagrid, a "half-breed", is one of the most lovable and loyal characters in the entire series. These magical creatures that are prejudiced against are symbols for any group of people that a majority discriminates because of some trivial difference.
Time read: 24 hours, 12 minutes, 45 seconds
Pages read: 2689/4195
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Goblet of Fire
I finished Goblet of Fire ages ago, but I've just been at a loss of what to write about. Many of my other posts are centered around details that are carried throughout the series. But this didn't feel like the right structure for my post, even though GoF references many details and provides many for the later books.
What I want to discuss instead are relationships. Not only "ships", but the friendships between characters as well. I feel like this is a prominent theme in this novel, it is even the main goal of the Triwizard Tournament, which is the main plot thread.
GoF is when Ron and Harry finally have a falling out. Ron, constantly in the shadow of his brothers and his best friend, snaps. Even though he probably knows that Harry never put in name in the Goblet, he is unwilling to believe the truth because it doesn't fit his agenda. Harry spends a lot of the time during this fight wishing that Ron would just come and make-up. But, he refuses to talk to Ron himself. JKR puts emphasis of the importance of this relationship in Harry's life. One portion that stood out to me about this was when Harry had just gotten past the dragon in the first task and says, "'What?' Ron bellowed furiously. 'Four? You lousy biased scumbag, you have Krum ten!' Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth about a hundred points to him." The strength of this relationship is tested again and again throughout the series, but Ron is always loyal to Harry.
I also want to touch on father-son relationships. There are two that come to mind when examining this novel: the Crouchs and the Riddles. JKR draws parallels between them: both father and son share a name, both sons killed their fathers, and both fathers did not play a part in the upbringing of their sons. This final point also applies to Harry, but he didn't turn out to be the sort of man that can just murder in cold blood. I feel like JKR is trying to tell the reader that while a parent is important in a child's life, they are not the only thing that shapes a child's personality.
This is a novel about relationships and the strength that can be gained from them. In his end-of-term speech, Dumbledore says, "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." These words ring true in this modern-world of today, especially with the upcoming anniversary of September 11th. As a globe, we want to eliminate hate and discord, but we can not do that if we ourselves still have hate and discord in our hearts for others. Most of our fears as a nation is of that which we don't know or are unfamiliar. Therefore, if you don't know something about someone or some culture, don't be afraid to ask. My prophecy is that knowledge is the tool that will lead us into an age of peace.
Time read: 15 hrs 13 mins 17 secs
Pages read: 1819/4195
What I want to discuss instead are relationships. Not only "ships", but the friendships between characters as well. I feel like this is a prominent theme in this novel, it is even the main goal of the Triwizard Tournament, which is the main plot thread.
GoF is when Ron and Harry finally have a falling out. Ron, constantly in the shadow of his brothers and his best friend, snaps. Even though he probably knows that Harry never put in name in the Goblet, he is unwilling to believe the truth because it doesn't fit his agenda. Harry spends a lot of the time during this fight wishing that Ron would just come and make-up. But, he refuses to talk to Ron himself. JKR puts emphasis of the importance of this relationship in Harry's life. One portion that stood out to me about this was when Harry had just gotten past the dragon in the first task and says, "'What?' Ron bellowed furiously. 'Four? You lousy biased scumbag, you have Krum ten!' Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth about a hundred points to him." The strength of this relationship is tested again and again throughout the series, but Ron is always loyal to Harry.
I also want to touch on father-son relationships. There are two that come to mind when examining this novel: the Crouchs and the Riddles. JKR draws parallels between them: both father and son share a name, both sons killed their fathers, and both fathers did not play a part in the upbringing of their sons. This final point also applies to Harry, but he didn't turn out to be the sort of man that can just murder in cold blood. I feel like JKR is trying to tell the reader that while a parent is important in a child's life, they are not the only thing that shapes a child's personality.
