Saying Goodbye to Harry in My Own Way

Last month I posted a quick "Denial. Thank You." post for the final installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pt. 2.  It took me awhile to figure out why I was so opposite to the crowd; why I ignored it all and refused to even think about heading to that final film.  Well, it finally felt right to go see it, and I finally understood why I reacted the way I did.

For just about every book and film, I've either stood in line or pre-ordered the newest installment.  When other people wanted to talk about it or cram themselves into a crowded place to have access to the newest release, I was right there with them.  That's what it was like for a decade, right?  This time, I wanted nothing to do with any of it.  Zip.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.

If I'd remembered back to when book seven was released, I responded pretty similarly.  Although I got the book on the day it came out, I didn't rush through it.  I took a week to read it, cherishing a couple of chapters at a time, in the hopes that I could extend that final book as long as possible.

So, this last week I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows again and finally crept into the theater, with only about ten other people there, and settled in to say goodbye my way.  What can I say that others have not, except to say that I thought it was amazing.  Sure there were things that I wondered about or knew were missing (ie. Harry offering Voldemort a chance to change and repairing his wand), but it really was a great finish. 

Like many fans, I shed a tear or two.  The first was when McGonagall stepped in to protect Harry against Snape.  In fact, that scene brought more to the story for me than it did in the book.  Played by Maggie Smith, she really brought so much to that character, and I loved her for being the force for good that she was! 

On the flip side, Mrs. Weasley's famous showdown with Bellatrix was way more serious than I read it.  In the book, I laughed and cheered when she called Bellatrix a "Bitch" because she really was!  It was so out of character for her that I read it as the ultimate "step off" moment.  In the movie, it was just way more serious than I expected.

Of course, I got choked up when we finally got to see Snape's back story.  Who didn't fall in love with this character, for his complex set of traits and strength of character?  What kind of person can stay dedicated to their love for another in such a way that they become so self-sacrificing?  It kind of made all those Potter-torturing days endearing.

Finally, Harry's showdown with Voldemort was the obvious moment we'd all been waiting to see.  It was everything about magic that I loved.  The obvious message of good over evil, love over hate, is all over these films and this final scene.  Harry's own faith in this truth is what carried him to this moment and allowed him the courage to face Voldemort.  What more can be said?

Okay, so why couldn't I get all that with a crowd full of people, with friends or family by my side?  After I left the theater it dawned on me that it was my way of saying goodbye.  As an only child, books were my companion when no one else was around. I had read the books by myself, and experienced everything with Harry by myself, so I had to end it by myself.  It was perfect.  I let go of the denial, closed the book, and knew that I'd return to it again.

For those who find connecting to books and characters is weird, I suppose you'll think my stubborn streak was also weird.  For the rest of you who have ever loved a book or character so much that you were angry or sad when the story came to an end, I know you'll understand and have a story all your own.  This is just my story and my final tribute to a much loved series that I know I'll read again.

Denial. Thank You.

Today is the day for Harry Potter to make his big, splashy conclusion.  Let me be clear about this.  I'm not happy about it.  My way of dealing with it is this.  I'm denying it.  I watched a movie trailer when they first came out.  Showed them to my class that read the book.  I haven't looked at the clips since.  Last night it opened.  I was angry to see it on the news.  Angry.  I turned the channel when the news reported it.  Loads of people have gone to see it.  Even my mother has seen it.  That is pretty bizarre to me.  Here's my deal.  I'm just not going to.  Don't make me explain it. Call me weird, but I just can't do it.  They call it the grieving process.  Which step is denial and anger?  Yea.  That's me. 

I'll see it eventually.  Just not right now.  Until then, it's not over.

A Harry Potter Twist on Pride and Prejudice

This is probably the last semester I'll be teaching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Who knew it would be so much work and be so complex!  Honestly, it's been a blast reading and discussing it at school; when else will I have a student ask me who can apparate within school grounds or why the Dark Lord chose Harry?  Let's be real here.  I'm more likely to be discussing symbolism and literary devices than horcruxes and magic!

