May 18, 2011

sorting hat, please put me in gryffindor!

I don't think I've mentioned this on my blog before but I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. Like, I daydream about the magical world all the time and I regularly curse my mere life as a muggle. I realize to some of you that makes me sound like a) I have really immature taste in literature, b) I'm some sort of weirdo who is really into things like black cloaks and magical potions (though given my culinary skills I think that could be my best subject at Hogwarts next to transfiguration and charms), or c) I need to get a life.
from a super cute HP party that I want to copy.
Well, I'm here to tell you that if you haven't read every single book of the Harry Potter series you are missing out! There is so much more to these books than magic or a story for kids. If you are skeptical then you just have to get past the few couple of books (which I think are fantastic, by the way, just more lighthearted). I have talked to so many people who say they "can't get into them" but I've found that they've stopped at book one or book two, which is a real shame. I remember reading The Half-Blood Prince at the beach a couple of years ago, right when it came out. I had been there several hours under an umbrella and finally heard someone call my name. It took me a few seconds to remember where I was because I was so engrossed in the world of magic. I also sobbed through the end of the last book because it was so beautiful and because it was all ending.

Anyway, I found this J.K. Rowling Report on Design Mom's blog the other day and had to share (or reshare it for those of you who saw it in 2007). My favorite part was this question about Molly and Bellatrix:

Q – Why the match-up between Molly and Bellatrix?

JKR’s A – Molly is a very powerful witch. Anyone that could raise Fred and George must be powerful. But sometimes that fact gets lost because her skills — like magical cooking, which is much harder than it looks, as I tried to show in the tent scenes — don’t draw much attention. But I wanted to make the point that just because a woman dedicates her life to her family, doesn’t mean she’s not highly skilled and talented and powerful. And I liked the idea if paring Bellatrix’s obsessive, disturbing love for Voldemort with Molly’s maternal love. The theme of maternal love, and how being loved gives you power, was important to me throughout the books.
 
So many good themes in these books about love, truth, courage, friendship and good conquering evil. Just trust me and read them. If you're a fan like me, who is your favorite character of all time?

13 comments:

  1. I LOVE the Harry Potter series! Books & Movies, although the books are by far way better! Anyway, my favorite characters are Ron & Hermione of course. But I also strangely like Belletrix.

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  2. You are spot on! I love the series as well, and honestly I think some of the darker themes in the last few novels aren't really kid friendly at all! Neville is my favorite character. He's been through a lot, but he's so strong. I feel weirdly proud of him.

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  3. I've never commented before, so don't think I'm a weirdo blog stalker (although the blog stalker part is true ;)

    I LOVE Harry Potter, and what Rowling wrote about Molly really touched me this morning. I really needed to read that. Thank you!

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  4. Neville and Dobby are my favorite. I love how both of them were totally awkward and always messed stuff up, but they had good intensions. And at the end they are heros. (I can't tell you how much I cry when Dobby, well ya know. Every time!)

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  5. I have read the series 7 times and never tire of it. Luna is a favorite because she is a little off beat and not afraid to march to her own drum. And of course Professor Gilderoy Lockhart for his self-serving and silly personality. Love to hate Umbridge too. She's simply evil or terribly misguided.

    PS a few years ago I took a dorky "sorting" test online and was put into Hufflepuff. My husband has not let me hear the end of it. I really think it was wrong.

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  6. It kinda creeps me out how similar you and I are. I find our kids dressed in the same clothes, have the same taste, and we seem to have the same idiosyncrasies.

    I wish I lived in Harry Potter's world. I really really want to go to the theme park in Florida, but being in NorCal makes that seems unlikely. My fav. character would have to be...Dumbledore. You can't help but have this overwhelming love and respect for him. There are other more amusing characters, but he's the one that touched me the most.

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  7. Totally with you on the series. Love the answer to the Molly/Bellatrix question, and even reading it, I thought the same thing, how they are two sides to the same coin of how women & love can be so powerful, for good or for ill. But I'm a Hermione girl. Can't help myself! And I always loved the redheads too. :)

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  8. Dumbledore. No question. I was very sad when there was no chat with him at the end of the second-to-last book. I was happy to have him back for a bit in the last book. And I agree that people really do need to give Harry Potter more of a chance and read past the first few books. It makes me sad too - my brother refuses to read any because everyone else reads them and he is very much against following the crowd. He's missing out!

    I admit I'm just a blog stalker too. I love the lovely, happy feeling of your blog.

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  9. I love the Harry Potter books and movies, too! I really enjoy seeing how the movies are interpreted from the books- I think it's always interesting to see what they choose to portray. I love the themes of the books as well and I don't mind that they get more intense and darker as the series (and characters and readers) mature. I think it's a natural progression. I really love the imagination in the books and I love that they're good literature that happens to be written for a young audience! There's no reason to skimp on good writing just because it's YA (cough cough, Twilight, cough).

    Whew, that was a lot. I love all the characters so much, how to choose just one? I really like all of the Weasleys. And in the movies, I love seeing the Who's Who of British actors showing up (my favorite being Emma Thompson).

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  10. I am such a big fan of Harry Potter! My all time favorite character has to be Ron. He is such a good and loyal friend, not to mention his wonderful humor.

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  11. I've never had any interest in reading any of those books... maybe I should give them a try... :)

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  12. While I'd normally never admit this, after reading your post I am ok with sharing that I am re-reading the HP series for the 5th (maybe 6th) time. They are my go to books when I want a (fictional) reminder of the power of love.
    I remember stretching out the Deathly Hallows as long as possible because I couldn't imagine saying good-bye to such vivid characters.
    Thanks for sharing the great interview! As a SAHM I love what JKR says about Molly.

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  13. PS - Shelly - Neville is my favorite too. I can't help but take a motherly interest in him & I also feel so proud of how far he comes in the series.

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