This is a novel about relationships and the strength that can be gained from them. In his end-of-term speech, Dumbledore says, "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." These words ring true in this modern-world of today, especially with the upcoming anniversary of September 11th. As a globe, we want to eliminate hate and discord, but we can not do that if we ourselves still have hate and discord in our hearts for others. Most of our fears as a nation is of that which we don't know or are unfamiliar. Therefore, if you don't know something about someone or some culture, don't be afraid to ask. My prophecy is that knowledge is the tool that will lead us into an age of peace.
Time read: 15 hrs 13 mins 17 secs
Pages read: 1819/4195
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Prisoner of Azkaban
After a marathon read from last night and this morning, I finished PoA. Growing up, this was my least favorite Harry Potter book. (Though I still love them all.) Thinking back, I assume it was because there was no confrontation with Voldemort in this one. But after this reread, I'm just left in awe of JKR's skills. This book is a masterpiece. It is delicately woven with details that are relevant to the plot of the entire series as a whole. I'd always considered Cedric's death in GoF to be the turning point of the series, and I still consider that to be mostly true. But that moment that Harry decided to let Wormtail live is a defining moment for his character. His mercy and compassion end up saving him, and others, multiple times through the series.
I also loved this foreshadowing that JKR put in. "'But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.' [Dumbledore] Harry couldn't imagine when that would be."Oh Harry, little do you know, in less than four years, you will be very grateful for this because it allows you to save your friends, escape, steal the Elder Wand, and live.
So, while GoF might be the turning point of the series, PoA is the last few feet of that upward climb. Without the plot and characterization of PoA, the series might have gone a completely different direction. While it still isn't my absolute favorite HP book, I can admire the intricate details that JKR put into it and her dedication to producing a tightly-woven plot that spans across over 4000 pages. Now, on to GoF and the longer books!
Pages read: 1085/4195
Time read: 8 hr 18 min 36 sec
I also loved this foreshadowing that JKR put in. "'But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.' [Dumbledore] Harry couldn't imagine when that would be."Oh Harry, little do you know, in less than four years, you will be very grateful for this because it allows you to save your friends, escape, steal the Elder Wand, and live.
So, while GoF might be the turning point of the series, PoA is the last few feet of that upward climb. Without the plot and characterization of PoA, the series might have gone a completely different direction. While it still isn't my absolute favorite HP book, I can admire the intricate details that JKR put into it and her dedication to producing a tightly-woven plot that spans across over 4000 pages. Now, on to GoF and the longer books!
Pages read: 1085/4195
Time read: 8 hr 18 min 36 sec
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
I haven't posted a spoiler alert for these posts because I've just assumed that anyone who reads them have either read the books for themselves or has seen all of the movies. Just be warned, I will be discussing connections between ALL SEVEN BOOKS. This means that I will assume things have already been revealed to you.
I finally finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! When I was young, this was one of my least favorite HP books. The plot just never appealed to me, and the Deathday Party terrified me and gave me nightmares.
There were many details in this book that are carried through the rest of the series. For example, this is where Harry learns Expelliarmus!, which will later become one of his signature spells and helps his characterization. Also, we see Polyjuice Potion, which for such a dangerous potion, is used quite frequently through the rest of the series (GoF and DH come to mind instantly).
The most important item from this book that will be relevant later is, of course, Riddle's diary. This is our first look into Riddle's past and the dark magic that created Lord Voldemort. What struck me the most was that JKR even told us that Harry is a Horcrux.
"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, thunderstruck.
"It certainly seems so." (Dumbledore)
At this point, we didn't know that this "bit" was a part of Voldemort's soul, but Dumbledore had knowledge of Harry's destiny. But he gives him a warning that should sum up the difference between Harry and Voldemort: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities".
Pages read: 650/4195
Time read: 4 hr 47 min 03 sec
I finally finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! When I was young, this was one of my least favorite HP books. The plot just never appealed to me, and the Deathday Party terrified me and gave me nightmares.