In searching out some additional materials and clips to share with my students, I ran into this hilarious fan video, "Pride and Prejudice--Harry Potter Style."  Seeing that I love them both, I couldn't resist sharing.

Harry Potter Quandaries: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince #6

Since this is my first time reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince again, I thought I'd have a long list of things that stood out to me.  Unlike my good friend over at Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books with her awesome literary analysis and quandaries about the book (see the end of her post for additional comments), I felt somewhat stymied!  Actually, I think it was laziness on my part, because I just didn't have my reading cap on when I read book six.

Some of my lackluster reading of this particular book might be because I was much too influenced by the film this time around.  I'm not a huge fan of Ginny Weasley in the movie versions, and although she's sweet and cute, she also seems like an awfully flat character to me.  Where is the spunk that I see in her character in the books?  Where is the quick-witted girl from the books who practically has to beat the boys off with a stick?  What happened to the articulate, sparkling (in a non-vampire sort of way) character I grew to love in the books?  In the films, I'm actually not sure why Harry would pick her.  In fact, I cringe a little when Harry and Ginny have lovey-dovey scenes together!  Several of the things I like about Ginny from the books is that not only is she familiar to Harry in the sense that he has known and loved her family for years, but also that she, herself, is her own person who always feels able to propel the story forward on her own.  Both seem perfect for Harry, who we've seen as this lonely, yet talented kid.  In short, I like the Ginny in the books, and not so much in the films.  What's up with that?  Is it just an expected gap between my own imagination and what is portrayed on screen?

One last point that stood out to me in this book was the demise of Dumbledore and Snape's role in it all.  First off, the books do an excellent job of weighing out the tension that Harry feels towards Snape and the constant validation Dumbledore, Hagrid, and others at Hogwarts keep giving Snape as their ally.  If I heard one more character defend Snape I was going to scream!  Listen, I like Snape a lot.  In fact, he's been one of my favorites since about book three, but even I was ready to scream, "[you all] do protest too much!"  It seemed like a total overkill to constantly be telling Harry that he could trust Snape; it just played with my head and made me remember why I was grasping for book seven as soon as it came out.  In book six, it become painfully obvious that it's J.K. Rowling's intentions versus the reader's opinion!  Once you read this installment, you have to find out, for sure, what side everyone was playing.

Now that I've finally read book six again, I'm sure I'll have more to consider down the line.  This time around though, I just enjoyed that lovely escape factor once again.  Like a cherished memory, it took me back to those days when we all anxiously waited for each installment to come out!

Harry Potter Quandaries: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix #5

As with many of us who are anticipating the first half of the final Harry Potter film, I have been rereading the entire series.  Since I'm teaching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, it has also been a great opportunity to reread all of them.  Honestly, what's not to love?  I might be different from many readers, in that I might be enjoying them more this time around than I did the first time because I'm catching more connections.  With this readin, I'm finally seeing the things that led to the conclusion.  It's exciting and makes me love the books even more!

Several weeks ago I finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which was probably my second least favorite after number three.  Okay.  So I'm changing my tune now!  I've always been a Goblet of Fire fan, maybe because after losing my father, I loved when Harry's parents return to help him.  I caught a few things this time around in book five that really reminded me how strongly Rowling is playing on the theme of love and its power, which then helped me connect more.  If Harry ever had a power stronger than Voldemort, it was that he allowed himself to be vulnerable and look silly and weak to others so that he could have love in his life.

For once, I didn't necessarily find things that stumped me.  In fact, I really only had a couple of thoughts that haunted me over and over again.  Here are a few of the things that I've been considering:

