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Butterflies and Hogwarts
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From: Dr. Ruth I. Gordon <Druthgo>
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 21:05:16 -0700
CCBCers: I am bemused watching the wings being torn from the butterfly that is represented in J.K. Rowling's marvelous creations: the Harry Potter books. Does it matter if they are high or low or adventure fantasies? Are they fantasies at all? Are the characters stereotyped or are they original? Are they better or worse than Wynne Jones? Is food really important? What about cover design? Binding glue?
Hark and behold: Does it matter? Are the youngsters (and some of us oldsters) anxiously awaiting every new book? You bet your quidditch sticks we are. And, more important, so are young people and their parents--more than one of whom has admitted thats/he reads ahead of the now-put-to?d-kids. That's important. (I remember when parents and kids did the same for Lloyd Alexander's 'Prydain' series and the Hobbits, etc., etc.)
Once, years ago, there was a poem by which I lived. I knew that poem in and out. Then, on a Graduate Record Exam I was asked to define it by a series of a-b-c-d choices as answers. As it happens, G. M. Hopkins' "The Nun Takes the Veil" was undefineable by a-b-c-d-?cause my choices were in e-f-g-z. So Hopkins' poem and my interpretation of same was "wrong." No--it wasn't, GRE people didn't have the mental width to absorb MY version of Hopkins. What would they--and CCBC'ers--do with the much lighter Harry Potters?
Ditto--to the butterfly wings we are tearing off the delightful fantasy?ventures of young Harry.
A little analysis is dandy; too much is too much. I only wish I had had the Potters when I was in active service in a library. Honestly, I do think it might have brought to actuality my preachments to parents that families which read together had a basis for discussion and sharing.
So--there.
Big Grandma (ace quidditcher--and not very good field hockey-player)
================="You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Sat 05 Jun 1999 11:05:16 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 21:05:16 -0700
CCBCers: I am bemused watching the wings being torn from the butterfly that is represented in J.K. Rowling's marvelous creations: the Harry Potter books. Does it matter if they are high or low or adventure fantasies? Are they fantasies at all? Are the characters stereotyped or are they original? Are they better or worse than Wynne Jones? Is food really important? What about cover design? Binding glue?
Hark and behold: Does it matter? Are the youngsters (and some of us oldsters) anxiously awaiting every new book? You bet your quidditch sticks we are. And, more important, so are young people and their parents--more than one of whom has admitted thats/he reads ahead of the now-put-to?d-kids. That's important. (I remember when parents and kids did the same for Lloyd Alexander's 'Prydain' series and the Hobbits, etc., etc.)
Once, years ago, there was a poem by which I lived. I knew that poem in and out. Then, on a Graduate Record Exam I was asked to define it by a series of a-b-c-d choices as answers. As it happens, G. M. Hopkins' "The Nun Takes the Veil" was undefineable by a-b-c-d-?cause my choices were in e-f-g-z. So Hopkins' poem and my interpretation of same was "wrong." No--it wasn't, GRE people didn't have the mental width to absorb MY version of Hopkins. What would they--and CCBC'ers--do with the much lighter Harry Potters?
Ditto--to the butterfly wings we are tearing off the delightful fantasy?ventures of young Harry.
A little analysis is dandy; too much is too much. I only wish I had had the Potters when I was in active service in a library. Honestly, I do think it might have brought to actuality my preachments to parents that families which read together had a basis for discussion and sharing.
So--there.
Big Grandma (ace quidditcher--and not very good field hockey-player)
================="You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Sat 05 Jun 1999 11:05:16 PM CDT