There were many details in this book that are carried through the rest of the series. For example, this is where Harry learns Expelliarmus!, which will later become one of his signature spells and helps his characterization. Also, we see Polyjuice Potion, which for such a dangerous potion, is used quite frequently through the rest of the series (GoF and DH come to mind instantly).
The most important item from this book that will be relevant later is, of course, Riddle's diary. This is our first look into Riddle's past and the dark magic that created Lord Voldemort. What struck me the most was that JKR even told us that Harry is a Horcrux.
"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, thunderstruck.
"It certainly seems so." (Dumbledore)
At this point, we didn't know that this "bit" was a part of Voldemort's soul, but Dumbledore had knowledge of Harry's destiny. But he gives him a warning that should sum up the difference between Harry and Voldemort: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities".
Pages read: 650/4195
Time read: 4 hr 47 min 03 sec
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Second Half of Sorcerer's Stone
I finished SS! It took me a lot longer than I had hoped, but isn't that the way that life seems to happen? Anyways, this section had some of my favorite parts in the entire series.
1. Through the Trapdoor
This is chapter 16 of SS, and by far one of my favorites in the entire series. When I was younger, I loved the obstacles that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to overcome to reach the Stone. My favorite, though, was Snape's. The logic puzzle with the potions was brilliant in my eyes, and I always wanted to have the bottles in front of me so I could prove my aptitude at logic, just like Hermione. Thinking back, I think that I always appreciated that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were all vital in the quest for the Stone. None of them could have reached the Stone without the other two. This foreshadows the quest they go on for the Horcruxes in DH, and is a motif pulled throughout the entire series.
2. The Man with Two Faces
This is the final chapter of SS, and has some of my favorite quotes from Dumbledore. Here are a few:
"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
"As much money and life as you could want! The two things human beings would choose above all- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
"The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."
SS has always been one of my favorite HP books. Now to move onto CoS!
Pages read: 309/4195
Time read: 2 hrs, 31 mins, 16 secs
1. Through the Trapdoor
This is chapter 16 of SS, and by far one of my favorites in the entire series. When I was younger, I loved the obstacles that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to overcome to reach the Stone. My favorite, though, was Snape's. The logic puzzle with the potions was brilliant in my eyes, and I always wanted to have the bottles in front of me so I could prove my aptitude at logic, just like Hermione. Thinking back, I think that I always appreciated that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were all vital in the quest for the Stone. None of them could have reached the Stone without the other two. This foreshadows the quest they go on for the Horcruxes in DH, and is a motif pulled throughout the entire series.
2. The Man with Two Faces
This is the final chapter of SS, and has some of my favorite quotes from Dumbledore. Here are a few:
"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
"As much money and life as you could want! The two things human beings would choose above all- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
"The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."
SS has always been one of my favorite HP books. Now to move onto CoS!
Pages read: 309/4195
Time read: 2 hrs, 31 mins, 16 secs
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Harry Potter
Well, it's been ages since I've done a post or had time to work on this project. But I'm back, and rereading my favorite series- Harry Potter. With the final movie coming out in less than two weeks, it's about time that I started my reread. I'm looking forward to and dreading this movie. I realized that this is the last time I'll be rereading the series in preparation for a book or movie premiere. (With Pottermore, it looks like the next time I read the series will be in a different medium.)
I'm also going to time myself. I did this last summer when I reread them, and I think it would be cool to see how accurate that time was and/or if I could beat it. So, just for the record, it was approximately 44 hours last time.
Here is a key for the abbreviations that I'll be using. I've used these for years, and they've just become habit.
JKR: J.K. Rowling
SS/PS: Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone
CoS: Chamber of Secrets
PoA: Prisioner of Azkaban
GoF: Goblet of Fire
OotP: Order of the Phoenix
HBP: Half-Blood Prince
DH: Deathly Hallows
I'm also going to post every night with an update. It might just be how much I read that day or it could be some new connection I found. What I'm marveling today is the connections that JKR pulled through the entire series. Sirius Black, a character that we don't meet until PoA, is mentioned on page 14 of SS. Hagrid mentions three magical families- "the McKinnons, the Bones, [and] the Prewetts" on page 56. The McKinnons' deaths were again mentioned in DH in Lily's letter to Sirius. Susan Bones is sorted only a few chapters later in SS. And the Prewetts were Molly Weasley's brothers. JKR has connections and threads through the entire series that can caught with many rereads of the series.