• Although Dumbledore avoids Harry to protect him from what he knows about his final battle that must be with Voldemort, is it possible that Rowling was also showing some of the emotional restraint that was so characteristic in many British classics?  Flurries of emotion, even in American history, have not been connected with strength.  Is Dumbledore's restraint an evidence of a type of quiet strength or is this just another way of playing on the mystery that was unfolding in this fifth installment?
• My students actually brought this next point up after we reviewed the book.  What was the deal with the archway in the Ministry of Magic?  There were voices whispering from it and Sirius falls through it when he is killed.  Are we to assume this is some sort of portal to the afterlife?  Interestingly enough, later when Harry tracks down Nearly Headless Nick, he learns that the difference between the ghosts and those who have died are a desire to face the afterlife.  I've thought a lot about this and wondered not only about that arch, but about those who would choose not to face what was to come.  I'm sure this is an interesting comment on how we all face life and death, but really just stood out to me in this installment. (There's a whole other question waiting here about the ghosts that roam Hogwarts...)
• My final thought was actually after watching the film.  Regardless of all the details they left out of the final battle at the Ministry of Magic (sorry, but I don't know if I would have believed a brain with tentacles was attacking Ron), I found the end of the battle when Voldemort seems to enter Harry to be an amazing scene in the film.  For once I actually liked the way the film portrayed it better!  If you watch this YouTube clip (for some reason they won't let you embed this, but it starts around 6:00), you see Harry fight an internal battle with Voldemort where he casts him off by remembering all the love and relationships with others that he has had.  In the book it seems to be his anger over losing Sirius that helps him draw out Voldemort, which is fine, but it was so short and to the point.  The film manages to really play on all that Harry has that Voldemort does not, "You'll never have love or friendship and I feel sorry for you."  For once, I can say I appreciated what the film did to enhance Rowling's themes about love.  Simply amazing.Yep.  I shed tears over it just as I did with the fight scene at the end of book four.

After rereading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I have a new-found love for this installment that I simply didn't have before.

Now off to see the newest film!  I won't be seeing it until Monday morning with my Popular Fiction class that I'm taking to the theater--unless I can't stand it and run out to see it this weekend.

Harry Potter Quandaries: Another Non-Review of Harry Potter #3 & #4

Since I'll be teaching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows this fall, I have been rereading the series.  If you can believe it, this is my first time going all the way back through them and it has been a pure delight!  Along the way though, I have had questions and observations pop up that I didn't notice the first time I read them.  Maybe you can join in and help me out?

Here are some of the things I noticed or questioned in book three:

• In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, we don't actually end the novel with a showdown with Voldemort.  I think I somehow missed that, since it was only the third book.  I wondered then if this was a time that he was getting more strength to make his big attack in the fourth installment?
• After reading #3, I watched the movie and have to say I remember why I wasn't thrilled with it.  In the scene where Harry's classmates are all learning how to fight off a boggart, Harry jumps in and finds himself face to face with a Death Eater.  I had forgotten that in the book, Lupin doesn't actually let him join in on the activity, fearing that he might conjure up Voldemort instead (and wouldn't that have scared his classmates to death).  I'm sure it was for time and space, but I thought it was interesting that they skimmed this.
• I was reminded how sorry I felt for Lupin and his condition as a werewolf.  This is a good novel to show that Snape really was much more engaged in the "good guy" team and not the complete bad guy we thought.  We could say that Dumbledore made (coerced) Snape into making the potion to control Lupin's changing, but Snape seemed much more in the loop in this novel than I remember.
• I will still admit to not being 100% positive on the role of the stag that Harry uses to fight the Death Eaters.  It's a beautiful, touching scene though when Harry realizes that it's not someone else saving him and Sirius, but that he has it within himself to fight the Death Eaters.  Such a great scene.

Okay, so let me ask about book four, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  This happens to be my favorite of the series, which I've read about four times now.  I do have some thoughts and questions though:

