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From: AlwaysErin at aol.com <AlwaysErin>
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 18:45:58 EDT
I finished Goblet and started the whole series over again. I found that I couldn't remember the plots of the earlier books so much as the characters, setting, and Fun Stuff. On rereading, the finer plot points are much more meaningful. I'm constantly amazed at the way Rowling has worked in details in seemingly effortless ways--and those details end up being important two or three books later. It makes me wonder who Crookshanks will turn out to be.
Another thing that has become clear is that Harry's world is revealed to us through Harry's eyes. So yes, the Privet Street family is more prevalent in the first book; later, they are something to be endured, but Harry has a life beyond them, so they don't play such a large role. The issues of larger good and larger evil will, I suspect, become apparent to us as they do to Harry. Now he focuses on himself and Voldemort, for that's what he knows. Later, as his world and his world view enlarge, maybe he will see (and we will see) the larger forces. Perhaps Tolkien et al deal more with larger good and larger evil, but they also write more from omniscent points of view. Larger issues are clear because the authors tell us about them, not because they are shown to us.
Erin Murphy Literary Agent & Editorial Consultant
Received on Mon 11 Sep 2000 05:45:58 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 18:45:58 EDT
I finished Goblet and started the whole series over again. I found that I couldn't remember the plots of the earlier books so much as the characters, setting, and Fun Stuff. On rereading, the finer plot points are much more meaningful. I'm constantly amazed at the way Rowling has worked in details in seemingly effortless ways--and those details end up being important two or three books later. It makes me wonder who Crookshanks will turn out to be.
Another thing that has become clear is that Harry's world is revealed to us through Harry's eyes. So yes, the Privet Street family is more prevalent in the first book; later, they are something to be endured, but Harry has a life beyond them, so they don't play such a large role. The issues of larger good and larger evil will, I suspect, become apparent to us as they do to Harry. Now he focuses on himself and Voldemort, for that's what he knows. Later, as his world and his world view enlarge, maybe he will see (and we will see) the larger forces. Perhaps Tolkien et al deal more with larger good and larger evil, but they also write more from omniscent points of view. Larger issues are clear because the authors tell us about them, not because they are shown to us.
Erin Murphy Literary Agent & Editorial Consultant
Received on Mon 11 Sep 2000 05:45:58 PM CDT