Pages read: 179/4195
Time read: 1 hr, 28 min, 56 sec
I'm also going to time myself. I did this last summer when I reread them, and I think it would be cool to see how accurate that time was and/or if I could beat it. So, just for the record, it was approximately 44 hours last time.
Here is a key for the abbreviations that I'll be using. I've used these for years, and they've just become habit.
JKR: J.K. Rowling
SS/PS: Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone
CoS: Chamber of Secrets
PoA: Prisioner of Azkaban
GoF: Goblet of Fire
OotP: Order of the Phoenix
HBP: Half-Blood Prince
DH: Deathly Hallows
I'm also going to post every night with an update. It might just be how much I read that day or it could be some new connection I found. What I'm marveling today is the connections that JKR pulled through the entire series. Sirius Black, a character that we don't meet until PoA, is mentioned on page 14 of SS. Hagrid mentions three magical families- "the McKinnons, the Bones, [and] the Prewetts" on page 56. The McKinnons' deaths were again mentioned in DH in Lily's letter to Sirius. Susan Bones is sorted only a few chapters later in SS. And the Prewetts were Molly Weasley's brothers. JKR has connections and threads through the entire series that can caught with many rereads of the series.
Pages read: 179/4195
Time read: 1 hr, 28 min, 56 sec
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Gandalf!
He's back!
And, sadly, I knew it was coming.
While watching the FotR movie, I commented on Gandalf's death to my brother. I told him that I figured that he couldn't be dead yet, because the wise mentor isn't allowed to die til almost the end. My brother, being the secretive creature that he is, stared at me with a guilty look and commented that Gandalf the Grey wouldn't be coming back. That, of course, led me to the realization that Gandalf would come back as Gandalf the White. I came to this conclusion mostly because of the Christian implications on how Gandalf is the "Jesus Christ figure" in the LotR series.
I just didn't expect him to come back in Chapter 5 of The Two Towers, "The White Rider". That was a lot sooner than I could have expected, or even hoped. But let me just say, welcome back Gandalf, even if you are a little different. I've missed you greatly.
----------------------
Well, I'm almost two months into this project and I've finished a grand total of... zero items off the list. I'm not going to give up, but I'm starting to realize how impossible a year is for the time length of this project. Especially because I have other responsibilities and readings for school. I still want to work my way through this list, but not in a year. I feel like this quotation from Arthur Ashe sums up my feelings nicely, "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome".
Til next time, happy reading and DFTBA!
And, sadly, I knew it was coming.
While watching the FotR movie, I commented on Gandalf's death to my brother. I told him that I figured that he couldn't be dead yet, because the wise mentor isn't allowed to die til almost the end. My brother, being the secretive creature that he is, stared at me with a guilty look and commented that Gandalf the Grey wouldn't be coming back. That, of course, led me to the realization that Gandalf would come back as Gandalf the White. I came to this conclusion mostly because of the Christian implications on how Gandalf is the "Jesus Christ figure" in the LotR series.
I just didn't expect him to come back in Chapter 5 of The Two Towers, "The White Rider". That was a lot sooner than I could have expected, or even hoped. But let me just say, welcome back Gandalf, even if you are a little different. I've missed you greatly.
----------------------
Well, I'm almost two months into this project and I've finished a grand total of... zero items off the list. I'm not going to give up, but I'm starting to realize how impossible a year is for the time length of this project. Especially because I have other responsibilities and readings for school. I still want to work my way through this list, but not in a year. I feel like this quotation from Arthur Ashe sums up my feelings nicely, "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome".
Til next time, happy reading and DFTBA!
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