• Why is it that Professor Moody, if he's not the real Moody, would come to Harry's aid and punish Draco Malfoy for attempting to fight him?  I'm thinking this might be due to Barty Crouch being angry at Malfoy's father for not standing up for The Dark Lord and going to Azkeban as he had?  I'm not sure.
• This isn't really a question, but more of an observation here, but I have to say that I was sad that the film cut out the Winky part of the storyline.  The house elves played such a larger part in the books than in the films and actually added a social justice element to the storyline that I appreciated.
• In the book, Viktor Krum is made out to be a moody twit.  Although he was this great Quidditch god, he really seemed to be portrayed as more of  a fringe character than I remembered.  In some ways, because of the role he plays in showing the boys that Hermione is more than just a smart girl, I almost wish he was a stronger romantic lead than the book let on.  Am I weird in thinking that?  
• The Christmas dance made me a little envious of the entire boarding school type of system.  I don't know that I could have handled staying at school, rather than with my parents, but as a teenager I have to say that celebrating with friends like they do in this installment looked pretty awesome.
• My favorite scene has to be in the third challenge when Harry and Cedric touch the portkey and are transported to the cemetery.  I love how Rowling uses a juxtaposition of a weak Harry with one who is made strong through the aid of loved ones to battle Voldemort.  I CRY every time I read this scene!  Maybe because my own father has passed away and I feel Harry's eagerness to see them, but when Harry and Voldemort's wands touch and Harry says he knows who will be coming out next and his mother appears to tell him his father is on his way, I can't hold back the tears.  In such a monumental moment of need, his parents are there to help him.  I have to remember though, that only moments before those killed by Voldemort came back out of the wand, Harry had managed to push the bead between their wands closer to his enemy.  That tells us that Harry has a power over Voldermort that is unique and clearly all his own.  *sigh*  It's just such great reading!
• FYI about the scene above, I need to go back and check the American version, but I've been told that the order the characters pop out is backward to the British version (which I'm reading); instead of his mother popping out first, his father does?  I will have to go check that out to see if that's the case, and if so, why they would do that?
• This begins a dark phase to the series, where innocent characters are being killed off in front of Harry, and each of us as readers.  Is death an important element to help mature and push Harry? (I'm thinking that's a yes, but have been thinking more about the change this brings to Harry?)

I've really fallen in love with this series even more and am glad that I'm doing this before the final two films come out.  Most likely I'll risk looking like a ninny in the theaters because I know I'm going to shed a few tears, knowing this is the end of an era that brought such excitement into my life.  What other books have I stood in line for or even anticipated the films to the point that I waited on a theater's corridor floor to insure that I get the best seats possible?  Were we just lucky enough to be alive at the time of a phenomenon that was once in a lifetime, or will another series come along to reshape the industry and a globe of readers?  I know there are good books that come along, that grab our attention and hearts, but to this magnitude?  I just don't know.

I'm off to read book five. Now that school has started, I worry that I'll take forever to get through it!  Wish me luck as I push ahead through O.W.L.s and angst-ridden teens (at school and in the book).

I'd love to hear any observations you have on any of the questions or ideas I've posted, as well as thoughts you might have on these two books. This would really help me as I prepare to teach book seven, so thank you ahead of time!

Harry Potter Quandaries: A Non-Review of Harry Potter 1 & 2

As mentioned previously, I am going to be teaching Popular Young Adult Fiction this fall, so I'm rereading the Harry Potter books in preparation for teaching book seven.  Here's my issue.  My students who have read and loved Harry Potter, KNOW IT in and out, and will try to stump me with questions I can't answer.  Trust me.  That will be easy to do in my case.  I just don't remember the itty bitty details like they do! 

I have really loved rereading the books so far, and have been sucked back in by the magic that is Harry Potter all over again.  It has been "magical," for no better way of putting it. I'm also, finally getting to the first two in the Harry Potter Challenge that ends next month!  Rather than do actual reviews, I wanted to pose questions that I've had about the stories, and see if anyone can help me out.   Before I do that, let me just give a really quick run down of what is in the first two books:   

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry is introduced to the magical world, his own past, and his rivalry with Voldermort.  He faces off with the weakened, yet still powerful Dark Lord as they battle for the Sorcerer's Stone that had been guarded there at Hogwarts. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, he returns to Hogwarts to continue his studies, only to be surrounded by the mysterious turning to stone of fellow classmates and residents of the school.  Harry and his friends learn about the opening of a curious chamber, that a giant basilisk serving the Dark Lord resides, and where Harry would eventually go to save a dear friend.

