The Harry Potter Thread

[paul]

(08-24-2011 01:40 PM)Darrell Wrote:  I just finished the first book. I have not (as far as I know) become a Satanist because of it.

That's all I have to report.

Not been a full moon yet, give it time.

[senda wales]

(03-17-2011 02:00 PM)Lizzy F. Wrote:  And it The Golden Compass the girl's parents are psychotic child murderers, so her obeying them is out of the question.

Have you read the entire His Dark Materials trilogy? The fact that Lyra disobeys her parents is nothing compared to who and what she ultimately sets out to destroy by the end. Harry Potter is about good triumphing evil; His Dark Materials is about life triumphing over the church and associated spiritual authorities. However, it is true that HDM emphasizes the strength of bonds with friendships and strangers over blood ties. Lyra was born out of wedlock. Her parents use her, lie to her, and are terrible role models. It's an unlikely network of scholars, gypsies, a Texan cowboy, an armored bear, and witches that step in to become her family. They raise her, protect her, and even die for her. It ties in nicely with HDM's overall theme of rejecting tradition and traditional authority.

I think it's important to remember that sci-fi and fantasy are almost never really about the magic or superpowers. They're backdrops to illuminate deeper issues that people have difficulty acknowledging and discussing, like class, prejudice, and racism. I think this is why a lot of sci-fi/fantasy stories feature the Other that wins against a different oppressive group. In Harry Potter's case, Rowling may have pushed a stronger superiority complex of the magical community over the Muggles in order to make the differences between them more apparent and to help us feel sympathy for the "inferior" group of Muggles, since we see and know that we're/they're actually not so bad and shouldn't be prejudiced against.

[senda wales]

(08-24-2011 01:40 PM)Darrell Wrote:  I just finished the first book. I have not (as far as I know) become a Satanist because of it.

That's all I have to report.

Hooray! #3 is my favorite.

[supernova8610]

(08-25-2011 12:37 AM)senda wales Wrote:  

(08-24-2011 01:40 PM)Darrell Wrote:  I just finished the first book. I have not (as far as I know) become a Satanist because of it.

That's all I have to report.

Hooray! #3 is my favorite.

Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite, too

[Sharon]

(08-25-2011 11:48 AM)supernova8610 Wrote:  

(08-25-2011 12:37 AM)senda wales Wrote:  Hooray! #3 is my favorite.

Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite, too

I like Goblet of Fire best, personally, probably because we see more of the Wizarding World than just Magical Britain.

[senda wales]

(08-25-2011 04:12 PM)Sharon Wrote:  

(08-25-2011 11:48 AM)supernova8610 Wrote:  Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite, too

I like Goblet of Fire best, personally, probably because we see more of the Wizarding World than just Magical Britain.

You're right, #4 was fantastic. I think I cried for that one.

So I used to be involved in Harry Potter fanfiction communities. And yes, #4 was a great one for expanding the Harry Potter-verse and writing about lots of different characters.

[supernova8610]

(08-25-2011 04:28 PM)senda wales Wrote:  

(08-25-2011 04:12 PM)Sharon Wrote:  I like Goblet of Fire best, personally, probably because we see more of the Wizarding World than just Magical Britain.

You're right, #4 was fantastic. I think I cried for that one.

So I used to be involved in Harry Potter fanfiction communities. And yes, #4 was a great one for expanding the Harry Potter-verse and writing about lots of different characters.

I have quite a few Harry Potter fanfics that I've written in the past. Glad to know I'm not the only one here who was that big of a nerd