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Wild about Harry
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From: bji <ihlen>
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 18:50:27 -0600
Colleagues:
My psychologist friend and Englisth teacher I are waiting for the newest Tolkien movie while at the same time discussing this discussion of Harry P. She's of the opinion that there is not enough HP character depth while I love that the characters for me deepen and diversify as each book arrives; we have our end-of-November ideas to share here:
Madelyn B's "take" I haven't read or heard of the Dark Is Rising series. Of course, I have read Tolkien many times & loved it. It seems many layered with the main characters being both good and bad. I have enjoyed reading the HP books, but with my increased awareness of stereotypes (maybe I would experience Tolkien differently now too) I find myself cringing at the portrayals of some of the kids especially Drago and his friends. (Think Columbine.) They are so without redeeming characteristics. Some of the themes I really like e.g. love will save you. It is interesting that it is aimed at 11 year olds when we are supposed to develop reasoning & when we tend to want to create and follow rules to make our lives easier to manage. As we get older, wiser, we are supposed to begin to realize that everything isn't black or white that there are many shades of gray with rare black or white. But I think that we long for certainty in an uncertain world; thus, the popularity of the HP books with certain adults or the unpopularity with others both based on looking at the world in a rule-bound way.
And then there's my take--I'm wild about Harry Potter. I think I am deepening my character with each person I meet--in the book world as well as in the one in which I live and work. I think his character is moving forward just fine! His dysfunctional family of Muggins is worse than mine could ever have been, his getting into the house of nobility (not a gang, a great team) , and his growing character with 4 books to come amazes, amuses and delights me. I love that some of the baddies are just plain unredeemably bad at this point in his life too--the label of stereotyping there fits but today, it would seem, we are all too easily led to give the villain a cushion of no blame. So, I can hate the villains here knowing that as in "Star Wars" that Darth Vader may turn out to be in the family tree....and I can love the young man who is finding himself as he finds his own connections, his own identity, and his own powers. Hurrah for Harry.
Instructor Betty Ihlenfeldt, English Department,De Forest High School
*******************************************************************
"I wasn't lucky. I deserved it." (Margaret Thatcher, age 9, after receiving a school prize)
*******************************************************************
Received on Mon 29 Nov 1999 06:50:27 PM CST
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 18:50:27 -0600
Colleagues:
My psychologist friend and Englisth teacher I are waiting for the newest Tolkien movie while at the same time discussing this discussion of Harry P. She's of the opinion that there is not enough HP character depth while I love that the characters for me deepen and diversify as each book arrives; we have our end-of-November ideas to share here:
Madelyn B's "take" I haven't read or heard of the Dark Is Rising series. Of course, I have read Tolkien many times & loved it. It seems many layered with the main characters being both good and bad. I have enjoyed reading the HP books, but with my increased awareness of stereotypes (maybe I would experience Tolkien differently now too) I find myself cringing at the portrayals of some of the kids especially Drago and his friends. (Think Columbine.) They are so without redeeming characteristics. Some of the themes I really like e.g. love will save you. It is interesting that it is aimed at 11 year olds when we are supposed to develop reasoning & when we tend to want to create and follow rules to make our lives easier to manage. As we get older, wiser, we are supposed to begin to realize that everything isn't black or white that there are many shades of gray with rare black or white. But I think that we long for certainty in an uncertain world; thus, the popularity of the HP books with certain adults or the unpopularity with others both based on looking at the world in a rule-bound way.
And then there's my take--I'm wild about Harry Potter. I think I am deepening my character with each person I meet--in the book world as well as in the one in which I live and work. I think his character is moving forward just fine! His dysfunctional family of Muggins is worse than mine could ever have been, his getting into the house of nobility (not a gang, a great team) , and his growing character with 4 books to come amazes, amuses and delights me. I love that some of the baddies are just plain unredeemably bad at this point in his life too--the label of stereotyping there fits but today, it would seem, we are all too easily led to give the villain a cushion of no blame. So, I can hate the villains here knowing that as in "Star Wars" that Darth Vader may turn out to be in the family tree....and I can love the young man who is finding himself as he finds his own connections, his own identity, and his own powers. Hurrah for Harry.
Instructor Betty Ihlenfeldt, English Department,De Forest High School
*******************************************************************
"I wasn't lucky. I deserved it." (Margaret Thatcher, age 9, after receiving a school prize)
*******************************************************************
Received on Mon 29 Nov 1999 06:50:27 PM CST