I don't need to go on and on about how amazing and utterly engaging these novels are.  Really, I don't.  This is one case where hype doesn't seem to ruin the reading (at least it didn't for me).  However, I do want to talk about the things that confuse me, and have me asking questions.  I thought I'd post my questions here, and see if anyone has answers or theories for me!

• In Book 1, Harry and his friends seem to know more about the Sorcerer's Stone and its location than many of the other faculty.  Is that just what we're seeing from our side of the story, or do you think more people know about it?  In other words, are the faculty privy to information about the stone?
• How can anyone "rig" the Quidditch games by putting the spell on Harry's broom, and the crazy bludger?  If they're so smart, couldn't they just put a charm over everything in the game to prevent that sort of interference and cheating?
• In Book 2, I don't understand how no one ever seems to know that Harry and his friends are sneaking off to learn more about the secrets at Hogwarts.  With all that magic, wouldn't someone catch them up and about the castle?  This sounds like a silly question, but I always wonder how they get away with exploring the school so much.
• Correct me, or at least set me straight.  Dobby is part of a powerful, old magical community of elves.  Their magic is powerful, but can be kept by people as servants.  Are wizards just the natural, top of the food chain, so to say, when it comes to magic?
• How in the world does Tom Riddle/The Dark Lord not know about the phoenix and his magical properties?  For being the most powerful wizard, I'm always curious how he forgets so much?  Was it because he was in the body of Tom Riddle for this particular scene, and as such, doesn't have all of his knowledge?

These might seem like silly questions, or like I'm finding fault with the stories, but I want to assure you, I'm not.  I have kind of wondered these things about the story and the magical wizards, but haven't ever had a place or time for bringing them up.  Well, now that I'm looking at the stories again, I wanted to ask these questions and see if anyone has a theory or answers that I've missed? 

Sunday Salon #8 -- BBAW, Challenges, & Giveaway Reminders

For this Sunday Salon, I wanted to update on some great things going on in books, reading, and blogging! Although I did quite a bit of reading this past week, and plan on doing some more reading today, I need to catch up on a few "announcements" before I get back to it. (Oh, and my apologies if I haven't yet acknowledged awards, etc. I will get to them!)

First off is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, which will be September 15-19. Over at My Friend Amy, she has put together a wonderful retreat for book bloggers to share and go crazy over books. Let me have her explanation say it all!

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Acknowledging the hard work of book bloggers and their growing impact on book marketing and their essential contribution to book buzz in general, I am excited to announce the first Book Blogger Appreciation Week. Think of it as a retreat for book bloggers and a chance for us to totally nerd out over books together. And of course, shower each other with love and appreciation.

If you're a book blogger, and interested in joining in for this great event, head over to register today!

Second, I've joined another challenge! I promised myself NOT to join any more, as I get in way over my head with challenges, freeze up from the pressure of "what am I not reading that I should," and then just end up letting it go by the wayside. I know! I'm terrible. I'm doing much better at organizing my reads though, and only joining challenges that fit in with my interests or things that I have to read. Having said that, when I saw the Harry Potter Reading Challenge over at GalleySmith, I knew I HAD to join! I've had the British version for over a year (maybe two), that I bought myself for a special birthday, but haven't had the chance or time to read them. This challenge gave me the perfect opportunity!

Here are the requirements:

• Read or listen to all seven of the books.
• The challenge runs from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010. You have a year, so that's plenty of time!
• Post your reviews, log your books, and enjoy!
  

I can't wait to get going on this one! To join in, go to GalleySmith's Harry Potter Reading Challenge to sign up today!

Last up! Please don't forget a couple of giveaways going on here at One Literature Nut. The first is my giveaway of The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns. Tell me your idea of what "Hell" would be like for you, and join in today! The giveaway runs through this coming friday, at midnight MST.

The other giveaway is for the Outlander series and various books from the series. This giveaway actually isn't through me, but I'm participating in giving away one of the prizes! Please go to The Outlander Series Giveaway for more information, and for where to go to sign up.

Well, I need to head off! So, what are you reading on this beautiful Sunday?