Today's the day -
James Sirius Potter went to Hogwarts today.
Couple of observations:
I've written before about Harry Potter and what a fun series it's been. I've read each of the books several times and still thoroughly enjoy them. I do that with books, by the way - read them several times... The thing I find appealing about the books is that they're, well, appealing. The characters are well-developed and engaging, the situations they find themselves in are entertaining - with just enough peril to keep it interesting, without being overly terrifying or troubling (because you know they're magic and will OF COURSE find their way out...), and the descriptions of the various scenes are warm, inviting, and well-written (even if they're intended to be cold, dank, and forbidding). Because that's part of the charm - you GO SOMEWHERE in these books. It's intended to be a fantasy, a world that is not real, but somehow still feels tied to the "real world"... To paraphrase Dumbledore - just because something only ever happened in our collective heads, doesn't make it any less real.
I am also aware of some of the problems people have with the series. The plot holes, the amazing deus ex machina (well, what do you expect?!? These folks can do MAGIC!), and the excessive use of flashbacks in the later books to fill in some of the missing story (which was excessive enough to require a plot device intended to soften the blow(s), which was kind of a fun thing, anyway... I sometimes can relate to Dumbledore having too many thoughts...) But I think that those things are (A) somewhat to be expected and (B) relatively unimportant to the overall experience of the books. I think sometimes people become overly critical of the minutia of an experience without allowing themselves the freedom or capacity to just simply enjoy something. I guess it's true that a more educated consumer is a better consumer, and I'm generally in favor of education. But I almost feel like in this case - and in so many other similar cases - it's become kind of a thing to analyze and criticize things, pointing out every flaw and thus (perhaps) looking intelligent or well-informed. And I'm not sure that's a good thing.
I think there's a child-like innocence associated with the ability to just enjoy things for being fun and entertaining... The ability to like flying a kite, the ability to enjoy the way that fresh bread smells, the ability to walk through the warm, green grass with bare feet... I haven't lost my ability to enjoy that kind of thing yet. I hope I never do.
James Sirius Potter went to Hogwarts today.
Couple of observations:
I've written before about Harry Potter and what a fun series it's been. I've read each of the books several times and still thoroughly enjoy them. I do that with books, by the way - read them several times... The thing I find appealing about the books is that they're, well, appealing. The characters are well-developed and engaging, the situations they find themselves in are entertaining - with just enough peril to keep it interesting, without being overly terrifying or troubling (because you know they're magic and will OF COURSE find their way out...), and the descriptions of the various scenes are warm, inviting, and well-written (even if they're intended to be cold, dank, and forbidding). Because that's part of the charm - you GO SOMEWHERE in these books. It's intended to be a fantasy, a world that is not real, but somehow still feels tied to the "real world"... To paraphrase Dumbledore - just because something only ever happened in our collective heads, doesn't make it any less real.
I am also aware of some of the problems people have with the series. The plot holes, the amazing deus ex machina (well, what do you expect?!? These folks can do MAGIC!), and the excessive use of flashbacks in the later books to fill in some of the missing story (which was excessive enough to require a plot device intended to soften the blow(s), which was kind of a fun thing, anyway... I sometimes can relate to Dumbledore having too many thoughts...) But I think that those things are (A) somewhat to be expected and (B) relatively unimportant to the overall experience of the books. I think sometimes people become overly critical of the minutia of an experience without allowing themselves the freedom or capacity to just simply enjoy something. I guess it's true that a more educated consumer is a better consumer, and I'm generally in favor of education. But I almost feel like in this case - and in so many other similar cases - it's become kind of a thing to analyze and criticize things, pointing out every flaw and thus (perhaps) looking intelligent or well-informed. And I'm not sure that's a good thing.
I think there's a child-like innocence associated with the ability to just enjoy things for being fun and entertaining... The ability to like flying a kite, the ability to enjoy the way that fresh bread smells, the ability to walk through the warm, green grass with bare feet... I haven't lost my ability to enjoy that kind of thing yet. I hope I never do.
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